Hanshi McGrath Presents
Sensei Tom Kately
July's
Devil Dog
Tom Kately began his studies in the martial arts in 1989, under Sensei Scott Klinger, a black belt of Master Nick Adler. Under those circumstances Mister Kately would have a direct connection to the late “Living Legend” Grand Master Don Nagle, and myself since Nick Adler was one of my original students in Queens, New York, in 1963.
In June of 1995, Tom Kately started teaching a “Special Needs” class at the Overlook Hospital along with Sensei Gerard Brunka. Administering this class resulted in Tom being deeply touched, when he saw the profound difference in the youngsters and the difference in their capacity, as well. It was then, that he became aware of the rewards of teaching are brethren with disabilities. That feeling would remain with him and come to the surface, in later years, as a successful dojo owner.
In December of 1995 was promoted to Sho-Dan, First Degree Black Belt, under Sensei Scott Klinger. Being made a Sho-Dan is a special moment, although also being a rigorous procedure demanding excellence throughout the test. The following year he began to teach classes at a Church in Long Valley, New Jersey. Slowly but surely his class expanded, until he had over forty steady students. While learning to be a Sensei he was making individual progress in his fighting skills, resulting in a First Place at Master Nick Adler’s World Championship Tournament, 1n 1997. As a result of that exciting win, Tom Kately was promoted to Ni-Dan, Second Degree Black Belt. At that point, it became evident that he could sustain a school on his own and so Quest Karate was born in January 2000, in a storefront Dojo (a place to learn the way) in a small mall in Long Valley. With his background, Tom decided that he wanted a traditional Isshin-Ryu dojo, as kept by Grand Master Nagle and Mr. McGrath, as well as Master Adler. After five years in this 1250 sq. ft. dojo, he has more then two hundred students, with the school open on six days a week, with students from 3 years old to adults. Upon opening a dojo, he was promoted to San-Dan, full teaching rank.
In 2002, a Ku-Dan, ninth degree black belt of Mr. McGrath’s, John Pinghero came to the Quest Dojo, simply to work out, but began to demonstrate his fighting skills to Sensei Kately. Soon, Sensei Kately realized that his ability in kumite was going from good to excellent and asked Mr. Pinghero to stay with the dojo and show his techniques to the entire student body. Even previous to Master Pinghero’s appearance, the Quest students were the best in the area, but with Master Pinghero’s mentoring, Tom Kately states that the fighting prowess of his students are jumping by leaps and bounds. Also, in 2002 Master Phillip Fergason, from Dallas, Texas did a Bunkai seminar at Quest and before he left, he promoted Mr. Kately to Yo-Dan, Fourth Degree Black Belt.
Sensei Kately also started a class for “special needs” children in 2002. He has eight of these students with problems, such as, Down syndrome, Autism, Spina Bifida and Multiple Sclerosis. He is a born leader and a fine young man, who believes in putting back to the community, for his success.
In 2003, he started a second class for “special needs” children. Following that, in 2004, he created a class for the Matheny Hospital & Education Center. This is a school for severely disabled people. He is teaching one class a week for thirty to forty-five minutes.
In
2004 after his training with Mr. Pinghero, really paid off, when Sensei Tom
Kately took the First Place Championship Trophy in the Light Weight Division, at
the prestigious “Memorial Don Nagle AOKA, Inc. Championship Tournament and was
just squeezed out by the Heavy Weight Champion for the Overall Tournament
Championship. He picked a tough year to vie for the Championship, since the 2004
Tournament saw more fighters signed up then ever before, meaning to get to the
Championship you had to fight more elimination bouts. He is determined to return
to uphold his Championship. Shortly after the Don Nagle Championship, Master
John Pinghero, promoted Sensei Kately to Go-Dan, Fifth Degree Black Belt, the
rank that Sensei Nagle held when I first saw him.
In 2005, he got active in teaching the local Girl Scouts how to defend themselves and teach them awareness, as well as sponsoring a Kick-A-Thon for the Matheny Hospital and Education Center, as well as doing a fun demonstration for the Washington Township Police Department’s Night Out event.
Sensei Tom Kately states that his goal is to “pass on the traditions of
Isshin-Ryu and the toughness of the examples that have come before my students
and himself, such as Mr. Nagle, Mr.
McGrath, Mr. Pinghero and Mr. Passero. He is trying to create a place where
especially teen-aged children have a place to be involved in something positive,
instead of being bored, which, no doubt can lead to nothing but bad news. He
truly believes that a child or teen-ager with the least amount of spare time
will stay away from drugs and alcohol. He tries to be the best example for the
children in his school and in the community. This is an extraordinary young man,
as well as a great fighter and teacher. He is truly July’s Devil Dog. OooRaaah!