Tommy Morris

He was the first Scottish National Coach, and for many years Kobe Osaka students were the mainstay of the Scottish and British teams. Kobe Osaka students have won numerous Scottish, British, European, and World titles. Danny Bryceland, Myles and Iain Burke, Robin MacFarlane, David Coulter and Pat MacKay being some of the best known of the many top notch competitors who went through the Kobe Osaka dojos. The latest in a long line of successes is his son Steven. In thirty-five major tournaments, Steven has taken thirty-one kata medals, including 5 European Championships medals, and a World Cup Bronze. He also placed 5th twice in the World Championships. He has won the British Championships, an unprecedented 11 times in succession.

Although Tommy Morris has achieved major successes in the training of champions, he is also well known as an instructor of effective and practical self-defence measures, both armed and unarmed, and has specialised in "Counter Measures", which taught police, military personnel, business executives, and ordinary people how to defend themselves against all kinds of attack. He still teaches tactical firearms use for people at risk and Special Forces personnel.

He founded Kobe Osaka International in 1991 and which now has associated partners in 40 countries world-wide.

He is married with two sons and a daughter and has four grandchildren.

History
1954 started training in Ju-Jitsu and Judo.
1955-1957 worked as a copy boy for the Glasgow Evening Citizen.
1957-1967 worked as a photo-process engraver with the Evening Citizen and Scottish Daily Express.
1957-1963 Served in the Royal Marines Volunteer Reserve and qualified as a Commando, Parachutist, and Assault Engineer (AE2).
1961 started learning karate from books.
1963 founded the Kobe Osaka Karate Club.
1963-1964 served in the 15th Scottish Parachute Regiment (TA).
1964 first karate instruction in Paris with Henri D. Plee and first karate licence with the League Isle de France, French Karate Federation.
1965 obtained the first Black Belt ever awarded in Scotland for karate and founded the Scottish Karate-do Association.
1965-1970 competed for Scotland and Britain in karate.
1966 opened Scotland's first full-time dojo at 27 Union Street in Glasgow.
1967 Gave up his job with the Scottish Daily Express and went to train in Japan, returned as a 3rd Dan and started teaching and training as a full-time instructor.
1967 qualified as a National Referee.
1970 joined the Renfrew & Bute Police Special Constabulary and retired in 1985, with the Long Service Medal.
1970 qualified as a European International Referee.
1975 qualified as WUKO World Referee.
1976 appointed a member of EKU Referee Committee.
1977 appointed a member of WUKO Referee Council.
1976-1980 represented Britain in two World Practical Pistol Championships and competed in matches in the U.S.A., Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and UK.
1984 till 2005, Chairman of EKF Referee Committee.
1986 till 2010, Chairman of WKF Referee Committee.
1991 founded Kobe Osaka International.
1998 Appointed Chairman of the EKF Sports Commission.
1999 Appointed Chairman of the WKF Sports Commission.
2003 Awarded 8th Dan by WKF.
2010 Appointed WKF Presidential Advisor.

Steven Morris
Steven Morris was born in 1963 and started training in karate when he was six years old. He has an unprecedented record of absolute consistency in competition at national and international level. He started competing at age twelve in kata and kumite, and has had considerable success including many Shukokai and Shitoryu international titles. He was the K.O.I World Kata Champion from 1991 until 1999 when he retired.

He won every British Kata Championships from the first one ever held in 1985 until he retired as undefeated champion in 2000.

Steven Morris in competition

He entered 12 European championships and was never placed lower than 5th. He placed 2nd three times, 3rd twice, 4th four times, and 5th three times. He has competed in 2 WUKO/WKF World Cups and placed 9th and 3rd. He has competed in 3 WUKO/WKF World Championships and placed 5th twice. In the 1996 World Championships in South Africa he was behind the 3rd place contestant by just 0.2 points.

Qualifications
Steve has been a full time karate and health club instructor since 1985 and currently runs eight dojos. He has attended numerous leisure industry courses on anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and safe exercise procedures. He has attended the Refereeing and Coaching Courses organised by Kobe Osaka International and is a Scottish Karate Board Level 2 Coach and SVQ Assessor. He holds Kobe Osaka International Instructor, Referee and Kata Judge qualifications as well as being an SKB National Referee and Kata Judge.

He has assisted his father on numerous national and international courses at home and abroad, including ten years as the Kobe Osaka International Kata Coach. He has amongst others, conducted training for the Egyptian, Kuwaiti, and Saudi Arabian National Teams. The Egyptian Kata Team went on to win the African Games and to take a 5th place in the World Championships in Granada. He trained the Kobe Osaka Kata team, which won the British and Scottish Championships three times and twice took 5th place in the European Championships.

He is widowed and has two sons Sam and Max.

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