January 1971, Sensei Randy Hunt at the age of 25, started karate at the Bremerton Dojo as a student in Sensei (Shihan) Robert Hill's class. He was encouraged to join by his two friends Victor Faasuamalie and Lou Soros who had been training some time with Sensei Hill. With the extra help of his two friends he quickly became Jukyu (Orange belt) and a short time later became ill and did not return to class until June.

In August of 1972, Sensei Faasuamalie was encouraged to start a school by Master Hill and he took Randy with him to establish the Shelton Butokukan Karate School. Randy became Sensei Faasuamalie's driver, student, and friend and workout partner. Sensei Faasuamalie was asked to teach a Olympic College extension Karate Class and Randy quickly went to 3, 4 and sometimes 5 days a week in a karate class. With the extra workouts and the pulling of Sensei Faasuamalie and the pushing of fellow student (later Sensei) Dave Gunter, Randy quickly moved thru the ranks.

In January 1974, Shihan Hill traveled to the Shelton Dojo to test Mike Sanders for Shodan only to find out that Mike had broken a bone in his foot the evening before. Sensei Faasuamalie didn't blink an eye. He just put Randy (Sankyu) on the mark for his test. So much for advanced notice. Randy didn't make his Shodan that night but was upgraded to Ikkyu.

On May 23, 1974, Mike Sanders was rescheduled to test in the Bremerton Dojo. On the Evening of the test Sensei Faasuamalie and Shihan Hill decided Randy would test at the same time. Well Sensei Faasuamalie got two Shodan in one evening of testing.

In November of 1974, Sensei Faasuamalie asked Sensei Hunt to take over the Shelton Dojo. Sensei Hunt planned to teach in Shelton till he had a Black Belt he could turn the school over to. This did not happen till Sensei Dave Gunter made Shodan six years later in July 1980. New Sensei Gunter then took over Sensei Mike Sanders dojo in Olympia for a year. The hundreds of trips to Shelton and teaching began to pay off with Sensei Morlan Tullar - January 1981, Sensei Dave Weber - August 1982, Sensei Rob Castro - April 1983, Sensei Steve Hoosier - August 1983, Sensei Scott Paul - March 1984, Sensei Tammi Anderson - January 1985, Sensei Rick Cooper - April 1985, Sensei Bruce Towhey - May 1985.

With an opportunity to buy the building that the Shelton Dojo was renting Sensei Hunt undertook a remodeling project that move the dojo from a rented space to a true DOJO. The only Dojo with its own space. he with the help of students and parents put in a wooden floor, mirrors, dressing rooms, bathroom, and a pleasant waiting area. Sensei Hunt has been back twice to remodel and update the dojo.

In the fall of 1977, it was felt that the Japan American Butokukan Karate Association could better communicate with its Black Belt members if it had a newsletter and Sensei Hunt took on the job. With the help of his new bride Marvel Hunt, Sensei Hunt began putting out the newsletter. The first Board of Directors was formed an Sensei Hunt became a major contributor.

in 1979, JABKA felt that it was big enough for its own tournament an again Sensei Hunt stepped forward and took on the challenge of tournament help in Shelton for just Butokukan students and senseis. The All Butokukan was held and sponsored by the Shelton Dojo for the next 20 years. Sensei Hunt taught Sensei Gunter the ins and outs of running tournament and he took over an later taught Sensei Ford. This quickly became the tournament to go to an be a part of. We need to all thank Senseis Hunt, Gunter and Ford for their efforts.

In January 1983, Sensei Hunt turned the teaching of new students and the checkbook over the Sensei Dave Gunter. He continued to teach his advanced class and cut his trips to Shelton down from 3 times a week to 2. This would seem like a satisfying and full life in Karate at this point, but not for Sensei Hunt. He would travel to Shelton several times a year to mentor and teach his Black Belts often giving them written direction as to how they could improve their karate and instructional abilities.

In June of 1985, Sensei Hunt took over a class Sensei Rob Castro had going at Lake Symington. This class was later moved to the Pee Wee Hall in Silverdale and later to the present Silverdale location at the Clear Creek Community Club. The community club location proved to be a challenge as the building was in need of a lot of work. Sensei Hunt took on a remodeling project to renovate the building. With the help of students, parents, and some community support Sensei Hunt upgraded the building making it a more valuable asset to the Silverdale Community. If you seen it before, you would not recognize it after.

In the early 90's, Shihan Hill was working swing shift and was not present to teach and the shift of students training especially on Saturday shifted to Silverdale. Saturday workouts found several area Black Belts in attendance. The Silverdale Dojo became the place to go. Many Canadian Brown and Black Belts made the trip to Silverdale over the next 8-10 years to train with Sensei Hunt, and to be mentored and learn from the other Black Belts in attendance.

The year of teaching at the Silverdale Dojo were fruitful for Sensei Hunt as he took his teaching to new levels and taught and promoted Black Belts: Mike Davis, Laura Ramsey, Jeff Harader, Jmac Blumenthal, Sandy Ramsey, Yong Min Kim, Chuck Travis, Tom Croswaite. Sensei Hunt had developed his teaching skills and it was paying off.

The start of the year 2000, again brought a call from Shelton. Sensei Ford was burned out on teaching and wanted to step down as the dojo head. Sensei Hunt decided to turn the Silverdale Dojo over to Sensei Chuck Travis and Sensei Tom Croswaite. He again resumed his travels to Shelton and again undertook a remodel job to refurbish the dojo inside and out. Sensei Hunt quickly took student Ryan Spurling to the Shodan level with a well-attended test.

Over the years, Sensei Hunt has under went several surgery for injuries and even during the recovery time he continued to teach and learn resulting in his reaching the high rank of ROKUDAN in May of 1995. Sensei Hunt has been involved with Japan American Butokukan Karate Association throughout its history. He has held the Secretary Position for several years, Treasurer position and of course produced the newsletter for several years. He has mentored others to take over these jobs and passed on the Secretary job to Sensei Shanon Foutch and later the Treasurer job to Sensei Bill Olson.

Sensei Hunt has visited more Butokukan Dojos than most. He has always felt that it was important to keep in contact. Dojo visits with his students and a few other Black Belts has been a trademark of Sensei Hunt.

Sensei Hunt was very involved with the policy manual and has made many trips on behalf of the Association to Colorado, California, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, and Canada. He has helped solve policy problems, sat on the grading panel of more test for Shodan than any other Black Belts in the Association. he as been on most of the upgrading panels for Nidan and up. He has mentored and consulted with many of our Black Belts that are not his students. He has written many reports, letters, evaluations, and suggestions on behalf of the Association. He has been to countless meetings, many that were on the calendar, but many more that were not. He has often involved his wife Marvel in the business of the Association. By offering their home for meetings, sleepovers, membership on committees, counseling and advise, tournament help, selling JABKA equipments, and directing their vacations to Karate sites so as to visit our outlying Butokukan Dojos.

We all need to give Sensei Hunt a huge thank you for the hard and useful work he has done for us, and Butokukan.