Laura Rohr earned a dual award this year as Competitor-of-the-Year for 2023 as well as 2023 Student-of-the-Year. Laura is a 1st Dan and an assistant instructor at AKS Headquarters in Muskegon, MI. Her competition awards are as follows:

February 15th, 2023 Meijer Winter State Games
Women's Sparring Adult
Silver - Laura Rohr
Kata Adult Senior
Silver - Laura Rohr

Congratulations, Laura!

Ethan David Galicic II is this year's recipient of the 2016 AKS Competitor of the Year Award. Young Ethan is the student instructor with the Mountaineer Karate Club in Lumberport, West Virginia. In addition to his school work, Ethan puts in several hours of training, reading, and research every day. This is in addition to his martial arts classes which he has 3 to 4 times a week. Ethan also studies Iaido and Aikido under Sensei Bill King.

Ethan and his sister, Savannah, are the first two students from the Mountaineer Karate Club to qualify and compete in the USA-NKF Nationals, which took place this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There were over 1,400 competitors from all across the United States to compete over the four days of the tournament. Ethan earned a Gold Medal in Advanced Iaido, a Bronze medal in the Advanced Traditional Weapons Division, and a Bronze Medal in the Advanced Kumite - 45kg Division.

In addition to Nationals, Ethan placed 1st in the Black Belt Division in Weapons and Kata, and 2nd Place in Kumite and Ippon Kumite at the Rumble on the River III Tournament, a Gold Medal in Iaido at the USA National Qualifier, a Bronze Medal in Weapons at the USA Martial Arts Federation National Championships, as well as 2nd place in Kata and 3rd place in Kumite at the Mon Valley Karate/Tae Kwon Do Championships.

Ethan has the spirit of a true martial artist; he displays humility with every win and accepts every loss as a learning experience. He has enjoyed making many new friends from other schools at these events. We could not be more proud of this young man and consider ourselves extremely lucky to have him as a member.

E. Jude Gore, 6th Dan AKS

AKS Competitor of the Year is a new category for 2015 and the honor goes to Nicole Austin from the Ross Park Muskegon Karate Club.

Nicole competes in kata in her women's green belt division, and she has never lost. In fact, she always takes first place. She is hard working and a terrific student. Most recently because there was no one in her division, Nicole had to compete in the open Black Belt Division, and she did very well.

She is a great competitive representative for the AKS.

Congratulations, Nicole!

Dave Thomas 8th Dan / American Karate System