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2009 IWKA Championship
Tournament. See Events for seminar
information.
Editors Note:
William "Bill" Duessel is available in
Pittsburgh for personal interviews March 18, 19, 20 and 22, 23 and after May
2, 2009. Other times he is available by phone at 772-597-3875
CELEBRITY BIOGRAPHIES
William H. Duessel
William H. Duessel at 82 years, looks,
acts and declares he feels at least 10 years younger. He is the highest
ranking instructor in the Isshinryu World Karate Association (IWKA) in the
United States. Referred to as Master Duessel or Hanshi Duessel by his
students, this man's dedication to his sport is evident in his 50 year's
pursuit of excellence. His personal philosophy is, "I can do better."
Training in Isshinryu Karate
He began his martial arts career in
the 1950s studying Jujitsu and Shoto-kan karate. In 1962 Duessel began his
Isshinryu training and received his first degree black belt from Master
Tatsuo Shimabuku in 1964. This was Master Shimabuku's first trip to America
and Duessel trained with him every day for three months. Shimabuku is the
founder of Isshinryu, having developed the techniques in Okinawa, Japan
during World War II. Legend has it Shimabuku was forced by the Japanese to
train their soldiers during WW II and feared for his life when the Americans
captured Okinawa. Instead the United States contracted with Shimabuku to
train U.S. Marines, stationed in Japan, in these same karate methods. He did
so for the next 30 years. Consequently many of these service men brought
their interest in Isshinryu karate with them upon returning to the United
States.
In 1974, Hanshi Duessel and Master
Shimabuku met once more, this time in Okinawa. Duessel was one of the last
Isshinryu black belts to receive training from this inspirational man, as
Shimabuku died May 30, 1975. The irony of this date is May 30 is the birth
date of Hanshi Duessel.
In 1990, Kirchero Shimabuku, son of
Tatsuo Shimabuku and President of IWKA , visited the United States to award
Duessel his ninth-degree Black Belt. Kirchero Shimabuku describes Hanshi
Duessel as Mr. Isshinyru Karate.
Founding Schools for Isshinyru
Karate
Duessel established his first karate
school in 1962 with fellow karate instructor, Henry Smith.
Just eight years later, Duessel convinced
Charles "Chuck" Wallace to open one of the first Isshinryu schools in the
East. This successful venture later became The Isshinryu Karate Academy of
Pittsburgh, in 1981. The Academy has the
reputation for training numerous black belts who have gone on to win
championships and become respected instructors in their own right. Duessel
also founded in a school in Florida.
Awards and Author
Among the many honors bestowed upon
Master Duessel are: induction into the Hall of Fame of the Eastern USA
Martial Arts Association in 1997; honored as the 2000 Grand Master of the
Year in the Universal Martial Art Hall of Fame and in that same year
inducted into the Isshinyru Hall of Fame. In 2007 he was the reciptent of
the prestigious Tatsuo Shimabuku Award presented to him at the IWKA
Tournament in Princeton, NJ by Grand Master Kichero Shimbuku.
Duessel co-authored
Beyond Black Belt - How to
Improve Your Training, with
black belt Kyoshi Don Washabaugh. This tell-all book outlines, in a
no-nonsense style, why karate students should seek two important goals,
"...increase their personal power and realize their full potential." In
addition, Duessel's unmistakable style of speed and precision can be seen in
several of his training videos, along with the performance of his students.
A Pittsburgh native and a family man,
he and his late wife, Mary, had six children. A son, also a black belt,
trained under his father. Bill Duessel was a proud member of the Insulators
Union Local #2 and attributes his longevity to his second career, karate.
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