Rank: Black Belt
School: Wests Martial Arts
Michael H. Nguyen's Biography
Michael H. Nguyen, 16, started training in Isshin-ryu karate
at the age of 4. In 2004 he earned his San Dan (3rd degree black belt) at the
age of 14 under Sensei Brian West and the promotion board of jointed dojos.
He has cross-trained in Goju-ryu, Shotokan, Shito-ryu, Ryuei-ryu,
Matayoshi Shinpo's Kobudo, Jiu-Jitsu, and Kung Fu.
Michael has been supporting and participating in many karate
organizations. During 2001-2005 competition, he has won over 230 awards across
the United States and Canada.
He is a many-time national and international champion, and
has been recognized numerous times by the Webster Herald, the Webster Post,
and the Democrat and Chronicle for his accomplishments.
Presidential Sport Award signed by President George W Bush,
AOKA Hall Of Fame's Outstanding Youth Black Belt Of the Year, and Isshin-ryu
Hall Of Fame's Junior Competitor Of the Year are some of the several recognitions.
The Bohan's Isshin-ryu family, Bohans-family.com, has recognized him as the
first Rising Star.
The following are what people around the country thought of
him.
"After watching both Michael and Richard in competition, I
wasvery impressed with their performance,they are extremelystrong competitors.
Equally impressive, is their performance off the floor, they are truly fine
young gentle men and that is not something found everyday. Michael and Richard
are assets to Isshin-ryu Karate and I'm sure Master Shimabuku would say the
same."
Tom Lewis (Isshin-ryu First Generation Karate-ka)
"Dear Michael and Richard... This achievement is the result of
your hard work and commitment to your athletic and personal goals as well as
to your spirit of teamwork. The martial arts have always been held in the highest
regard, not just for its tradition, but also for the values it teaches about
competition, sportsmanship and discipline. It is my hope that you will continue
to enjoy the challenges and rewards of this fine sport."
Michael F. Nozzolio, New York State Senator
"Whenever I see either Michael or Richard Nguyen enter a division
I am judging I know the competition will be good. Both of these young men possess
a degree of intensity that has not wavered over the years. It is a pleasure
to see how they continue to grow and train. The quality of their martial arts
serves to bring up the quality of others in their divisions as well. They have
earned many awards and grand championships through their diligence to training
and performance."
Marilyn Fierro, 8 th Dan Isshin-ryu Karate
"Michael and Richard Nguyen are two world class competitors.
They have taken basic martial arts and made it work on the tournament circuit
without destroying the basic fundamentals. Both Michael and Richard are great
kids. They have a wonderful attitude and are a pleasure to be around. It is
so rare to see the amount of devotion they have given their study. This is a
true reflection of their upbringing."
Steve Young, 9 th Dan Isshin-ryu Karate
"Michael's attention to detail is unmatched. He is the most
talented student I have seen in my 26 years in the martial arts. He is unlimited
to what he can do."
Brian West, West Martial Arts - Webster, NY
Michael is an excellent instructor. The studentslearn so much from his instructions,
especially when it is one on one. My grandson highly respects him and looks
up to him.It is also good to get to know him on a personal basis to gain even
more respect on how he treats his studies, friends and most of all his family.
It is an honor to know this fine young man.
Louise Cleary (Jake Gauger's grandma)
"I started training in Isshin-ryu karate under Brian West 3
years ago at West Martial Arts.I was originally a power lifter. The most common
comment I heard about my technique was that I looked like a robot.I tried to
add too much power to my punches.Michael approached me during my very first
class and I will never forget how out going and mature he was. I was a little
skeptical at first about taking advice from such a young black belt. My first
thought was, how good could he really be? He is younger and has nothing to offer
me. I quickly learned how wrong I was about Michael.I struggled through the
first part of the class and Michael saw me struggling through even the simplest
moves. He took me aside and spent most of the class trying to get me to relax
and lighten up my techniques. He quickly showed me what he was all about. He
is always willing to stop whatever he is doing to help me through different
parts of the kata. Not once did he get frustrated by how many times he had to
remind me of things.He is one of the most well rounded and positive people I
know. He has more patience than most adults.His technique is better than the
adults I see at tournaments.He isn't ever afraid to dissect his techniques and
take criticism. I have one last story about Michael.We have an open sparring
class on Saturday mornings. Our dojo is shared with a Shotokan school.One Saturday
after the sparring class Michael and his brother Richard went up to one of the
senior Shotokan instructors and asked him to walk through one of the Shotokan
kata they had picked up in a few hours the day before. I watched the group go
through the kata. Michael and his brother's technique looked far better than
the Shotokan black belts that he was supposed to be learning from.Even the other
Shotokan instructors couldn't find any flaws. Michael still stood there and
listened to every piece of advice they gave him. He seems to take everything
to heart. He is a great asset to West Martial Arts and Isshin-ryu.He is always
one of the first people I go to if I have a question.There is no doubt in my
mind that Michael will be a huge asset to our art. He is a martial artist in
every sense of the term."
Jonathan Frick, Brown Belt - West Martial Arts
"At the age of 9, Michael was an assistant karate instructor,
and within a couple of years he was able to instruct the entire class himself.
Now Michael enjoys the privilege of teaching to pass on his knowledge. Many
parents and students have complimented Michael for his teaching and patience.
He has been not only an excellent karate coach, but also a great basketball
mentor to his younger brother Richard. Leadership through teaching, training
and tournament competition has been the major part of his martial art life.
We are very proud to see both of our sons grow with commitment, team work, and
respect as a result of Isshin-ryu karate training."
Chau & Ginny Nguyen