Karate camp continues in memory of Gould

Black belt holder began his training in Japan, brought it to Brookings

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BROOKINGS – Richard Gould founded the American Shotokan Karate Federation in 1983 and the namesake camp quickly followed. This year’s camp is set Friday and Saturday at First Lutheran Church in Brookings in memory of Gould, who died of cancer in March, according to Ronna Gould, his wife of 54 years.

Richard Gould was a ninth-degree black belt at the time of his death and began studying karate while stationed in Japan in the late 1950s. After coming back to America, he taught karate classes, including at South Dakota State University.

The camp

The camp will be in the upstairs gymnasium at the church, and the public can come and watch for free. Friday’s session will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday’s is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Two instructors will be the couple’s son, David Gould, and his instructor, John Bolosan of Denver.

The camp will demonstrate self-defense and katas, which are choreographed patterns of movements that can be performed solo or in pairs.

“There are basic katas and advanced katas,” Ronna said. “It’s very important that the people coming in review and do the katas regularly because they’re very complicated and the specific moves have to be perfected.”

The camp will not just be a physical showcase of karate, but an educational opportunity, as well.

“David is going to give a class on the history of Shotokan karate, (and) cover Japanese terminology, which they use in their training,” she added.

For instance, a black belt is also referred to as a dan.

Saturday afternoon is dedicated to testing those who are eligible to be promoted to the next belt rank. Some of Richard Gould’s students were ready, and David and Bolosan will oversee the testing, Ronna said.

“The test is physical and they also have to do a written thesis, so it’s not just what you can do physically,” she said. “They need to have prepared it before they come to test and then it’s reviewed by the examining board and they do ask the person who submits the thesis to explain it further.”

Since she wasn’t sure how many will be testing, Ronna noted Saturday’s session might not run as late as 7 p.m.

Karate has a fascinating history and what Ronna refers to as a lineage, passed down from instructor to student, much like a family tree. The origins and mindset of the sport was just as important to her husband as learning the moves.

“A lot of the camp is going to be educating people and reminding them of Mr. Gould’s philosophy and the depth he has as far as his karate knowledge and where it came from,” she said.

Ronna often refers to her husband as Mr. Gould, partly because respect plays a big role in the martial arts and anyone who has earned a black belt is referred to by the title of “Mr.” or a female equivalent.

Lifelong fascination

Richard grew up in Sioux Falls and was active in football, track and Golden Gloves boxing. He joined the Marines and served in the Korean Conflict.

While he was stationed in Japan, he discovered karate.

As a sergeant, he had the freedom to live off base and travel, Ronna said.

“He’d go out in the evening and hear noises from a gym; he would watch, then walk away and come back. He was just infatuated with what they were doing – and the noise,” Ronna said. She’s not sure what drew him to karate. “It just seemed like something he was supposed to do.”

The fact that everyone in the gym was Japanese didn’t stop Richard from asking if he could train there, but it did make the instructor hesitate. Richard kept asking and finally the instructor allowed him to train.

“It was a big deal when he went to his first tournament because this white boy took first, he won in his division. He had to prove himself,” Ronna said.

When Richard returned to the States, he kept up his training and started teaching in Sioux Falls, then Brookings. After marriage, he attended South Dakota State University, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Students who started karate as freshmen could move up the ranks and earn their black belts before graduation, Ronna remembered.

“He just loved karate; he was doing karate every night, somewhere,” she said.

He eventually settled into administration at the Flandreau Indian School and stayed until he retired.

Ronna studied karate, but women weren’t common in karate back then and she never made it past a purple belt.

“Then when David came along, I became the mother that taped the tournaments,” she said.

Although daughter ReJeanne was an athlete, she didn’t take up karate. Son David couldn’t wait and he had his father’s determination.

“David, when he was 5, he really wanted to take karate. He was always around karate people,” Ronna said. “Mr. Gould said to him, ‘You know, 7 is probably a good time to start.’ David said to me, ‘I’m gonna beg my daddy until he lets me.’”

David was already into sports and his father realized if he didn’t start David in karate, “another sport may take him away,” Ronna said.

A scholar as well as an athlete, Richard took the experience with David and the things he’d seen while living in Japan and turned it into a book called “Red Sun on the Journey” (2005) and continued the storyline in “The Oracles of Perception” (2006).

“His books are mystical novels,” said Ronna.

Richard was working on a third novel when he died. His wife found it, but hasn’t read it.

“It looks like a lot of it is complete. David wants to finish it,” she said.

Lifelong learning

Having spent so much time around karate and experiencing her husband’s philosophy has formed an impression on Ronna.

“Japanese karate is very disciplined and that is a big part of it. It’s very structured and disciplined; the ritual and just living the Japanese culture through karate,” Ronna said.

“It’s a lifetime sport, so once you start karate, you can do it the rest of your life,” she said.

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.