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Sensei George Asargiotakis 3rd Dan
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan: 18th February 1996
Passed Nidan Black Belt 2nd Dan: 20th October 2002
Passed Sandan Black Belt 3rd Dan: 1st October 2006
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Originally from Greece I moved to live in Lancing – England in1984. I have always been interested in martial arts since a young age, but where I grew up, there was no one teaching martial arts at the time. Whilst in Greece, someone I knew moved there from America and started teaching Jeet Kune Do. I trained with him for 2 years but then had to serve my national service. It was after I left the army, I came to live in England. I first tried to find a good martial arts club. The only one I came across was the Sama Organisation. I joined up, and trained two or three times a week in the adult's classes under my Instructors Shihan Jacobs and Yondan Klus.I trained hard for four years, then graded for my Shodan – 1 st Dan. As well as my training, I worked hard as a printer- supporting my family. In early 1996, I passed my Black Belt and carried on training and helping out in various classes for a further two years. By doing this I learnt alot and then began teaching a class of my own. I then decided that I wanted to become a full time professional Karate Instructor with the Sama Organisation. So with permission from Hanshi & Shihan I started to open up classes in the Steyning and Henfield area. It was in 1998 when I started my very first class, and it prooved to be very successfull. So I then continued to open up more. After about three years, I branched out and expanded into Uckfield in East Sussex. Three years after opening Sama Uckfield, Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks & Battle area |
Sempai Lydia Jordan 2nd Dan.
Karate InstructorKickboxing Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan: 11th December 1994Passed Nidan Black Belt 2nd Dan: 7th February 2010
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I first joined the Sama Organisation in 1991 in Worthing when I was just 5 years old. I trained at the old class in Davidsons Leisure Centre for many years with Shihan Jacobs and Yondan Klus. I Continued to train hard doing 3 lessons a week right the way through to 1994 where I passed my Shodan - 1st Dan at the young age of 8. I loved doing Karate, I may have only been small, but tough and would let nothing stand in my way. I left Boundstone High School in Lancing 2002 and then studied accountancy, PE, biology and business studies at Bhasvic College in Brighton untill I was 17. I then undertook a modern apprentership at Worthing Leisure Centre. It was at the Leisure Centre where I kept bumping into my old friends and Instructors in Sama who train every lunchtime in the Gym. At first they didn't recognise me as I hadn't trained or seen them for years. However I was chatting to Sempai Matthew one day and then told him who I was and asked him if he remembered me. Me and Sempai Mat used to be good mates and trained together when we were Kids. I was really keen to get back into the Karate that I had left behind a few years ago, and was soon persuaded by Sempai Matthew to re-join and start my training again. Sempai Mat told me that he had recently left Sama Worthing and had just started teaching classes around the Portsmouth area and said that he could use a little help. I then left the Leisure Centre, teamed up with Sempai Mat and went to do a Karate Apprentership down in Portsmouth. By doing this I learnt alot about teaching, we used to work next to each other every day as I gained alot of Experience. When Sempai Matthew left Portsmouth, I decided to stay on down there, took on two of his old classes and continued my Karate apprentership for a further eight months. I was then approached again by Sempai Mat and Sensei George who then offered me a position in Sama South East. So I followed Matthew and expanded the new area of Crowborough & Tunbridge Wells even further. I now run my own classes under Sensei and teach many children a week full time in the new area. I also really enjoy swimmig and in the past have entered many competitions including Sussex and Southern counties and also swam pier to pier in Brighton in 2002 and 2003. Do Not ever forget her name and call her Olivia! It drives her mad. |
Sempai Vicky Hazelden 2nd Dan.
Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan: 5th December 2004
Passed Nidan Black Belt 2nd Dan: 7th February 2010
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| I first started training in Steyning and Henfield under Sensei 8 years ago. At first I started Kickboxing, the idea of Karate never entered my mind. However my two sons Alex and Brian had already began the Karate. I am not the youngest of students, but for my age I like to think that i'm fit and healthy. I didn't really consider ever doing the Karate - I enjoyed the Kickboxing which I trained every week with my Daughter Clare which continued to keep me in good shape. I always worked hard in class and was doing my best to become a Black belt. I found my Instructor Sensei very friendly and helpful. Roughly one year later, Sensei had persuaded me to try out thet Karate. I gave it ago and my two Sons helped me out a bit. I decided to take up the Karate as well as the Kickboxing but it turned out that it was Karate that I enjoyed more. Another one of the mums "Sarah" had also just started karate too and was also persuaded by Sensei as her son David was also Karate training. So I joined in with her and together we started grading through the coloures towards my Black Belt. As I got higher in Karate I slowed the Kickboxing training down a little to focus fully on my Black Belt in Karate. I trained hard and after four years of Karate training I achieved my Shodan - 1st Dan in 2004. It did take me a couple of attempts, but I got there in the end. Beofre I was a Black Belt, I used to help teach the children in Sensei's classes. When I was experienced enough I was then was offered to go and teach classes of my own. I was very nervous about teaching for myself, but the idea sounded brilliant. I had to gain alot of experience in teaching before I could go out and teach by myself, but my Sensei had already taught me alot. Just before I got to Black Belt in Karate, Sensei gave me a few small classes to run by myself. Since becoming a 1st Dan, I now teach classes every day in Sama South East in the Uckfield and Crowborough areas and have over 100 students of my own. Sensei says....." Vicky is a lovely good mannered student and Instructor who will help out any one at any time. She has gained alot of teaching experience to run her own classes with in my area. She is spoken of very highly by myself (Sensei) and always will be a great Karate student with good respect, manners, and she will always have a smile on her face. " |
Sempai Emma Farrell 2nd Dan
Karate Instructor
Kickboxing Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 11th February 2002
Passed Nidan Black Belt 2nd Dan: 5th December 2010
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| I was one of the very first students to attend my after school class when Sensei George Asargiotakis first opened up karate in Upper Beeding and Steyning, and since then I have come a long way. It was in 1998 when I first started Karate and really enjoyed it right from the beginning. I trained hard for 4 years and then become the very first student to reach Black Belt under Sensei in 2002 - this making me the highest ranked student in Sama South East. I have recently started teaching full time in Sama South East and teach every day in East Sussex. It was last year when I started with Sempai Darryll, and together we ran classes in many schools accross East Sussex and Kent, however I now teach all my own classes by myself as does Sempai Darryll. Before I started teaching full time and after I left school, I studied for two years at Bhasvic college in Brighton. My older brother Shane does Kickboxing with Sensei and has recently just become a Black Belt too. I am really enjoying being involved with the Sama Organisation and will continue to keep training hard. Sensei Says...... "Emma is proving herself to be a top trainer, a good student, with good manners, etiquette and respect". I am really enjoying working hard full time in Sama South East - and am looking forward to opening up more new classes, and seeing the children train hard to achieve their next grades. I find teaching the children and working with people very rewarding, |
Marc Brooks - 1st Dan
Karate Instructor
Kickboxing Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 5th October 2003
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I started Karate in October 1999 when I was 8 years old. To begin with I trained one lesson a week on a friday with Sensei George Asargiotakis at the Steyning Leisure Centre. When I first started, I didn't know quite what to make of it, and wassn't sure if I should stay because I was a real quiet person and lacked a little confidence. Never the less I continued to stay and train towards my colour belts, and as time went on I started to really enjoy it. A year or so into my training - when I became a second blue belt, I started to go to a second lesson a week again with Sensei in Upper Beeding. I trained hard for another couple of years untill I was ready to take my Black belt, and passed on 5th Oct 2003. Since then I still train hard each week, and now help teach during the week with Sensei and Sempai Mat. I also come along to the gradings to teach and help out the kids get through their next belts. This summer I was lucky enough to be selected to join Sempai Matthew's demonstration team, and have enjoyed travelling round the county demonstrating Karate to hundreds of people which I found was alot of fun. I am currently still at Steyning Grammer at college, however I'm not quite sure what I want to do when I leave yet! My other interest is mounting biking, and I love to cycle all over the downs. |
