Rebecca Kenney-Olofsson

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient of 2022

BUTOKUKAN - Eighty-Seven years young - Began training in 1975

Rebecca began her training at the original Salem, NH Dojo, one year after it opened. Her only teacher was and still is Buzz Durkin. Throughout the years she has continued her training and teaching at the Atkinson Dojo. Rebecca single handily created a “one of a kind” physical education curriculum for the prestigious Landmark School for Dyslexic students, and taught Uechiryu Karate there from 1979 through 1984. In addition to her teaching at the Landmark school, Rebecca also taught two private students, Matt Trull, Hollis Cotton, both of whom are wheelchair bound.

On June 1st, 1982, Rebecca received her Okinawan teaching certificate signed by Master Kanei Uechi, and in 1993 she received her current rank of Yondan.

In 1983 Rebecca comprised a written handout of the following: a perceptual motor dysfunction, a description of that dysfunction, and one or more Uechiryu techniques that are beneficial for the remediation or integration of the dysfunction. It was written for the general information of other Uechiryu teachers and the general public.

In 1983 and 1984 Rebecca volunteered to be a personal Chef at the Summer Camp on Thompson Island. The distinguished guests and Karate Masters included: Masters Tomoyose, Nakahodo, Higa, Takamiyagi, Nakama, Kina, Yonamine and George Mattson. Also present were Master (Kanei) and Shigi Uechi, Master Kansei Uechi (brother of Kanei), Kanmei Uechi and Minoru Miyagi.

In 1990 she reprised her role at the “Camp 90” held at New England College in Henniker, NH.

To this day, Rebecca continues her weekly training at the Atkinson, NH dojo, where she continues to inpire multiple generations of Martial Artists.