Tuition
In January 1998 Shodan Tom Scott began his karate training at age 8. He has trained exclusively at the Academy of Classical Karate-do under Sensei Brody Burns and Sensei Darrin Free, earning his black belt in June 2006.
Shodan Scott has won numerous gold, silver and bronze medals in both kata and kumite at state, regional and national levels of competition sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), the USA National Karate-do Federation (USA-NKF), Junior Olympics, and the Traditional Karate League (TKL).
In May 2004 at age 14, he entered his first international competition at the WIKF Pan American Championships held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He won the gold medal in 14/15-Year Wado Kumite, the bronze medal in 14-15 year kata, and the silver medal in the 16/18-Year Open Kumite (competing in an older age group). At the USA-NKF Nationals in the summer of 2004, he was selected to the USA team for the WKF Pan American Junior and Cadet Championships held in Santiago, Chili in September 2004.
Other notable achievements include:
1) A 5-time AAU National Kumite Champion, earning gold medals at AAU Nationals in the summers of 2001 (his first, at age 11), 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
2) A World Karate Confederation (WKC) Junior World Wado Kata Champion, receiving this gold medal at the WKC Junior World Championships held in October 2006 in Hannover, Germany.
3) In the summer of 2006, he finished first in kumite at the USA-NKF National Team Trials in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, earning a spot on the USA Junior National Team. Subsequently, he won the bronze medal in kumite at the WKF Junior Pan American Championships held in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles in September 2006.
4) Trips to Japan: In October 2003, along with other ACKD representatives, Shodan Scott traveled to Japan to train and tour with an international Wado group from many different countries in celebration and honor of Suzuki Sensei’s 70th birthday. In January 2006, Shodan Scott was invited by the AAU to join the USA/WKO Contingent traveling to Japan for two Goodwill Junior Karate-do Tournaments held in March 2006 in Tokyo and Osaka. Unfortunately, he was unable to compete due to a broken right arm which occurred during his black belt compulsory, but he enjoyed traveling with the team. He was invited again to travel to Japan to participate in a 5-day training camp at the Tokyo Olympic Village in March 2007; however, he was unable to accept due to multiple high school and karate conflicts.
5) A WIKF World Kumite Champion, earning this gold medal in October 2005 at the WIKF World Championships held in Plano, Texas and hosted by the Academy of Classical Karate.Shodan Scott is very proud of the dojo student awards he received at the annual ACKD banquets prior to earning his black belt. These include an Award of Excellence in 2001 and 2002, Senpai of the Year for 2003, Student of the Year for both 2004 and 2005, and Competitor of the Year for both 2004 and 2005.
Shodan Scott is currently an instructor and junior competition team coach at the Academy of Classical Karate-do. He is also head instructor for the Plano Park & Recreation Department children’s classes held at ACKD. He is a certified coach under the American Sports Education Program (ASEP) and a certified AAU Coach.
Shodan Scott was attends high school at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas and is scheduled to graduate in May 2008. His plans after high school include attending a major university in the D/FW area to continue is education while training and teaching at the Academy of Classical Karate.