Sensei Edji Zenel – (Chief Instructor)

Sensei Edji commenced his karate in 1974 at a small club in an inner suburb of Melbourne. He has trained under numerous world renowned Karate Masters, and has travelled extensively all over the world to associate with the worlds best karate-ka.

Sensei Edji takes his traditional karate very serious, but, he is also involved in competition karate. He competed in several AKF and JKA competitions, and won Gold medals in both their National & State competitions. In 1987 he was voted the number one competitor in Kata (Forms) & Kumite (Fighting) in an independent Martial Arts magazine. Mr Zenel was AKF State Kata Coach in 1995 and 1998 – 2001, and AKF National Kata Coach from 2006 - 2008. He has also refereed and judged in State, National and International competitions.

Mr Zenel is one of the very few karate practitioners that have completed and passed Levels 1 & 2 NCAS General Principals and Sports Specific (Karate) courses which is approved by the Government.

In July 2000 Sensei Edji was graded to the rank of Yondan (4^th degree black belt), the first ever such grading conducted by the Australian Karate Federation. This was later confirmed by the World Karate Federation. Taiji Kase Sensei, who was taught by the founder of Shotokan Karate (Funakoshi Gichin Sensei), also graded Mr Zenel to 4^th Dan in November 2001. Sensei Edji currently holds the rank of Godan (5th degree black belt); his rank was recognised by the World Karate Federation in January 2008.

He first opened up his own club in 1977, and has coached State, National & International champions. But more importantly he has seen many students excel in their personal life, in which, many of those students attribute their success because of their karate training and the discipline it provides.

Sensei Edji Zenel
 Hombu Sensei