In SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
The Australian White Tiger School of Combined Martial Arts was founded in South Australia the early 1990’s by Sensei Philip C. Newton.
Philip was born in 1953 and started training in Shotokan karate at the age of 17 in the chillers at Gepps Crossing Abattoir with several of his friends. After that, he cross-trained with a lot of different people in other martial arts, including judo. As the years went by, Philip joined a local karate club where he both learned and taught for approximately eight years.
PHOTOS 1 & 2: Philip C Newton in his early years and Philip today.
Philip then started his own club in a Baptist Church in Elizabeth with a small group of dedicated followers. The White Tiger school started with humble beginnings having only four students but it grew rapidly. Within a few months the number grew to 20.
In 1998, the classes moved to St Jays in Salisbury where the membership swelled to 150, with many students doing very well in national tournaments. In the same year, Sensei Philip won a State Title in the National All Styles tournament.
Classes then commenced in 1999 at Mawson Lakes and Modbury where class sizes continued to grow. His students decided they wanted Philip to be recognised for his achievements so they bestowed the title of Kancho (Founder) upon him.
In 2005, the club was awarded a Youth Champion Award by the Mayor of Salisbury in recognition of the work done with young people.
PHOTO 3: The Youth Champion Award bestowed upon Kancho Philip Newton and his White Tiger Combined Martial Arts club.
Philip has hosted seminars featuring many renowned instructors such as Vince Morris, a leading UK karate exponent. Philip is proud to help vulnerable people to get over their inner fears. He has helped many children to do much better in their school work because of the increase of focus and attention that his karate instruction brings to them.
In 2016 Philip graded to 5th Dan Renshi with the Society of Martial Arts (SOMA). He continues to train and develop his style and his schools.
More recently (since the Covid-19 shutdown), the Australian White Tiger School of Combined Martial Arts is being featured on South Australia’s TV channel 44 on Sunday evenings at 6.30pm. The classes presented are ‘virtual lessons’ catering mainly to people over 60 years of age.
If you are looking to train with a progressive martial arts club in and around the suburb of Salisbury in South Australia then give Philip a call on: O434 OO1 179.