Sempai Jenny Carter - 1st Dan
Karate Instructor
Kickboxing Instructor
Tai Chi Chuan Kung Fu
Passed Black Belt Kickboxing 3rd April 2011
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 7th October 2007
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I first heard about the Sama Organisation about six years ago when my sons came home saying that Sama was starting a new after school karate class at their school on thursdays. My boys wanted to give the class a go. I was very interested in what they were saying, so I took a thursday off of work to go along and watch the class in action. I found the lesson very interesting, but at first I was not too sure about the dicipline side of things. Afterwards, I found myself wanting to give it a try as well, but I was a little wary, so I made a decision to try the Kickboxing out istead. After about four months of Kickboxing training, and also watching my boys progress well, I took it upon myself to also join Karate too. I then started to train in more classes with my Instructor Sensei George and got to see more about how Sama was ran. I also started training in Sempai Mat's lessons too. The more I saw, the more my interest grew - then soon I became hooked! The higher I got in karate, the more I wanted to train. After a while, I started to help out in some of the lessons and before I knew it, I was helping pretty much every day. Now almost six years of training, helping and learning, I now am lucky enough to teach my own classes. I still enjoy karate as much as when I first started, and also am still training in Kickboxing. Just a few months ago, I also took up the new Tai Chi lessons and am loving that too. I have recently opened up new classes and expanded Sama South East into Sevenoaks. |
Sempai Andy Pink 1st Dan
Black Belt Kickboxing
Karate Instructor
Kickboxing Instructor
Passed Black Belt Kickboxing 2nd October 2005
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan: 5th October 2008
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My earliest influences in Martial Arts when I was growing up came from action films staring Jean Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lungren who both come from Karate backgrounds. However, it wasn’t until I was 26 that I decided to walk into my first Martial Arts class and try it out. The class I chose was Sensei George’s Kickboxing class in Steyning. From the first punch I threw I was hooked and within weeks I went from training once to three times a week working towards the first Grading. It wasn’t until I got my Green belt in Kickboxing that Karate caught my eye. I decided to give it a try and again was hooked straight away, so I began training three times a week in both disciplines and loved every minute of it. In 2005 my hard work paid off and I achieved my Kickboxing Black belt making me only the second person to achieve this under Sensei George at the time. I then began to teach Kickboxing in the very class I started in and also had the chance to compete on the first few Sama Fight Night’s and was an AKBA Full Contact Heavyweight Contender. As well as teaching I also train up Fighters to compete and hope they will go on to become Champions. The hard work paid again in 2008 when I achieved my 1st Dan Black belt in Karate. Under Sensei George I learnt how to teach and began my own Karate as well. While doing all this I held down a full time job as an Officer Manager for a Law Firm. This involved Management Accounts, Financial Analysis and Project management. However this was not something I enjoyed and after 14 years of working behind a desk I decided to make the change. So in 2010 I made that final step and became a fulltime SAMA Instructor and the rest is history. It gives me great pleasure helping both Children and Adults achieve their goals in Martial Arts and I encourage all my students to work hard and never give up. |
Sempai Nicole Cooper - 1st Dan
Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 7th June 2009
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I have always been interested in Karate, ever since I was a teenager. When I was 13 or 14 my friend started Judo, and I wanted to start Karate – but my mother thought it was unsuitable for a young girl……. Even as I got older and left home I was far too shy to go on my own. However, I had always determined that when I had children they should be given every opportunity to learn martial arts – so you can imagine how pleased I was when my 7 year old daughter, Amie, came home with a SAMA leaflet saying she really wanted to start. So she joined Sempai Matteo’s class in Maynards Green… and taking Amie down to the class, I soon got to know Sempai Matteo, who told me if I was really interested there was an adults class in Uckfield, that he went down to after Maynards Green, ran by Sensei George – so feeling secure in the knowledge that there would be someone I knew there I went along…….
