Inducted into the A.M.A.H.O.F.(Inc) for 2005
Instructor of the Year – San Chi Kai (Victoria)
Inducted into the W.K.U.H.O.F. for 2005
Instructor of the Year – San Chi Kai (Victoria)
Sensei Jason Hall began training in San Chi Kai Karate at the age of seven and has now been training solely with Mal Lomax Karate Schools for 24 years. Jason started training as a `Mascot’ (under-fourteen ranks) and shortly before moving up into the `Junior’ ranks achieved the highest mascot grade possible based on modified grading requirements; that being third degree. After moving into the junior ranks (under-eighteen ranks) Jason quickly proceeded through the ranks to again achieve third degree; the highest junior grade possible. As a result he became only the second person in the history of San Chi Kai to do so.
Upon turning eighteen, Jason moved into the `Senior’ ranks and at the age of twenty-four achieved senior third degree becoming the first person in San Chi Kai history to ever obtain third degree in all ranks. From an early age as a mascot Jason was drawn to the competitive side of the sport and regularly entered intra-club and all-styles tournaments in both Victoria and other states. Jason did not focus on one discipline only, always entering the Kumite, Kata, and Weapons Kata events. He chose to specialise in the Bo (long staff) and the Sai Swords. By the age of fifteen he had won the Victorian Junior Freestyle Championships (all-styles) eighteen times across all disciplines. At the age of fifteen he started entering and winning Senior Kumite events at non-contact and semi-contact all-styles tournaments. He was awarded San Chi Kai’s Mascot of the Year in 1983, 84, 85, and 87. He was awarded San Chi Kai’s Junior of the Year in 1988, 89, 90, and 91.
In 1991 Jason competed in his first international tournament in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo, against other competitors from the South-East Asia region and the Asian continent in the 3rd Sabah Shotokan Karate Championships. On that occasion Jason won Gold in the Men’s Individual Kumite (65.1 to 70 kg), Silver in the Men’s Open Individual Kata, and was a member of the team that won Gold in the Men’s Team Kumite.
After achieving his Second Degree, and over one-hundred first place results across all disciplines on the non-contact and semi-contact tournament circuit, Jason stopped competing to concentrate on his own personal development, his instructing, and his career as a Police Officer with the Victorian Police Force. After eight years as a police officer working in the Melbourne Custody Centre, Collingwood Police and Melbourne City Police Station’s and performing special duties at the Force Response Unit, Jason resigned to recommence his formal education.
In 2001 Jason studied Chinese Mandarin and then in 2002 was accepted into RMIT’s BA (International Studies) Program. In 2003 Jason travelled to China as a volunteer English teacher, teaching grade-school students in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. In 2004 Jason again travelled as a volunteer to the remote district of Kamchai Mea in Cambodia where he conducted research on behalf of an international development assistance agency on the impact of higher education on poverty. In December, 2004, Jason Graduated with Distinction.
Jason is now happily married and a father of two and in 2005 plans to continue with his studies in Chinese, commence studying Law, and continue training with his father Kyoshi Ian Hall.