Arnold Martial Arts Festival chair Terrance “Tokey” Hill has been named the United States Olympic Committee Coach of the Year for the sport of Karate, USA Karate announced today.
Hill, a native of Chillicothe, is the Director of Coaching for USA Karate and the Team Leader for both the U.S. Senior and Junior National Karate Teams. He has also been organizing the Arnold Martial Arts Festival for five years and this year will oversee competitions in 30 different disciplines.
Hill will receive his award during a ceremony on Saturday, March 6, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center during the Arnold Sports Festival.
“Tokey Hill’s contribution to USA Karate cannot be understated,” said Luke St. Onge, CEO of USA Karate. “From developing athletes and molding them into world-class champions, to developing a comprehensive coach’s development programs, Tokey is a key player in every aspect of our international strategy. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor.”
Hill was the first World Champion for the sport of Karate from the United States, an honor he achieved at the World Karate Federation World Championships in Madrid, Spain, in 1980. Since then, only two other U.S. athletes have won the World Championships. Hill later began to train and develop athletes at his karate club in Long Island, N.Y., and then served as the Head Coach of the U.S. Karate Team. He now works in a leadership role in training and developing athletes.
Hill’s work paid off in May 2009 when the U.S. Senior Team won the Pan American Championship for the first time in 10 years. The team will try to repeat this May in Quito, Ecuador and then compete in the WKF World Championship this fall in Serbia.
Hill has helped the Arnold Martial Arts Festival grow into one of the largest of its kind in the United States. More than 3,000 athletes will compete this year in a variety of disciplines. For more information, visit
www.arnoldmartialarts.com
Last modified: 2010-02-16 @ 12:00 am
