- From Shihan Alwyn Heath 5 dan
I remember one year we were in summer camp and had got the students up for night training, but there was a slight problem a few students were missing so Shihan Collins set off in search of them with his trusty shinai (bamboo practice sword).  He eventually found the dormitory and burst in shouting and hitting them with the shinai urging them to get their backsides out onto the training field, only to be met with a reply from the blurry eyed students  “ we’re not with you we’re surfers!!”

The first summer camp I went to was in Papendal in Holland under the urging of Shihan Collins “as it would be a good experience!”  We were staying in tents about 1 ½ miles from the main camp as the dormitories were full, the main instructors were Shihans Nakamura and Shigeru Oyama who had a reputation for not liking late comers and tended to hit them with a shinai.  On our first morning of training we were woken by shouts from our friend Le Costa that we were late and it as 8.00 am by his watch!  We all rushed out of our tents with gi trousers half on only to be met with darkness, puzzled we discovered Lee had only looked at his watch upside down!!
It was at this camp that I first met my very good friend Shihan Cyril Andrews, in the lunch break he was comically  demonstrating a “Welsh Kata” based on Sanchin Kata – only instead of Ibuki he was shouting Iachi Da!!  Much to the consternation of all the Welsh party!!

At another camp in Wales in Shihan Collin’s home town Mt Ash, I learned a very important lesson of humility & responsibility.  After the first day training in glorious sunshine, Shihan Collins popped out to get ice cream for the Junior members leaving us Black Belts in charge.  In all our wisdom we decided that a walk to the local shop to get an ice cold drink was the order of the day!!  Leaving a lady Black Belt in charge of all the students the remaining 5 of us Black belts set off to the short walk to the shop.  As is the way with Karateka who get together we were too busy talking and reminiscing to notice that 11/2 hours had gone by!

On our return we were met by the lady Black Belt and told that Shihan Collins wanted us in the main Hall in our Gis in 5 minutes . Mystified as we had thought training had finished for the day, we proceeded to the main hall only to be met by a very annoyed Shihan Collins and all the students lined up in their gis.  We then proceeded to fight everyone one after another, the students being urged on to fight harder by Shihan Collins or they would have to fight him!!  Needless to say they didn’t need  further encouraging, after a hard 50 fights which left us battered and bruised, Shihan Collins called a halt and sent the other students to bed.  He then berated us on our responsibilities and that Black belts should not think that they were above anybody else two hours later he got everybody up for night training and a run, making us “bad boys” carry some of the Juniors!!  An unforgettable lesson in humility!!  Needless to say we didn’t get any ice cream either!! 

- From Sensei George Minos 4 dan
Familiarity breeds Contempt

In the beginning of the 80's. After a national competition the fighters were invited by the club, as it was the custom, to eat together at the pizzeria La Vacca. For some reason that I do not remember I was offered lift to the restaurant by, at that time, sensei Howard Collins, in his Range Rover.  He was relative new appointed head instructor for Goteborg's Karate Kai.

Parenthetically, at that time Shihan's love for 4-wheel drive big cars preferably British was well known as well as his constant need for workshop assistance. When we arrived at the restaurant and after thanking for the lift I remember the following dialog.

GM: Sensei, how shall I address you?

HC: What do you mean?

GM: I mean, in public, how do I call you?

HC: Sensei!

GM: Osu Sensei!

After almost 30 years of training together he is still "sensei" to me. Back up