Ross Rumbell Award Recipient: 1992

Already an accomplished karate practitioner, Suenori Tominaga began practicing under Sensei Masami Tsuruoka at a dojo in the heart of Toronto in 1969 at the University of Toronto Karate Club. Tominaga began teaching at dojo the following year and eventually became the facility’s sole instructor, sparking a career in the sport. Tominaga organized major karate tournaments including the National Championships. He helped form Karate Ontario in 1972 to regulate the practice of karate at the provincial level. He represented the Shotokan discipline on the Technical Committee that formed in 1991. His coaching resume includes the Ontario Provincial Team in 1985 and the National Team in 1987, Whether he was training children, university students, or professional athletes, Tominaga always offered a unique style of positive reinforcement.