One of three instructors to achieve that rank in the GOJU System in the country
Walter Lee Byrd, at the age of 60 years, is a spiritual leader and longtime resident of Broward County. Mr. Bryd has been a mentor and teacher to many local church groups, children and adults in the art of GOJU Karate. He has studied Martial Arts with Grandmaster Joseph Hess, who is a former World Champion in Kick Boxing and was the head Police instructor with Broward College Police Academy in Davie, Florida since 1975 until his retirement in 2008.
He started his Martial Arts career at the age of 16 training with Master Hess and world class instructors such as legend Grand Master Peter Urban, Mosses Powell, Charlie Smith and Buster Timmons. Byrd has taught many classes for local youth in his neighborhood.
Byrd has traveled to many foreign countries such as Mexico, Russia and Ecuador South American to assist Hess in teaching specialized programs in self-defense to Police, Military and local citizens in each country.
Recently Byrd was promoted to 9th degree Master Black Belt, making him one of three instructors to achieve that rank in the GOJU System in the county. He is a world class fighter in point Karate and Kick Boxing; also he is one of the top instructors in the system who obtained the Florida State Champion Title in 1989.
His future is to open a training facility to motivate and instruct under privileged children and adults, along with special needs children and adults who may have anger management issues.
Byrd has also been involved with Florida Movie Productions such Police Academy 5 and IST Television series as an actor, stunt man, and Karate instructor.
He and Mr. Hess would like to produce training films against rape prevention and child abduction relating to women and children.
Byrd is an accomplished musician, a drum and bass guitar player as well as a lead singer of his musical group “Grove Percussion” which performs at various nightclubs in Florida and other states.
For that past 30 years he has coached little league football at Holiday Park with Fort Lauderdale Falcons, working with ages five to 15.