………I loved it so much I was soon doing seven lessons a week, fitting in classes where I could around my full time job as a principal software engineer. I was really lucky that I could get to Sensei’s classes in both Uckfield and Hassocks ( I work just round the corner in Burgess Hill) .
I worked and trained really hard and with the support of Sensei and the other Sempai’s soon found myself as a 1st Kyu – it was great, hard work but really great – and then at the beginning of June 2009 I passed my Shodan – All the hard work was really worth it!
At the beginning of February 2009, Amie passed her Shodan too – and I was so proud!
Now, I still train 3 or 4 times a week, I help Sensei at Hassocks and I have my own class with both children and adults at Parkside School, Heathfield. I am really lucky that my students are really hard working and focused, and I am really looking forward to the day I watch them come out the grading hall with their black belts on!
My message to my students… “If you want something enough and you are willing to work really hard, you can achieve just about anything!” |
Sempai Nigel Warren - 1st Dan
Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 5th December 2010
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Originally from London, I joined the army aged 18. After being there for a interesting 22 years, I left and settled living in Uckfield to work as a locksmith. My daughter Jess who goes to a school in Uckfield, came home one day and said that she wanted to start the Karate lessons that were held at her school. So she started, and soon after I went along to watch and then decided that I wanted to try it too. Soon after that, I decided that Karate was something that I really wanted to do and to work hard at. It was Sensei George who initially trained me in the beginning, but as I progressed I have also been trained by Sempai Matthew at various locations. I stopped work in december 2006 to become a house husband, and so I could spend more time concentrating on my training and to help the Senior Instructors out during their lessons. I also took up Kickboxing in July 2006, and since then have also taken up Tai Chi Chuan Kung Fu . I hope to one day become a full time Instructor in Sama South East too. I once heard someone say "Don't wait for your ship to come in, swim out and meet it". - I try to follow that rule! |
Marek Connoly - 1st Dan
Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 5th February 2006
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I started training with Sensei George in 1999 when he first opened up a class in partridge green on Wednesdays and loved it. I quickly started a second lesson on Saturdays at Henfield leisure center. While I was training through my coloured belts I managed to quite ingeniously break my leg which caused a big set back for me but when I had healed up I quickly returned to karate and continued to work my way up to 1st Kyu and finally after multiple attempts got my black belt. Shortly after I had to take a break to focus on my GCSEs but have since been able to resume karate before starting to help Sempai Vicky teach though I had to stop that upon starting university. I feel karate has really helped me to be self disciplined and confident. I have recently taken up kickboxing and am currently training at least once a week in both karate and kickboxing and teaching on Thursdays with Sensei George while attending university and working part time. |
Neil Pascoe - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 12th August 2007
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I started training when I was 8 with Shihan Jacobs and Sempai Matthew when he was still teaching in Worthing. |
Seraphina Waring - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 3rd October 2010
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I first heard about Sama Karate when Sensei George Asargiotakis did a demo at my Primary School. I then went along to the after School class run by Sensei, but b ut i was very shy I didn't participate in that first lesson but watched from the sidelines. I liked what I saw during Sensei class and decided to give karate a go the following week. My confidence grew as I progressed though my first couple of belts. i have continued to train hard and finally achieved my black belt in october 2010, In the past year I have also taken part in Sempai jenny Carter Sama Karate Demos in which I demonstrated kata and broken wood I then started to help out in some of her lessons and before I knew it I had become her assistant in many classes. I enjoy teaching allot and find it rewarding to see students achieve their belts and gain confidence to. I continue to train and have since taken up kickboxing as well. |
Georgie Carpenter - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 1st Octoer 2007
