Craig first began his training in the Bridgetown dojo in 1986 under the instruction of Klaus Mueller. Understandably during this early time the training was brutal and very hard on the younger generation and the retention rate of any student was low, though without many more options available in the small country town, Craig persevered with the training, often suffering from injury. By the end of the first year of training, all of Craig’s friends who he had joined with had left training and Craig passed his first grading to 8th Kyu in 1987.

The years had passed and with diligence Craig saw hundreds of people come and go. The dojo had moved from Rowley street to the Hall near the high school by 1989 and as a 3rd Kyu Craig was given permission to teach Thursday nights classes to help alleviate the travel his instructor was doing coming from Manjimup. Up until then Klaus was travelling twice a week to Bridgetown, as well as teaching twice a week in Manjimup. Taking on the role very seriously he continued in a very simular fashion of teaching in the dojo, commanding and gaining the respect of adults in the classes. In 1991 Craig was awarded his black belt, continued his teaching and increased his training to the Manjimup dojo as well, attending up to 4 nights per week during what is considered the most important years of schooling for his TEE subjects.

At this stage of his life Craig was helping his parents in the family cafe, holding down an after school job as a trainee antique restorer / furniture maker, plus his continued training he graduated from high school in 1993. Unfortunately that year the Bridgetown dojo had closed due to lack of numbers. Craig only trained in the Manjimup Dojo and car pooled the remaining senior students when they could attend. By the end of 1993, Craig moved to the seaside town of Busselton after being accepted into a cabinetmaking pre-apprenticeship course at the Bunbury college of TAFE and obtaining a part time job in Busselton. During this time Craig travelled to the Hombu dojo in Bunbury under Alan Burdett Shihan every Monday night plus also having a small stint in the local Shotokan dojo to keep his fitness and training going. With his continued loyalty to the SWKGA Craig was given permission to open his own dojo in Busselton by April 1994.

Craig was awarded his Nidan-Ho (Sub 2nd Dan) in May 1995 it was put on hold until the National grading in 1996. Unfortunately it was withdrawn after Craig failed to attend the National grading held by the Australian GoJu Kai after he had received a serious back injury at work. With perseverance Craig was re-awarded his Nidan-Ho in November 1996 and only 12 months later achieved his Nidan (2nd Dan).

By 1998 Craig was still teaching at his dojo, though now expanded to Dunsborough teaching 4 nights a week. Under an introduction by Klaus Mueller Shihan Craig was invited to a weapons seminar held at the Budokan Academy in Canning Vale, Perth under Ramon Lawrence Kyoshi. This was Craig’s first experience into Iaido (Japanese Swordsmanship) and Jodo (Japanese Short Stick).

With little to go on and with regular trips to Perth for training, Craig was given permission to also open a dojo teaching the weapon arts in 2000 after having a very successful open seminar held in Busselton. By this time Craig had now expanded once again and began teaching five nights a week as well as being a full time tradesman in Fine Furniture Making at one of the local galleries in Yallingup.

By 2002, Craig was awarded his Sandan-Ho in GoJu-Karate, though the pressure of so many classes eventually gave way. Craig closed the Dunsborough karate dojo and converted back to one night teaching the weaponry and kept his karate to two nights in Busselton. In 2004 Craig was awarded his Shodan in Iaido and by 2005 Craig was awarded his Shodan in Jodo as well as becoming Western Australian Individual state champion in Jodo along with David Puzey (a long time friend in both karate and weaponry). In 2003 Craig was awarded a very prestigious Shodan (1st Dan) in Budokan Bujitsu (A rare and highly sought after recognition) and a nomination into the W.U.K.O. International Hall of Fame, for his continued effort and contribution to the martial arts.

In 2005, Craig open his own fine furniture Business in Busselton, but handed over the Dunsborough Budokan to his senior student so they could focus expanding the weapon arts in both towns. Busselton Budokan reduced to one night per week and the karate continued on two nights. In 2005 Craig was fortunate to be introduced to Kunaikai Nagyama Sensei who was the world technical advisor for Jodo and also with family linage as Samurai. Over the next few years their mutual friendship grew to an extent to where Nagyama Sensei gave Craig him his Japanese translation for his name in the traditional way of describing who Craig was as a person and a student. By 2008 Craig was also privileged to be given a dojo name by Nagyama Sensei and Busselton was now known as ‘Shinbukan’. Meaning small high quality traditional dojo of Budo.
 
Now just to go back 12 months, Craig also attended a trip to Japan with Alan Burdett Shihan, Peter Davis Jokyo, Colleen Wallingford and Kathy. There they trained full time, for over two weeks with Masao Akita Shihan, the National Kumite team and Gonnahyoe Yamamoto, Grand Master Hanshi Shihan of GoJu-Ryu. Craig was also fortunate enough to have a personal name given to him by Masao Akita Shihan as they where leaving. The training in Japan was memorable not only for the great time but also for the brutal training and weather during August.

For the next few years Craig focused on his training in all three arts. Craig was awarded his Sandan (3rd Dan) in GoJu Ryu in May of 2005 and his Nidan in July for Iaido in the same year. He then travelled to Tasmania to compete in the Australian Kendo Renmei Nationals (a week long camp), train and receive his Nidan in Jodo and progressed to Sandan in Iaido at the Perth Budokan Academy in July 2008. Finally once again attending the AKR Nationals in Perth of 2010 to train and be awarded awarded his Sandan in Jodo. Craig also was married to his wife Rebecca in May.

Now in 2011, After 25 years in the martial arts, Craig has taken a break from his weapon arts, finishing the classes in 2010 due to lack of support and students. He is now back to teaching karate twice a week, plus attending the Hombu dojo in Bunbury under Alan Burdett Shihan every Monday.  He is also very proud to have his original student (since opening in 1994) and friend William Holloway (2nd Dan) still training with him today.