09/08/2026
OBSERVATIONS OF AN UNDERBELT
by Tim Penman
AT THE END OF CLASS THURSDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 20, Sense Doug Wolfard announced that Butokukan karate master, Bill Olsen would be teaching Tuesday's class. And, "Get here early enough to get well warmed up before class starts!" Sensei Ken Parker echoed his words, and BKO Master Tony Adamski nodded his assent.
Shihan Olsen was Grand Master Robert Hill's assistant often in the late '70's and early '80s at the Kitsap Way Dojo. The tall, soft spoken sensei was technically knowledgeable on everything Master Hill taught. And, Olsen demonstrated that knowledge when sparring. He was also a keen observer of every black belt and student in any dojo he attended.
He is in his mid-80s now, and still soft-spoken; yet Shihan Olsen almost left us just over a year ago when he was out visiting in Colorado. "My heart stopped altogether four times en route to the hospital," he told me. "They had to jump start it every time!" Nevertheless, he was back from Colorado and at the Shelton Dojo just over a week later, assisting Shelton's lead black belt, Tim Ford in teaching a wing chun technique during a Shihan Tyron Asphy seminar.
AND, HE WAS IN TOTAL COMMAND OF THE SILVERDALE DOJO'S BKO CLASS Tuesday night, August 25th.
I was four minutes late and down below the dojo in the gym's mens restroom when I heard the class. The students and black belts had all arrived early enough, not only to be well warmed up, but to start class ten minutes early! From the floor vents above me, I could hear Shihan Olsen's composed voice as loud and commanding as when he assisted Soke Robert Hill in the Seventies and Eighties!
When I got up stairs, and gi'd up, I found a dojo full of karate student; with all our black belts and our red belt master spread out, and quick to assist Shihan Olsen. Both, in helping students grasp the techniques Olsen taught by role modeling them. But, also in springing forward as his demonstration models for the techniques he taught.
Sensei Olsen, more comfortable teaching while wearing a black belt rather than the red one Grand Master Hill gave him years before his death, conducted a well organized seminar on "why we train," and "knowing your enemy," and on point sparring, and on what techniques worked on the street.
He showed that he is still a keen observer of every underbelt and black belt in the Silverdale Dojo when pointing out how to fight different opponents. He named names, as well asked students and black belts alike what the specific strengths of each in the dojo was.
When it came time for sparring, it was conducted in the usual Butokukan Karate manner: spar one person for two minutes, then rotate and spar a different opponent, until everyone had sparred each karateka present.
Then, Sensei Olson cleared the floor, and called for one on one matches out in the center with himself as ref. Sometimes he called out a specific opponent for a specific student; sometimes he named the student then asked him who he wanted to spar. Yet, after more than an hour of his pointed instruction, the one-on-one matches had a flair and focus I've rarely seen in one match after another.
Our newest black belt, Sensei Vaughn Collier did not make it easy on himself. He called out Sensei Doug Wolfard, our dojo's strongest fighter. Vaughn rose to the challenge even though Doug's skills dominated him. Shihan Olsen asked after each match, who won? He also discussed with us on the side lines the how and why of a win or loss.
Two of our talented 3rd degree black belts put on a fierce sparring match under Shihan Olsen's control. Sensei Ken Parker and Sensei Tony Hernandez' fight was a karate exhibition that highlighted the strengths of each.
Sensei Hernandez utilized every free style technique taught in the dojo, to include Shihan Francisco Labalan's in close choo-choo-train, piston-driving, mini punches. He also demonstrated the utility in sparring a fierce opponent of the many technique emphasized in most of the katas.
Sensei Ken's kicks are technically correct, "fearsome" and powerful; as well as he rose to the challenge presented by wild-man Hernandez, whom I sometimes call the "Goblin King." Ken's years in boxing also allowed him to role model how not to get hit in the head in a heated match.
All of the Silverdale dojo students sparred one on one in a cleared dojo. All had an improved focus during their matches that I have not observed so consistently before. I hope Shihan Bill Olsen teaches us another seminar level class someday soon.
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All photos are courtesy of "the goblin king;" Sensei Tony Hernandez. He is photo bombing the last photo here.
