Earl Gilkey

Biography
Martial Arts Career
He has received many awards like the Martial Arts Hall of fame award which was received in 1980 at a Goju Ryu tournament in Tulsa Oklahoma, He has also recieved the Lifetime Youth Award which was recieved in 2008. Just recently Gilkey's Karate have had there 31st Goju Ryu Karate Tournament-Grandmaster Gilkey hosted the 1st Annual Oklahoma Goju Ryu Karate Tournament at Gilkey's Karate in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Mr. Gilkey's vision is to have a dedicated tournament with participation from all Goju Ryu Karate schools within the state to continue to foster strong inter-personal relationships within the discipline, to strengthen communications within the Goju Ryu community, and to insure that all Goju Ryu students have an opportunity for competition within their style.
Participation in the event drew students of schools from Bartlesville, Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Mannford, Tulsa, and many more with one competitor coming from Van Buren, Arkansas to take part in the activity!
Gilkey's Karate had their grand opening of their first karate school in 1971 in Bartlsville Oklahoma. As time passed they opened more and more Dojo's which is a term that the Goju Martial Artist use as Karate School. In 1975 he opened three more schools. One of which was in his hometown of Pawhuska Oklahoma, Others where in Bartlesville And Tulsa Oklahoma.
Earl Gilkey has been working in martial arts for over 37 years now and has had major sucess in his martial arts career.
He first stared learning martial arts while in korea working in the service. While in Korea he met lots of Japanese Goju Martial Artist. From that years later he pursued his career and started out as a 1st Dan Which in Korean terms means White belt which is your first belt when you start out at Goju Ryu Martial Arts. He has been doing this for many years and hopes to keep pursuing his career. On May 29th 1971 he and his beautiful wife Vedra June Gilkey Had there 2nd child Sterling Gilkey.
At Sterlings age 4 he started doing karate under fathers classes. At now at age 37 he's been doing this for a ling time partially all his life and his has his own studio to and his sons Sterling & Chandler Gilkey are doing it.
Some may say its a family tradition.

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