SHODAI SOKE SMITH

Grandmaster Nick Smith is the Senior Instructor at T'AI-KARA-TE-DO™ Martial Arts Academy . He began his training when he was 13 years old. He has studied many different forms including Karate, Tae Kwon Do, U.S. T.A.I. Karate, various styles of Kung Fu and Tang Soo Do. Grandmaster Smith received his Soke rank from Grand Master T.B. Whittaker. Upon Grandmaster Whittaker’s death Grandmaster Smith became the Shodai Soke of T'AI-KARA-TE-DO™. Soke Smith, having grown up having difficulties in Martial Arts classes due to the too large a number of students compared to teachers decided he wanted to open a school that would focus a little more on the one to one approach versus the more is better approach. As a child he faced the difficulty of learning because of his ADD yet through his martial arts classes he found the ability to focus his mind and body in order to accomplish the things required of him in his day to day life. Now he wants to teach other children with the same sort of disabilities how they can focus their minds and energy towards reaching the goals they wish to reach in their lives. He, along with his wife who assists him, try to challenge the young people to not only perform the martial arts moves correctly but also to manage their lives correctly in order to get the most out of life as well as give the most of themselves. Grandmaster Smith was inducted in 2007 into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Grandmaster Smith is a lifetime member of the International Martial Arts Council of America and a member of the Shojukempo International Martial Arts Association. Grandmaster Smith is also a member of the World Black Belt Certification Licensing Commission which certifies him as a 7th Dan and also allows for him to promote others to the rank of 5th Dan in traditional Japanese/Okinawan Karate-do. Soke Smith hopes to teach all his students the art of meditation and how to be one with your inner self in order to put out a positive flow of energy in this world.