Change coming to Coszacks Karate club

ZANESVILLE – Master Jeff Hardwick was an institution as the head of the Coszacks School of Self-Defense and Karate.

He has been involved with the class for 44 years, teaching many of the Zanesville area’s top martial artists.

Now they’ll have a new leader.

Butch Morgan, a fifth-degree master and one of Hardwick’s prized pupils, has replaced Hardwick, who has relinquished his duties recently.

He will remain the grand master of Coszacks and still train and teach, but Morgan, 49, will be the club’s grand master and handle its clerical duties.

He will continue to teach the Coszacks style instituted by Master Jeff Moore and continued by Hardwick when the school opened in 1970.

“I think there are big shoes to fill,” Morgan said. “I’m only the third person to ever run it outside of Moore and Hardwick, those two people alone have like 100 years of martial arts experience between them.”

Hardwick, who serves as the managing partner at Bryan and Hardwick Funeral Home, said Morgan will flourish in his new role.

Continuing to teach the Coszacks style — a combination of karate, kung fu and combat judo — at its truest form will continue to be the club’s hallmark.

“I think he’ll do fine,” Hardwick said. “He’s got a really good class if he stays dedicated. He’s definitely teaching Coszacks the way it’s supposed to be taught.”

Hardwick almost left the club in 2013 after planning a move to Florida when Hills and Hardwick Funeral Home, where he was employed, sold. But he eventually stayed in Zanesville and maintained his Coszacks duties.

But he said stepping back was necessary.

“I started when I was 10 years old,” Hardwick said. “I still like being involved, still like training. ... For me to get to eighth degree (master) I have to stay active and still have to help teach. It should take three to four years.”

Morgan has Hardwick and three other black belt senseis to assist a class of 30 students. He called taking over the club “more than a dream come true for me.”

“I plan to continue to promote the style Master Moore intended and designed it,” Morgan said. “I would like to get another 10 to 15 black belts promoted and I’d like to see it branch out.”

He also reiterated that no student will be turned away because of a physical handicap or gender, noting he has worked with a wide range of students in his 31 years with Coszacks.

“The bigger the class, the better,” Morgan said. “It gives you a wider variety because everybody brings something to the table. The more people there are, the more opportunity there is for us to train.”

Hardwick said Morgan’s biggest strengths are his ability to connect with the students and communicate his teaching points.

“He’s an excellent instructor,” Hardwick said. “He gets along well with kids and adults, he knows the material, stays active, continues to train — his martial arts skills are awesome, even for his age with the stuff he can do.”

Morgan thanked Hardwick for all he’s done to help him.

“He’s always been supportive, and although we’ve not seen eye to eye on everything he’s always encouraged me to continue,” Morgan said.

sblackburn@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6723

Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR