Jeff Price

About me:
This is the story about Karate and my life. I am 17 years old. I was 3 and ½ and going to pre school when I started learning Karate. I learned to do the basics, Katas and fighting. There weren't any weapons taught here. In about a year I earned my yellow belt. I was at the top of my class and already helping other students learn the katas. I was learning to do my katas both left and right. I was working out with karate instructors such as Jim Dean, Kim Garcia, Marleigh Coleman and my instructor Danny Sanchez.

Another year passed by and I was still going. I loved Karate and soon got my Orange Belt. By this time I was now 5 years old and decided to try competing against other students.
My first competition was in Bountiful, Utah at Carlos Ferrar's tournament. I did Sparring and Kata's. I received my very first trophy in sparring, a fourth place. I was so proud of that 5-inch trophy.

It was obvious that I had a competitive way about myself. Most of my competing was done here in Utah. I went to tournaments held by Carol Cox, Dale Pettis, Bobby Lawrence, Carlos Ferrar and Joe Urry. Another two years went by and I got my Blue Belt. MY grandpa would work with me every day having me practice for hours on end. I wanted to go to a Las Vegas Tournament at the Tropicana Hotel held by Stan and Barbie Witz. So off to Las Vegas we went to compete in Katas and Sparring. I received my first World Championship in Katas. I practiced more and more with my Grandpa pushing me to do my best. After a few more Utah tournaments, I was ready to go to Las Vegas again. I was in karate about 6 years now and doing really good. I had about 70 trophies in my bedroom and my family was very proud of me. Stan and Barbie had another tournament at the Tropicana Hotel. So I wanted to go again. I got up and I did a Kata and for some reason I left out ½ of it. I turned and looked at Grandma and Grandpa and then looked to the ground with the saddest face my family had ever seen. I knew I blew it, even though I took 6th place. I told my Grandpa "I need a break." So I didn't take any more lessons for about a year. Sometime in that year I did take a little Kung Fu from Marvin Lovestat and received my White Sash. I quit because I didn't like it.

When I was about 7 years old and going to Polk Elementary school, Ron Bennett's Red Dragon Karate Demo team came to my school and performed. I meet Sensei Bill Bryan a Black Belt in Red Dragon and I said I wanted to start back in Karate with Red Dragon, which was located up on 20th and Harrison. It was a small Dojo but it really was the start of a brilliant Karate career. Sensei Ron let me keep my Blue belt, and I was learning new kata's and also learning weapons. I hated the nunchuks and loved the Bo. The Bo was and is my choice of weapon to use in tournaments.

In a few months the Dojo got too small for the amount of students taught, so we moved to a larger studio on 31st and Harrison. . I was learning to fight here and I found I liked it. I was also getting pretty good at it. Good enough that Sensei Ron had me teaching his daughter Emily how to fight.

I remember one year we went to Yellowstone for vacation. When we came back Sensei Ron asked me if I would like to become a Black Belt trainee. I was able to help with classes and teach private lessons. Sensei Ron was my personal Instructor. I was also doing very well at tournaments. At this time I had about 150 trophies. I was always competing in the top 6 places and mostly 1st or 2nd.

I received my 1st degree Black Belt at the age of 10. I went to California to test under Shi Han Louis D.Cassamassas who was the founder of Red Dragon Karate. He was a very impressive man and I didn't recognize him at first and almost didn't get to test. The test was 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon. I must have done okay because I walked out of there with my 1st degree Black Belt.

I received my 2nd degree about 1 year later, all the time struggling in competition because I was now competing against other Black Belts who had a lot more experience than I did. Sensei Ron noticed this and said "Jeff I want you on my schedule and you will start winning again." Well he was right because after a couple months of privates with him I did start to win again. After about six months I was starting to win 1st and 2nd again. Before I knew it I had over 200 trophies in my room.

Then the bottom seemed to fall out from under me. Sensei was having personal problems and before I knew what was up he didn't own Red Dragon any more. I was now teaching for Sensei Elias Salazar. That was all that was happening for the next year. I was lucky enough to test for my third degree but I wasn't learning any more from Sensei Sal. I went on for awhile teaching at Red dragon but I was not learning anything myself. Sensei Sal was now telling us what tournaments we could go to and which ones we couldn't go to. I didn't like this much so I decided I wanted to go to a tournament in Woods Cross because it was now Shi Han Ron Bennett's tournament. When we saw each other we hugged and I told him I wanted to join him in karate again. I wound up going into the finals and at that time I dedicated my Kata to Shi Han.

For the next year with White Dragon I tested again for another Black Belt under Stan Witz and received another Third Degree Black Belt in USA. I have been competing all over i.e. Montana, Oregon, California, Nevada and here in Utah. I have over 300 trophies now and I am teaching my skills to other White Dragons through Private lessons and in classes. I have 14 years experience in Karate learning American Free Style, some Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do and Shotokan Karate. I hold one World title and 12 National Titles. As for now I am working with the WDOB team and we are looking to win more world and national titles.

I would like to say thank you to my family my Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, and sisters. I would also like to say thank you to Shihan, Jaylene, and the many other people that have helped me get to where I am today because it would not have been possible to do it with out them.