Senpai Davis has always been interested in marital arts. Before beginning his Shotokan Karate training, in early 2000 he experimented briefly in Pai Lum Kempo, where he trained for two years. During his Kempo training, he was influenced by a friend with whom he worked ( a 3rd Dan in Shotokan) to seek out Sensei Victor Young’s dojo to train in a traditional Japanese form of martial arts.
His friend spoke of training to create muscle memory and power through what he called Shotokan. Already a black belt in Kempo, Senpai Davis left that art and began his tutelage under Sensei Young in February of 2002 as a white belt. In November 2005, Davis earned Shodan, first-degree black belt, in Shotokan karate. Davis appreciates the differences between the two forms of martial arts in which he has trained, but finds himself more at home in the structure and discipline of Shotokan karate.
Davis is employed as a restaurant manager in Ojai, where he has lived for over 19 years. He was born in New Orleans and raised in Los Angeles. He is a widower and has three grown daughters and two grandsons.
Davis asks the question, “Have you ever given thought to what your tombstone will say?”