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I started Karate In 2003 at the age of 7. I started Karate because my mum had recently started kickboxing and the idea appealed to me, so I signed up. I first went to Sensei George class in Steyning on Friday. I enjoyed it so much that I started a second lesson. I have also entered an few competitions and won 1st place in kata and 1st place in team sparring. On 7th October 2007 I achieved my 1st Dan black belt, I was very excited because I had passed first time! After that I started helping Sampai Emma on Saturdays in Henfield, which I have been doing ever since. I have also recently been awarded with my Sama black belt which I am very proud of. I live in Steyning with my family and pets. I have two dogs called Piglet and Pupski, three horses called Guilly, Rhia and Cheyenne, a fish called Billy and lots of chickens. In my free time I also attend Air cadets, Football, Woodcraft and swimming. I also enjoy walking, horse riding, cycling, camping and sports. I also support Chelsea football club. |
Alex Lightbody - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 1st June 2008
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I started karate when I was nine years old in 2004 at my Primary School in Tunbridge Wells. This was a one hour a week on a Tuesday with Sensei George, but after a couple of months, I started training a second hour a week with Sempai Matthew. After about two years of training, I decided that Karate was the main thing that I wanted to carry on with, so I then also traing in the Tuesday Kata class. This year I have been traing even more because I am getting closer to my Black Belt grading so I am also training on a Monday night down in Uckfield. Since I started my training, I have entered into 2 competitions and won 1st place for sparring in both of them - I find competitions great fun. In 2006 I was lucky enough to be a part of Demo team where I travelled around the county showing Karate skills to hundreds of people at various fetes and shows. I live in Tunbridge Wells with my parents and older sister who is a 2nd blue belt in Kickboxing - also with Sama. I go to a High School in Tonbridge where I enjoy rugby and cricket. I also play Tennis and Swim alot. My favourite holidays are when I go skiing - especially when I get to go down the Black runs! I am also a supporter of Man United Football team. |
Lisa Edwards - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 1st June 2008
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I started karate in 2004 after I watched a demonsraition at my school in Ringmer with Sensei George Asargiotakis. My brothers had been when they were younger and I thought it would be something different to try. After I got my Red belt my sister joinded too and we started to train more often every week with Sensei in Uckfield on Saturdays at Foresters hall And Mondays at Manor Primary school. I got my black belt in June 2008 and have since taken up Kickboxing. I enjoy helping gradings and help Sempai Nigel Warren in uckfield and peasmarsh. my other intrests are photography and art. |
Abby Edwards - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 1st June 2008
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I began going to karate at my school in Ringmer 2004 when I was 6 with Sensei George Asargiotakis, after a while I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to do more and started to train at Uckfield on Saturdays at Foresters hall And Mondays at Manor Primary school with Sensei. I entered a few competitions and won 3 trophies for kata. When i was training for my black belt i was helping in the lessons in my old school. I finally passed my black belt in june 2008, and i have since taken up Kickboxing In my spare time I enjoy many sports, specially running, swimming and football. Doing karate has given me allot of confidence, and taught me to respect Others. |
Amie Cooper - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 2nd February 2010
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I started Karate in 2004 (just before I was 7) at Maynard’s Green, and went to my red belt grading on my 7th birthday! I had wanted to start since the age of 4 after being bullied. After a few weeks I really started to enjoy it, working hard in Sempai’s class every week, soon I was doing a double lesson at Maynards Green, a lesson with Sempai Emma in Jarvis Brook and then my Mum took me to Foresters Hall on Saturday mornings too!
Then, after 4 years of hard work, I went for my black belt. I failed the first time but I went for the second time and passed in February 2010. I think since starting Karate my attitude has really improved. Now I am 13 and have a much better attitude, karate has taught me discipline and respect.
I still train every week at Foresters Hall with Sensei and help teach at Parkside School with Sempai Nicole . I have now taken up kick boxing, as well as gymnastics, life guarding and scouting, where I am a patrol leader |
Zak Goodman - 1st Dan
Junior Assistant Karate Instructor
Passed Shodan Black Belt 1st Dan 2nd February 2010
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I started training at Manor Park Primary School in Uckfield when I was 5 years old. It all started because my best friend wanted to try karate and would not go alone I went with him and enjoyed it so much I'm now a black belt, At the moment train twice a week with Sensei George Asargiotakis. I would like to continue with my karate and beable to pass on my knowledge on. I live with my mum and dad in Uckfield where i also enjoy football and play for the school. I am also a Man United fan. |