| Michael S. Berkowitz 5th dan Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union 1983 - Began training in Shukokai Karate and Kodokan Judo under Sensei Tomo Kidachi 7th dan 1984 - Began training with Sensei Shigeru Kimura 8th dan World Shukokai Karate Union 1987 - Graded to 1st degree black belt by Sensei Kidachi 1988 - Opened first Shukokai karate dojo in Hudson Falls New York 1989 - Graded to 2nd degree black belt by Sensei Kimura and Sensei Kidachi 1991 - Graded to 3rd degree black belt by Sensei Kimura and Sensei Kidachi 1995 - Began teaching karate at the Glens Falls Family YMCA 1996 - Graded to 4th degree black belt by Sensei Kidachi 1997 - Named Chief Instructor of the Northern Schools under Sensei Tomo Kidachi 1997 - Formed the New York State Demo Team and performed karate demonstrations for other Shukokai clubs to help promote the style 2002 - Began teaching karate for the Glens Falls Community After School Program (CASPER) 2002 - Joined the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union USA 2002 - Commissioned Assistant Chief Instructor for the United States 2002 - New York State Chief Instructor for the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union USA 2002 - Vise President for the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union USA 2002 - Appointed to a seat on the technical committee for the United States 2002 - Formed the SSU USA student exchange program 2002 - USA karate team coach for the European Championships in Altringcham England UK 2003 - Began teaching karate for the Queensbury after school program (Safe Places) 2003 - Member of the USA karate team for the European championships in Vienna Austria 2003 - Hosted karate seminars taught by Sensei Tsutomu Kamohara on his first visit to the USA 2004 - USA karate team captain for the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate World Cup in Amigasaki Japan 2004 - Attended a 4 day seminar in Amigasaki Japan taught by Haruyoshi Yamada 9th dan and World Chief Instructor for the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union 2004 - Attended the 55th anniversary celebration of the Shukokai organization in Japan 2004 - Graded to 5th degree black belt by Yamada Sensei in Amigasaki Japan July 15th 2004 - First Instructor to be officially certified by the USA Chief Instructor to teach the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate system in the United States 2006 - Licensed grading officer for the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union USA 2006 - Inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame on July 15 2006 - Named Karate Master of the Year by the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2006 - Coach for the New York State Karate team at the Nikkei Games in Long Beach CA. 2006 - Certified referee for the SSU-USA 2006 - Referee for the 2006 Nikkei Games 2006 - USA representatives accompanying Yamada Sensei for seminars in Tijuana Mexico 2007 - President of the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union USA 2008 - Taught karate seminars for the Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do Union in South Africa 2008 - Began teaching karate for the Glens Falls after school program the 21st Century Club Attended numerous karate and judo seminars taught by some of the highest ranked Japanese and European instructors in the world, Eric Tomlinson 6th dan (USA, England) Thomas Hausner 6th dan (Austria) Denis Casey 7th dan (United Kingdom) Tomo Kidachi 7th dan (USA, Japan) Shigeru Kimura 8th dan (USA, Europe, Japan) Osamu Ishitobi 7th dan (Japan) Tsutomu Kamohara 8th dan (Europe, Japan) Haruyoshi Yamada 9th dan (Japan) |
| Sensei Mike in Glens Falls NY |
| Sensei Mike teaching kids in Altringcham England 2002 |
| 2006 United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame Induction |
| Tomoki Fukui, Kamohara Sensei and Sensei Mike at Shukokai World Cup Amigasaki Japan July 18, 2004 |
| Mike holding 5th dan certificate with Yamada Sensei and Kamohara Sensei |
