Phil started his martial arts journey with traditional Karate in 1972. He is currently ranked 4th Dan in Koryu Uchinadi under Sensei Patrick McCarthy 8th Dan. Phil also has 4th Dan Ryukyu Kempo, 4th Dan under New Zealand Karate academy, and 1st Dan TaeKwon Do. Phil is head instructor of Kobukan Martial Arts based in Hamilton.

After hearing about John Will through a colleague in Melbourne, Phil was intrigued and made contact with Michael Fooks, enquiring about a seminar being held at the GroundControl Howick club. This conversation led to a meeting in Hamilton where Michael was involved with an Aikido seminar. Phil attended the next seminar and was immediately hooked. He has now attended John’s Auckland seminars since April 2005, and has been bringing John to Hamilton since August 2007.

While training at the Howick academy in 2006, Michael introduced Phil to another Hamilton based grappler – Errol Watson. As a result of this meeting Phil & Errol began to train together during the week to enhance their grappling skills. It was a partnership that flourished until eventually Phil and Errol wanted to take their grappling to the next level, and after consultation with Mike and Glen, GroundControl Hamilton was born.

With Michael and Glen and some of their senior students coming down three times a year to run classes, and John Will coming to run seminars three times a year, Hamilton Groundcontrol BJJ is well established and moving ahead.