Martial arts community reacts to Clarence West’s death
By ASHLEY NEWMAN, sports writerArticle Photos
WINTERSVILLE - As the flames ripped through the Clarence West Karate Studio on Main Street Sunday night, news slowly trickled out that a fatality may have resulted from the blaze.
As whispers began to resonate, the local community of martial artists held its collective breath.
With Monday's announcement that the victim of the fire was owner Clarence West, his competitors in the world of karate reacted with shock and overwhelming sadness.
"Our prayers go out to Clarence's family," said Ed Littlejohn.
Rick Rine, owner of Rine Karate Studio in Weirton, was one of those grief-stricken individuals.
"We just came back from his tournament. This is just an incredible shock to me and everyone that I know," Rine said. "All I can say is that I am just in a complete state of shock.
"I just took over 21 students to one of his tournaments and we had a really great time. I spent time with him there and all of the kids and students commented on how much fun it was.
"Clarence put on the best tournaments in area. There is no doubt about that."
Steve Brown, owner of Top Form Karate in Weirton for the past seven years, echoed Rine's statements about West's tournament.
"Of all the tournaments I've been around, his struck me as one of the more stronger events for bringing out things for the kids," said Brown, who has been in karate for 21 years. "Everybody had a good time at his tournaments and people felt like they achieved something at his tournaments.
"His tournament was one of the few I would recommend to my students. His tournament was something very good for the kids.
"His tournament had a little bit more flare in it, in recognition of people and their achievements."
For Rine, competitive fervor could not trump friendship. While the two karate studios may have gone head-to-head in tournaments and the two studios were competing for new students in the area, Rine and West always maintained a friendship and a respect.
"I always felt that, even though he was my competitor, we had great respect for one another. We have been friends for over 30 years," Rine said of West. "It is truly devastating and I'm still trying to wrap my head around what has happened.
"We competed against one another and brought students up together. Even though we had different styles and had different methods of teaching, we were really great friends."
West's ability to relate to his students created a sense of family that only a man who has devoted his life to helping the youth can attain.
"He really cared about his students. They all had a great relationship and he also had a great relationship with all of the martial artists in the area, even if they weren't his students," Rine explained. "There is a hole in the hearts of every martial arts studio in the area.
"There are only a few older masters around here, so this is a huge loss for everyone in the sport."
Rine, who recently turned 50, has been teaching karate in the area for 30 years. Rine Karate Studio opened in 1983.
"Clarence and I came from different schools of the game, so he would always call our area the melting pot of martial arts," Rine said.
"He just said to me, 'this will be my 40th year and this is your 31st year. You are starting to get up there.'
"I told him that he was right, but you are never too old to learn new stuff. He laughed and said that I was right. That is just the kind of person that Clarence was. He was fun to be around and I enjoyed competing against him.
"He was just known as 'the master.' Everyone called him master, even if they weren't students of his."
West's reputation in the area was one of lore and legend. Rine compared West to another well-known martial artist.
"He is the Chuck Norris of our area. Everyone in the world knows who Chuck Norris is. Not everyone in the world knows who Clarence was, but I consider him the Chuck Norris of our area," Rine noted. "Everyone around here knew who he was."
Brown said that although he and West were not good friends, they were friendly with each other.
"He was a valuable part of the martial arts community in the Tri-State Area," Brown said. "He did great things for kids and made sure everyone had a great time at his tournament. And, he was very fair.
"This is definitely a loss for the area."
West was also famous for his charitable work in the area. He had spent countless hours holding forums and giving speeches at area high schools in an attempt to steer kids in the right direction.
"He did give back. He gave back even more than people know," Rine said. "He was always there for any kid who needed help or anything else."
In the wake of such a tragic circumstance, thinking about the future without this legendary figure can be difficult. But, Rine knows that West's presence is not something that can be filled.
"You simply can't replace a guy like that. I know that he was gearing up one of his students to eventually take over for him when he decided to retire, but those are shoes that impossible to fill," Rine said. "It is hard for me to think about not having his tournaments anymore.
"The fact that he won't be in the tournaments with us next year is just hard to imagine."
"There are not a lot of people in the clique of martial artists in the area," said Brown. "Everybody knows everybody who does martial arts. Clarence has always been there.
"I was shocked and surprised when I heard what happened. It's amazing how things happen."
Rine received a letter from West just before the news broke about the fire.
"He just sent me a card, thanking me for taking part in his tournament. I literally just received it today. It may have been one of the last things that he did before the tragedy," Rine explained. "I was in the process of writing of him back when I heard the news.
"It is heartbreaking.
"I will always consider him a true friend and one of the best martial artists that I have known. All of my students also loved him and they looked forward to all of his tournaments. This is just a huge loss for all of us.
"I went to his tournaments when I was a kid. I have just been thinking about all of the good times that we had together over the years.
"He's worked with and had an impact on a lot of people's lives."
