Laurel Karate Club

Laurel Karate Club (LKC) was established to promote Shotokan Karate in South Central Mississippi. Shotokan Karate is one of mostly widely studied and practiced systems of karate throughout the world. For more information on Shotokan karate, please copy and paste this link to your browser:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotokan

John Chioco is LKC’s Chief Instructor and has been studying Shotokan Karate for 44 years. He has attained the rank of sixth degree black belt. He is fortunate enough to have studied from among best instructors in the country. Hanshi Dan Smith, Sensei Gerald Giles, Sensei Don Byington, and Sensei Emry Kennedy are teachers that have influenced Mr. Chioco’s teaching philosophy.

Competitively, Mr. Chioco has had success on the national and international level having been ranked #2 with the United States Karate Association (1987) AAU Gold Medalist (2011) AAU Bronze Medalist (2012) and SIlver Medalist in the AAU International Championships (2012). On the state level, Mr. Chioco has won State Championships and Grand Championships in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. In Oklahoma, Mr. Chioco was awarded Competitor of the Year. In Mississippi, Mr. Chioco is a 20-time State Champion and Instructor of the Year (1989).

Mr. Chioco was recently inducted in to Mississippi Black Belt Hall of Fame and the United Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

LKC students also have a long list of competitive achievement from AAU District, Regional and National Gold Medalists to Mississippi Karate Association State Championships.

Laurel Karate Club is internationally affiliated with the Traditional Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Organization (TOKKO).

Mr. Chioco currently serves as Vice President for the Mississippi Karate Association.

Discipline, Respect, Focus, Fitness, Self Defense: These are the key benefits to learning and practicing Shotokan Karate.

We welcome you as a student!