Goodland Dojo Produces National Champions

Goodland’s modest dojo, Shima Island Dojo, has done it again. At the AAU National Karate Championships held in Fort Lauderdale from July 5 through July 8, the dojo, under the instruction of sensei Nick Lemke, brought home six gold medals, six silver medals, and five bronze medals. One student, Dominic Esquival, advanced to the WUKF World Karate Championships in Dundee, Scotland, from July 13-16, where he won bronze medals in katas and Kobudo long weapons.

At the nationals, Esquival took home gold in Kumite, gold in Kobudo long weapon with the bo, silver in Kobudo short weapon with the nunchaku, silver in katas, and two bronze medals in team kumite and ultimate rotation kumite.

Participants aged eight to 70 years came from all over the country to compete for national titles in katas (forms), kumite (sparring), and Kobudo (weapons forms).

Marco Múnera, age 12, won gold in Kumite and silver in Kobudo short weapons. Marco, who has studied under Lemke since he was five years old, said, “I have grown up with sensei Nick as my teacher. He has taken me on many adventures and taught me a lot about karate. He encourages me to be dedicated, always saying, 'Don’t just practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong.'”

Marco participated in the National Championships with his father, Juan Múnera, who has a black belt in both Taekwondo-Do and Mushin-Do and is now a purple belt in karate. Juan competed in the 50-plus category, taking gold in kata, silver in Kobudo short weapon with the nunchaku, and bronze in kumite. He has practiced martial arts since 1973.

“I have had good martial art teachers from Colombia, Korea, Australia and the U.S.,” Juan Munera said, "but no one has been as dedicated to details and perfection as sensei Nick, whose teaching is strictly from the Okinawa traditional karate lineage. Karate was invented several thousand years ago to strengthen the bodies of the meditating monks. They became so strong, mentally and physically, that they were selected to guard and protect the royal family in Okinawa. We train the same way they used to train, and that is the reason why we can protect ourselves and win in tournaments.” 

Sensei Nick Lemke is considered one of the top teachers in the country. He has practiced for 32 years and has taught Seibukan Shorin-Ryu karate and Matayoahi Shinbukai weapons style, both from Okinawa, for the past 23 years. 

“I give credit to my students,” Nick Lemke said, "who work hard. I also give credit to my teachers of Seibukan and Shimbukahi for making this all possible.”

Shima Island Karate Dojo is located in Goodland at 620 Palm Ave. Call 239-351-6032 for more information.