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My Story

Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter is the chief instructor and head of Camp Carter International Karate Association … started the first CCIKA school at the Alviso Community Center in the city of San Jose, California, in 2002. He has since expanded CCIKA to more than ten community centers, public schools, and private institutions throughout the Bay Area. CCIKA also has affiliates in England, Philippines, China, Mexico, Italy, Korea, Okinawa, Canada and Sri Lanka.

Goju Kai was the first martial arts style attended by Sensei Carter when he was 9 years old. At a young age of 6,Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter had the chance to sit in the Dojo to watch the great Gogen Yamaguchi from Okinawa teach classes to his older cousin and wondered when he could one day learn. Meeting Yamaguchi Sensei was a great beginning. Hanshi Ralph Percelle and Shihan Cornell Watson started a Northern California community Goju Kai class in the late 60’s.

In 1981, Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter studied under the Japan Karate Association (JKA) with Yokota Sensei in Mountain View, California. Sensei Hajime Yokota is an athletic, old school, traditional, Shotokan karate teacher. His instructors include Sensei T. Okazaki, Sensei M. Nakayama, and Sensei K. Enoeda – direct lineage to the purest interpretations of Shotokan’s founder Sensei Gichin Funakoshi. After winning JKA Regional Championships in Colorado, USA, Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter continued to explore other martial styles and special training. In 1995 Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter started training with Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association (FSKA), training directly under Shihan Funakoshi. Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter developed a non-stop training spirit to learn all he could to be a great martial arts student.

Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter became the first American Black Belt to win a Gold Medal in Kumite (fighting) at the World Shotokan Championship Karate Tournament in Portugal (2000) and has won many local, state and national championships through his many years of training.

In 2009 Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter traveled to South Korea to visit the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) to participate in the World Taekwondo Expo and tour the countryside. Training  with Grandmaster William Kim and in Hawaii for many years involved in private classes and local tournaments and events, awarded 6th Dan by Grand Master William Kim. Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter was elected Public Relations Committee Chairman for California Unified Taekwondo Association (CUTA) and the Northern California Taekwondo Association (NCTA) and was selected bodyguard to the President of the Kukkiwon in Northern California at the Kukkiwon Masters Instructor Training course in Oakland, California. The President of the Kukkiwon presented Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter with a Medal of Appreciation and Honor for the service performed during his stay.

In 2011 Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter became Ambassador to the World Taekwondo Martial Arts Council (MTMAC), a segment of Kukkiwon headquarted in South Korea, to promotes the goodwill and good spirit of the Taekwondo Martial system throughout the world.

Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter was appointed as the CUTA “Jurisdiction Director for Northern California 2013-2015″ under CUTA President: Jun Yoon.

On March 23, 2013 with all the dedication and hard work in Taekwondo and Martial Arts throughout the world, Grand Master Joong Nam and The World HanMooKwan Taekwondo Federation in Korea awarded 8th Dan Taekwondo to Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter.

In January 2015, MooDukKwan award for 9th Dan was presented to Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter from Grand Master Choi, Daegu City, Korea.

Grandmaster/Hanshi James Carter was born on the East Coast of the United States and moved to Northern California when he was very young. His grandmother often told him stories of his great grandmother who is a Korean woman who his great grandfather met while stationed in a missionary camp. Although he never met his great grandmother, he believes his caring personality and warrior spirit comes from her.

April 28, 2018, Hanshi James Carter – CCIKA – Shotokan Karate.