In the high-tech surroundings of the Silicon Valley of Northern California, there is good old-fashioned Kenpo action going on.  The city of San Jose is home to Gonzales Kenpo Karate, with IKCA 6^th Degree Roland Gonzales at the helm.  Roland has the distinct honor of heading up the first affiliate school of the International Karate Connection Association.

Beginning in the martial arts when he was only 15, Roland came to Kenpo in a roundabout way, studying with various instructors and coming, in his words, “closer and closer to Kenpo”.  Starting in Shotokan under Steve Garcia, he transitioned to Kenjubukai under Eddie Savadra.  Roland then had the opportunity to study the Danny Pai system of Gung Fu known as Kou Shu.  Under instructors Christopher Casey and James Craven, he describes learning Kou Shu as “Gung Fu with lots of Kenpo, and an emphasis on the Five Animal Forms.”  After spending a short time in the Tracy system of Kenpo, Roland began studying Parker system of Kenpo with John Sepulveda under the auspices of the IKKA.

During this time Roland began to notice on the tournament circuit that Kenpo forms were not doing well against the Gung Fu forms.  Sepulveda’s Kenpo Invitational was a well known tournament sponsored by his instructor.  Roland used this event to begin a tournament career showcasing Kenpo forms. Over a three year period (1982-1984) he established himself as the one to beat in the California tournament scene when it came to forms accumulating over 400 trophies.  In his last year of competition Roland was honored as Competitor of the Year by the California Karate League.

Roland’s association with the Karate Connection began with Black Belt Magazine advertisement.  He had numerous phone conversations with Chuck and Vic before deciding to make the trip from San Jose to Los Angeles to check out this new “style” of Kenpo.  Roland was pleased with what he observed.  It turned out to be the first of many trips to the studio at Chuck’s house.  He recognized a system of Kenpo that was straight-forward, stream-lined but not diluted, and had techniques that could be mastered in 2-3 years.  “It really is the best thing on the market.”, he says.  But one thing impressed Roland more than anything else.  “Chuck and Vic treated me like I was their brother.  Really a class act.  I have never forgotten that!”  Roland continues, “One of my major concerns was that they were in it for the money.  That’s just not the case.  They are in it for the Kenpo.”  It was at this time that the  IKCA was being formed.  “When I started with the Karate Connection, there was no association.”, Roland relates.  “Chuck and Vic were making trips upstate to my school and Doug Meek’s school in Napa.  Those were some intense weekends!”  Roland and his students are avid supporters of the annual IKCA Tournament and Seminar in Long Beach.  “I missed the third one due to circumstances, but you better believe I’ll be there again.”

Though Roland’s commercial school recently closed, he still teaches about twenty-five students out of his home studio.  “I teach the Karate Connection curriculum supplemented with the Parker system.”, he states.  The one thing that he likes is that the Karate Connection is “developing and modernizing”.  Though the base requirements have not changed, more material is being considered, like the Two Man Set and the Staff Set.  “It’s not staying stagnant.”, Roland explains, “You can see that in the way the required extensions have changed and the requirement for the students to develop their own extensions.  This the way the art grows and develops.”

Roland’s experience with the IKCA has been entirely on a face-to-face level with Chuck and Vic.  Yet he realizes the challenges that video students face, primarily with motivation.  “I’ve seen the video students at the tournaments and seminars, and they looked good!”, he says.  With that in mind, Roland offers some advice for those studying by video.  “The first thing is to try to find other IKCA practitioners nearby.  Work out times you can meet on a regular basis.  Having a live body to practice on (and be practiced on) is very helpful.  Also, don’t speed down the course, take your time. Start at the beginning and go to the end.  Don’t jump around in the material.  Each tape builds on the one prior to it.  Most of all remember that there is no hurry!  I recommend spending 3-4 months per tape before you even consider testing.  Above all, don’t ever hesitate to ask questions, that’s what the IKCA is for.”

One of Roland’s favorite memories is mentioned in the very first IKCA Newsletter.  The article Name That Technique came about as a result of Roland’s visits to the LA studio.  “We had always learned the Parker system techniques by names, and it was helpful to me.  When I began studying with Chuck and Vic, the Karate Connection techniques had no names, so I was naming them myself so I could remember them.  I remember calling what is now Beheading the Dragon by the name of The Immortal Man, or something like that.  Chuck and Vic liked the idea, so they held the contest you see in the newsletter.  I like to think it’s a neat contribution, it was fun, and it makes learning easier.”  So the next time you catch yourself referencing the IKCA techniques by name, say a word of thanks to a true martial artist, Roland Gonzales.