Belize City, May 2, 2009 - The Belize Shotokan Karate Association hosted Sensei James Field of Santa Monica, California in Belize over the weekend to test 8 young karatekas for promotion to black belts at the Princess Hotel & Casino last Saturday.

John Reyes, a 20-year-old 1st degree black belt, tested for Ni Dan, the 2nd degree in black belt. Reyes is also the instructor of a recently opened karate dojo in Sand Hill. The other 7 black belt candidates had all represented Belize at the International Shotokan Karate Federation’s (ISKF) World Shotocup tournament in Toronto, Canada last October, and included: Kimberly Bowman and Luwani Christopher Nunez, both 17, Everald Martinez – 14, Calvert Quilter  – 13, Maria Jose Correa and Hanna Diskin - both 11, and the youngest, 10-year-old Jonathan Marshalleck.

Thirty other candidates also tested for promotions in their colored belts. These included 9 white belts, 4 yellow belts, 5 orange belts, 6 green belts, 3 purple belts and 3 brown belts.

BSKA president John Nunez, 5th Dan, and sensei Leonard Nunez, 4th Dan helped Sensei James Field with the judging as the candidates did their form exercises – the kata, the basic stance and technique drills – ki han, and sparred in kumite. John Reyes had to spar against 2 black belts of a higher dan in kumite.

Sensei James Field, an 8th Dan black belt, is a 45-year veteran of the martial arts and is currently the ISKF director for the South West region of the United States and is also vice chairman of the ISKF Technical Committee. Upon his arrival last Thursday, he travelled to Punta Gorda, where he conducted similar examinations at the P.G. karate club, and in Dangriga and Belmopan on Friday.  Field returned to Santa Monica on Monday