Ronnie Moore is fourth in the succession of the Shorin-ryu karate’s lineage – beginning with Sensei Shoshin Nagamine – the founder of the Matsubayashi-ryu style of Shorin-ryu; he is the founder of the Southwind Shorin-ryu; the CEO and the lead sensei of the Moore’s Martial Arts Academy, Inc. Master Moore’s journey with the martial arts began at eight years of age, and has continued for the past 50+ years.
As a student, in the early years, Master Moore has been exposed to several different martial arts styles before choosing the Shorin-ryu; in the young adulthood, in addition to martial arts, he has spent considerable about of time on learning boxing. To this day, one of Master Moore’s highest priorities is continuous learning.
As a practitioner, Master Moore’s competing career spanned over two and a half decades, during which he has competed in countless tournaments, in all three disciplines: katas, weapons and sparring. Among some of his accomplishments are winning several grand championships; he was the winner of the “Enter the Dragon” Regional Tournament in 1978; inducted in the Tornado Nationals Karate Hall of Fame in sparring by the Leiker’s, in the 1980’s; winner of the Diamond Nationals in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in lightweight division; formerly rated #1 in weapons, kata and sparring, by Karate Illustrated Magazine, in Region 9; formerly rated #5 in the nation, in middle weight division sparring, by the Sport Karate Association (SKA); formerly rated #1 in weapons, kata and sparring, by Sport Karate Magazine, in the Midwest Region; etc.
Master Moore’s passion for teaching has been his guiding force for the past 40+ years. In the 1970’s he began teaching at several recreational and community centers throughout Topeka, including the Boys and Girls Club; it was through these experiences that the young sensei gained invaluable lessons on varying learning styles, effective teaching methods, and above all, human psychology.
Since he began teaching at Washburn University, in the 1980’s, and opened his own dojo in 1995, Master Moore has affected the lives of about three generations of students, thus far, through these institutions. In addition, he has volunteered countless self-defense and character enrichment workshops throughout the community.
Those who have had an opportunity to study with Master Moore would agree that his unique personality and teaching style are reflected through his unshakeable patience, calm demeanor, flexibility in approach, and above all, his sincere care for each and every student he comes in contact with.
In addition to teaching, Master Moore has served as a professional judge (licensed through the Kansas and Missouri Boxing Commissions) at numerous mixed martial arts events throughout Kansas and Missouri, and continues to judge local martial arts tournaments.