7th Dan Instructor
Brief info
David Coulter 7th Dan M.B.E is the Chief Instructor of the Sakai Karate Club. He began his Karate journey in 1969 at the Kisan Karate club in Kilmarnock with John Kerr (who has since passed away).
He then moved to the Kobe Osaka Karate Club in Glasgow in 1974 where his instructor was the renowned Tommy Morris. Dave later opened a branch of Kobe Osaka with Ivy Rennie.
In 1979 Dave left the Kobe Osaka Club and in the same year founded his own club naming it the Sakai Karate Club after an area in Japan.
The Sakai Club began in the Buchanan Centre then moved to the Shanks Hall, then another move to the Arts Guild and then the Grand Hall in Kilmarnock, in 1984, and in 2009 we moved to our present head Dojo in St Josephs Liesure Centre Grassyards Road Kilmarnock.
The Sakai Karate Club has also expanded over the years to be an association of clubs under the banner of Sport Karate Sakai. This association is a full member of the Scottish Karate Governing Body. The clubs are throughout Ayrshire (Ayr, Kilmarnock, Darvel & Dundee)
David Coulter is now a 7th Dan.
He was the first recipient to be awarded a grade from the Scottish Karate Governing Body. Over the years he has won many championships and awards: Olympic Torch Bearer London Olympics 2012 ..Awarded the M.B.E in the Queens Birthday Honours list 2013
4 times Scottish individual Champion
7 times Scottish Team Champion
2 times European Lightweight Champion 1978 & 1983
2 times World Team Champion 1975 & 1982
Scottish Team Captain
Dave then retired from competition and became the Scottish Team Coach for the under 21s from 1985 till 1993.
He then took over as national team coach until 1997.
He is now a National Coach along with Hamish Adam and Gerry Fleming as
Head National Coach.