Membership

Dear Prospective Applicant:

Thank you very much for your membership interest in the Okinawan Gojuryu Karate-do Goeikai USA!

Our members are like a family. Members are never spoken to or treated in a disrespectful manner. Instructors are never humiliated.  Information flows freely and everyone has a voice. We train in traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate and we have fun doing it.

WHO CAN BECOME AN AFFILIATED MEMBER

Goeikai USA will consider any application for membership regardless of age, race, sex, or religious belief. There are however a few requirements for obtaining membership; the primary requirements being that you believe in studying traditional Okinawan martial arts, in researching, sharing information, and training. You also must be a good citizen and moral citizen. We require instructors to attend at least one Gasshuku per year.

Membership is open to all types of traditional Goju Ryu Karate do organizations, that will convert their teachings to follow the methods of the late Eiichi Miyazato Sensei. Members may be either for profit or not for profit organizations. All members are expected to uphold the highest standards of training and conduct as expected by Goeikai.

Kobudo Membership is open to anyone wishing to learn our method of Ryukyu Dento Kobujutsu.

HOW TO JOIN OKINAWAN GOJURYU KARATE-DO GOEIKAI USA

The steps a Dojo or organization needs to follow for applying for membership are:

  1. Request a Membership Form
  2. Fill out an Application Form and have it signed and dated by an individual having appropriate authority in your Dojo or organization.
  3. Arrange payment of the Application Fee and the Registration Fee which must arrive within 30 days of the Application Form. The amounts payable are included on the Application Form.
  4. Email (or mail) the Application Form directly to Mike Jones Kyoshi.

TIMELINE AND CONDITIONS

  1. Your application will be processed by Mike Jones Kyoshi personally.
  2. Before your organization will be accepted as a full member of Goeikai USA, a Temporary Membership may be granted for up to 12 months. During the Temporary Membership period your organization must invite Mike Jones Kyoshi and/or another senior representative to a seminar organized by you. This is required in order to fully evaluate the quality of training being given in your organization. It is Goeikai USA’s preference to provide support and implement a training program to improve the standard of instruction if it is found that the quality of training within an dojo is below expectations, rather than reject applicants.
  3. Goeikai USA’s focus is to promote and preserve traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate do accordingly we accept that there will be occasions when groups may not have had the benefit of quality instruction in the past.
  4. An dojo must be willing to make suggested changes in order to improve the standard of instruction being provided. If an dojo, after being given time, fails to improve the quality of training being given then we may terminate that dojo’s membership.

BENEFITS OF AFFILIATION

  1. Recognition of past and current Goju Ryu Karate achievements
  2. High standard of training and support
  3. Annual Yearly Seminar
  4. Periodic clinics
  5. Internationally recognized Dan Grading, including where necessary facilitating Dan Grading in Okinawa.
  6. Being part of a respected international group that prides itself on providing quality instruction in the art of traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate do and where appropriate traditional Ryukyu Kobujutsu.

Goeikai USA is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate do and Ryukyu Kobujustsu. Only applicants who are dedicated to promoting and preserving these Okinawan martial arts to a high standard will be accepted.

The Goeikai USA is an organization devoid of power struggles, egos, and politics.  Our Annual three-day Gasshuku cost  $150 to attend.  We have very reasonable grading fees. All member dojo (Shibu) are considered equal and each Shibu Dojo reports directly to Honbu Dojo. In addition to the above named benefits we also offer our members various means in which to communicate, stay in touch, and to share information; such as an organization Facebook Page, this website, and an organizational video sharing which is free to all members.

We seek serious practitioners who desire to train, research, and share information pertaining to traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu.  If you desire to be considered for membership please contact us for an application and to discuss your needs with us.

We welcome you to apply for membership and we thank you for your interest in the Okinawan Gojuryu Karate-do Goeikai USA. Please feel free to write Mike Jones Kyoshi in person or email cmjones at goeikai-usa.com pertaining to any questions you may have.