19/08/2026
From Shane Shihan:
A Journey of 45 Years
Last week, I had the privilege of finally receiving my 8th Dan certificate, following my grading to 8th Dan last year.
Although the rank itself was conferred some time ago, holding the certificate was unexpectedly poignant. It provided a moment to reflect on a journey that has now spanned 45 years, almost my entire life.
What began as a young boy’s foray into karate has evolved into a lifelong pursuit of discipline, excellence, and continual self-improvement. Along the way, I have had the extraordinary privilege of competing at the highest level, captaining my country, achieving success on the world stage, and ultimately being entrusted with the responsibilities that accompany such a senior rank.
Yet, with the passage of time, I have come to understand that the true measure of a karate journey is not found in titles, medals, or dan grades. These are merely milestones. What endures are the lessons learned, the relationships forged, the challenges overcome, and, above all, the privilege of having been taught by those who came before us.
I remain profoundly grateful to my teachers and seniors, to my training partners and students, and to my family and friends who have supported and shared in this journey. I am particularly indebted to Malcolm Dorfman Shihan, my father, teacher, and mentor for more than four decades, whose influence extends far beyond karate and has profoundly shaped the person I have become. This is something I hope to pass onto my children who will soon be starting their karate journey.
An 8th Dan is therefore not something I regard as an endpoint, but rather as a greater responsibility to continue learning, to preserve what has been entrusted to me, and to pass it on to those who follow.
After 45 years, I remain a student of karate and perhaps more importantly, a student of life.
Grateful. Humbled. Privileged. And still walking the path.
Oss. 🥋
DorfmanKarate
