MOSES LAKE — After announcing his retirement back in 2021, Shihan Terry Stone has returned to teaching classes again at Basin Karate in Moses Lake. Since then, he has had to somewhat alter the way he teaches but wants to instill the same lessons that he’s been giving since starting his lessons in the Basin 35 years ago. 

“Sometimes I get frustrated, I’m not able to move like I used to,” Stone said. “I’m 72, but I just love to teach. It gives me something to do, something that I love. It’s not a job, it’s a joy.” 

About four months ag,o Stone was promoted to a sixth-degree black belt, earning himself the Shihan belt. This belt gives Stone the title of “expert teacher.” 

“I don’t consider myself an expert,” he said. “My sensei did not consider himself an expert; he trained for 70 years. You’re always learning, so how can you be an expert if you’re always learning something?” 

In his time teaching, he has connected with many people throughout the area and has had a major impact on many of their lives. He said on occasion he will see former students continuing their work in martial arts. 

“It’s really weird because now I’m teaching the grandkids of people I taught 35-40 years ago,” said Stone. 

Since his return, Stone said he has put more focus on the philosophy aspect of teaching karate than before. The key cornerstones of the philosophy at the school are honor, respect, humility and gambate, a Japanese word which translates to “doing your best.”  

“We use that because we want to build strong character,” he said. 

Basin Karate has begun taking in students with mental disabilities as well. Stone’s wife Jill will train them in the beginning and then they eventually make their way into classes taught by Stone himself. 

“We have three and they’re doing great,” said Stone. “They’re so much fun because their love is pure and they just light up the room.” 

Stone said that since he started teaching 35 years ago, he has had to make significant changes in how he teaches his students, especially since coming out of retirement. He noticed an overall lower sense of self-esteem and respect. 

Considering this, he has shifted his teaching to have a focus on learning respect and building up the self-esteem of the students through their tests as they earn their way to the next rank. 

“I have new students coming in, and I have to tell them what I expect from them when I talk about respect,” said Stone. “That’s probably the biggest change.” 

At the Moses Lake dojo, Stone currently teaches around 70 students but said that across the five schools, he teaches about 1,000 students under his mentorship.  

In his retirement, Stone sold his Othello dojo to Sensei Cruz Garza. Since taking over, Garza has been holding tournaments in Stone’s honor, with the most recent being a beginner's Shudokan tournament occurring over the weekend. 

Stone said that the summer stays relatively calm at the Moses Lake dojo as student flow tends to go down during the season and picks back up during the fall. The summer months will typically be when Stone travels around and holds tests for students at the five schools he oversees. 

During this time, Terry and Jill will also try to spend more time with family. 

“My wife and I have a blended family and so we have seven kids between us and 18 grandkids,” he said. “So, we try in the summer to do as much as we can with that.” 

Every year, Basin Karate will also give out college scholarships worth $2,000. Stone said these scholarships will go out to any student who earns a black belt before graduating from high school and has at least a 3.0 grade point average. 

This tradition was started by Stone’s own instructor about 35 years ago, he said. 

“I think that in the Northwest (karate dojos are) up to a little over $450,000 in college scholarships given out,” said Stone. 

Stone said he has dedicated his dojo in honor of the heroes in his life: his father; Walter Todd, whom he trained under and who was the first American to earn a black belt in karate; Morris Mackl, who instructed Stone; and Kanken Toyamal, who founded the Shudokan style of karate. The back wall of the dojo displays a painting from his father, a “karatedo” sign from Todd and a copy of Mack’s 10th-degree certificate. 

“I tell my students that I have my three men that worked with me and helped me to be what I am; they’re looking down on you all the time,” he said. 

    Terry Stone, instructor for Basin Karate in Moses Lake, stands at the back wall dedicated to his three heroes: his father; Walter Todd, the first American to earn a black belt; and Stone’s instructor Morris Mackr. The Karatedo sign was from Todd; Stone has a copy of Mack’s 10th-degree certificate and the fire painting was painted by his father when Stone was in high school which Stone said to him symbolizes the fire inside a person to move forward.
  

    Photos of Walter Todd, the first American to earn a black belt; the founder of Shudokan style, Kanken Toyama; and Terry Stone’s instructor Morris Mack. Stone said he has dedicated his dojo to all those who have inspired him to be who he is today.
  

    Stone instructs one of his students during one of his classes at the dojo. Stone said he has had to make gradual changes over the last 35 years of teaching karate.
  

    Students undertake a fun training exercise during one of the classes at Basin Karate. Stone said he instructs 70 students at the Moses Lake dojo, but oversees five other dojos across the state with about 1,000 students.