Hennie de Vries.

Hennie started his Budo career in 1971 as a full-time student (uchi dechi) in Cape Town, South Africa more than thirty five years ago. As a 3rd Dan he branched out on his own and was responsible for making Okinawan Goju Ryu a powerful force in Namibia where he headed the style up until 1999. During this period he represented Namibia in the capacity of team member, coach, manager, referee and official. He was also the Technical Board Director for the Namibian Karate Union (NAKU), Technical Director of Zone 6, Africa (Comprising South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Mozambique), Chief Referee of Namibia and a Goju-Ryu Grading Commission Board Member for Union of African Karate Federations (UFAK).

Hennie has travelled several times to Japan in pursuit of martial arts knowledge, the longest stay being one year in Okinawa studying Goju Ryu under Master Uehara Ko as well as Ryukyu Kobudo. He is currently a 7th Dan in Goju Ryu Karate UFAK and has a Teaching certification and Dojo licence from the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai.
Other Qualifications include coaching certification from South Africa and the international Olympic Committee, Diploma in Fitness and Nutrition, a Continental Kata Judge from the Union of African Karate-do Federations (UFAK)., Massage qualifications from both Switzerland and Australian and he are also a member of the Australian Association of Massage Therapists.

At present he is Head of School of Martial Arts Australia which he began in 1999 when he moved to Melbourne where he teaches Karate and Ryukyu Kobudo.