Dojo History of Fairwood Martial Arts

Fairwood Martial Arts, 'officially', began in August 1995. The history actually began many years ago in Gainesville, Florida, in December 1971. One evening, John Kay, was walking past the University of Florida gymnasium. Back then, he would have been called a "long haired" college student. Looking down towards the basement doors he noticed a group of "karate people" who were hanging around outside wearing their "karate gi". Later he spoke to his girl friend and a few weeks later (January 1972) she dragged him to the gym to try a class. Of course the class was intense. Physically and mentally. Sensei John was not in good physical shape but he had a "hunger" for a discipline and a way of life that would extricate him from his everyday existence. Master Ngo Dong provided the discipline and the philosophy. Master Dong was only about nine years older then Sensei John but Dong had lived through many lifetimes of experiences. Ngo Dong and John Kay became good friends over the next two years. Master Dong recognized John's thirst for knowledge and also gave John many opportunities for growth and development as a more complete person.

In the summer of 1973, Master Dong decided not to offer beginner's classes at the University of Florida. He told several top students that they should "go teach Cuong Nhu". Sensei John Kay, although only a brown belt, embraced the idea and soon was teaching karate classes for beginners. They trained outdoors, under the bleachers of the stadium, or on a paved basketball court outside of J.J. Finley elementary school. They even worked out on one student's driveway and on another student's outdoor concrete patio. Times were tough. John Kay took his black belt test in February 1974. At that time he had about 20 students and one of his favorite classmates, John Benson, also had been offering karate classes in his backyard. Together, in the spring of 1974, they opened the first Cuong Nhu Karate style commercial dojo. They called it "DragonGate Dojo."

The Legend of DragonGate: Everyone has the potential for greatness. Even a humble carp has the potential to become a dragon. An ancient Chinese legend speaks of a carp and the DragonGate. If a carp can leap over the DragonGate (a steep rock formation on the Yellow River), it can then transform into a mighty dragon. It is very difficult but not impossible. Only a few have ever done it.

The legend of the carp leaping over DragonGate shows the ever-present drive in every dragon. Such is the determination and the ambition of this mighty being.  Already powerful, the majestic dragon is ever hungry for knowledge, advancement and further achievement.
 

When John Kay took his black belt test, Ricki Augen (future Mrs.Ricki Kay) was taking her first green stripe test from Master Ngo Dong at the University of Florida dojo. A few months later, she transferred to Dragon Gate, and quickly became part of the heart and soul of the dojo. In time, John and Ricki, fell in love. In 1980, they married and moved from Gainesville, Florida to Seattle, Washington. John had taken an engineering position with the Boeing company and Ricki decided to open a karate school in Burien (south of Seattle proper). She took the initiative and started classes at the G & G Health Club near the SeaTac airport. Later, her classes moved to Power House Gym, and then a succession of locations throughout the south Puget Sound area. It was in the early 1980's that Ricki and John chose the name "Komokuten Dojo" for the karate school. Komokuten, as pictured in Gichin Funakoshi's Kyohan, embodied the "spirit of power in reserve". A protective spirit, and Guardian of the West, it was a fitting name for a "West Coast" dojo in Cuong Nhu. Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, it was Sensei Ricki Kay who kept the dojo spirit strong and growing. Besides having three children, she also kept teaching karate and earned her 2nd and 3rd degree black belt promotions. John played a minor supportive role over these years, mostly as a "guest instructor" or he would occasionally fly down to the Bay Area of San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland where he would visit his old karate friends John Burns and Miguel Estrada. Finally, in 1992, John and Ricki started serious talks about "opening a REAL dojo". They were tired of training in dirty old buildings or part-time use of elementary school recreation rooms. They wanted their students to have the wonderful experience of training in a fully equipped, well-run, professionally staffed and full-time facility. In December 1992, they were just days away from securing a location but negotiations with the landlord broke down. It wasn't until 1995, that another suitable facility became available. This was in the Fairwood area of Renton, Washington. In a shopping center, just 2 miles north of their home, the tenant, Dahlstrom's Video, was relocating. They were vacating a nice 3,277 square foot facility on the back side of the center. And so, in August, 1995, Fairwood Martial Arts began it's commercial existence. Then, August 2010, they relocated to an even bigger and better facility in the Cascade Village Shopping Center (1.3 miles West of old location). 5,600 square feet with a 3,600 square foot MAT AREA !! After 15 years in Fairwood, Ricki and John, decided to keep the name Fairwood Martial Arts (for now). They invested heavily in all new flooring, both mats and spectator area. Larger and better designed the new facility promises to be an exciting home for the Komokuten Dojo.

To the students of Fairwood Martial Arts, it is Komokuten Dojo. To Sensei John and Ricki Kay, and to the reader of this history, it is part of the heritage began 30 years ago, at the DragonGate.

The chief instructors are Sensei Ricki Kay and John Kay and their son, Tony Kay.  Assistant instructors include: "Big John" Somerville, Chris Zarlengo, and Jeff Stanger.