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Thomas Williams Two time
USA Hall of Fame Member and Ph.D.
2012 United States Hall of Fame Member
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Awards
- 1974 Outstanding Martial Artist Award Hutchinson Moo Duk Kwan Club
- 1975 Outstanding Martial Artist Award Hutchinson Moo Duk Kwan Club
- 1984-1985 Edition of Americas Who’s Who In American Martial Arts
- 1990 Graduate Executive Security International
- 1992 Karate International Magazine’s Who’s Who In The Martial Arts
- 1999 Action Martial Arts Who’s Who In The Martial Arts
- 2005 IMAF Manuel C. Pina Award for Excellence
- 2009 USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame
- 2009 Ph.D. University of Asian Martial Arts Study
- 2010 USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame
- 2010 Martial Arts Master of the Year
- 2011 International Independent Martial Arts Association (IIMAA) Hall of Fame
- 2012 United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame
Memberships & Associations
- Alliance Martial Arts Association
- Martial Arts Masters Association
- Midwest Brotherhood Karate Association
- Midwest Karate Officials Association
- Independent Martial Arts Federation
- International Independent Martial Arts Association
- International Martial Arts Council
- United States Martial Arts Association
Related Accomplishments
- Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center Firearms Instructor
- Kansas Department of Corrections Firearms Instructor
- Kansas Department of Corrections Master Defensive Tactics Instructor
- Defensive Tactics Instructor
- Mike Inay Reactive Knife Instructor
- Department of Justice Defensive Tactics Instructor
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| Independent Martial Arts Federation |
Mr. Williams is the Kansas Representative for the Independent Martial Arts Federation. The Independent Martial Arts Federation provides rank and instructor recognition to martial artists from all disciplines that have found themselves without an instructor or the means to obtain regular promotions.
USA Martial Arts Hall Of Fame
The U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame was originally designed in the mid 1970’s as a service to Karate practitioners with the U.S.K.A. under co-creators Grand Master Robert Trias and Jim Thomas. During this period, there were no other ‘Hall of Fame’ types anywhere except the well-known Black Belt magazine's Black Belt Hall of Fame. After the passing of Grand Master Trias, student & co-creator Dr. Jim Thomas of the U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame decided to take this Hall of Fame to another level. In 1992, the all-new U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame began.
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| Thomas Williams, 2009 Inductee USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame |
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| Thomas Williams, 2009 Silver Life Award 30-40 years of Martial Service |
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| Thomas Williams 2010 Martial Arts Master of the year |
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| Thomas Williams 2010 Martial Arts Master of the year |
University Of Asian Martial Arts Study Ph.D. Program
The martial arts Alliance and USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame have been working on a PH.D. Program for tenured martial art instructors for almost a decade. The only way to be part of this program is to be an Inducted member of the U.S.A. Martial Arts ‘Hall of Fame’! Once you are part of the USA Martial Arts ‘Hall of Fame’ you’ve proven a standard of excellence. After the ‘Hall of Famer’ has been inducted he/she may choose to participate in the Ph.D. Program. Those interested must provide a Dissertation/Thesis that will be read and approved or disapproved by a Board of Directors. If approved, honorees are recognized as one of the best the industry of the Martial Arts offer! The Ph.D. program is not a traditional scholastic accredited degree that authorizes anyone to claim to be a medical doctor! This program defines you as one of the best in the martial arts industry! The Board of Directors consists of Martial Arts Masters and Grand Masters who are also Lawyers, Physicians, Science Doctors, Education Ph.D.’s etc….who volunteer their time as Board members.
Every city has unqualified martial art schools and teachers in them! Some should not be allowed to operate, but do! This feels like a ‘black eye’ to those qualified instructors who operate honorably! A master plumber with 10-15 years experience will make $50.00 to $100.00 per hour or more. Get an air-conditioning/heating person out to repair at $50.00/ $100.00 per hour or more! Hire an attorney…WOW!!!…Look, often times we are valued by our titles, proof of authentication etc….we might not be able to say we’re a medical doctor but we are as valid in what we do than some who are traditionally blessed with degrees and education! We have many, 20-30 plus years active teachers who have designed, dedicated, spent their world being who they are as teachers, leaders, instructors and more! We are equally as qualified in teaching martial arts, science and history as an educator. Thanks to organizations like EFC, NAPMA and MAIA we can continue our education of the martial arts by attending seminars on tuition, learning theory, fitness, sales, management and marketing. Not many understand the difference in what we have done in the martial arts world…the sacrifices, aches, injuries, developments and ideas it took to train and develop our students to be a more efficient and disciplined member of society with integrity and character.
Being a black belt in it self does not mean you are an instructor. Black belts from 2nd to 5th dans are referred to as sempei (senior grade). It is the sempei that set the example for the kohai (junior grade) to follow. More than simple seniority, sempai implies a relationship similar to mentoring. They are expected to assist the Chief Instructor with less experienced students. A kohai is expected to respect and follow the sempai, and the sempai in turn must guide, protect, and teach the kohai as best they can the rules and etiquette of the dojo. Black belts can achieve tested rank up to 5th dan and honored rank up to 8th with 9th and 10th reserved for the founder of an art or system or promotions to said rank by a board of review. It is at 5th dan and above that you hear the term “master” and “grand master”. Thanks to the Alliance and a few other organizations, those that have spent twenty plus years of their life teaching the martial arts can be honored with professorships and doctorates of the martial arts and sciences.
Thomas L. Williams, Ph.D.
American Karate & Martial Science
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| Thomas Williams Ph.D. Asian Martial Arts Studies |
