Beginners Class - 8th January

If you have made a New Year’s resolution to get fit or lose weight then why not give karate a go. Karate is a fantastic way to keep fit, increase flexibility and improve self-confidence no matter what your age, size or fitness level. Haxby Shotokan Karate Club is encouraging anyone wanting to give karate a go to come along to their beginners’ course starting on the 8th January costing only £10. The course is held on Mondays and Thursdays from 7.30pm to 9pm at Wigginton Recreation Hall, The Village, Haxby and is suitable for all levels age 14 and above. Anyone wanting to join the karate club after completing the course will receive a year’s free Club membership. To book a place or to find out more email info@haxbykarate.co.uk or call 0758 324 9115

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

JKS Nationals – Nottingham 2nd November 2014

I think we all know that Haxby isn’t a particularly competitive dojo and there is never any pressure for its members to attend the various competitions around the country. That didn’t stop a small team, including two debutantes, from wanting to compete in the annual JKS National Championships. And there can’t be many clubs who could boast that they supplied an equal number of competitors, officials and spectators to the event.

The vagaries of scheduling the individual events to ensure that each Tatami was in use a much as possible, but to an outsider seemed quite random at times, even with a fifth tatami being added to the arena, it was a long day for anybody taking part in both kata and kumite. As spectators, however, it meant that we got to see some high quality and interesting karate between supporting the Haxby Squad. Unfortunately, a prior commitment meant that we left soon after the last Haxby competitor had finished their event and we missed the special England v Scotland event which rounded off the day.

Holly, Adam and Jonathan were up first in team kata, the opening event of the day. Competing in the 11 – 15 yrs category, their first round opponents were the Walsall B team, made up of slightly lower grades than the Haxby team. Walsall’s Heian Godan was, unfortunately for them, performed slightly out of sync and led to Haxby’s Bassai Dai winning the round with a score of 2:1. The second round saw our team up against three male black belts who performed, a fast, peppy and intricate kata full of bounces, jumps, high kicks and spins (kanka sho, I think) that was not only performed immaculately but was a delight to watch. Inevitably, despite an even better performance than in the first round, all three judges scored against Haxby in this one. This was no embarrassment, though – the trio had only had a limited number of practice sessions and to get through to the second round was seen as an achievement in itself.

All four members of the Haxby team also competed in the individual kata events. A clash of events meant that I didn’t get a chance to watch Jonathan, whose first round Heian Nidan wasn’t favoured by the judges, who awarded a unanimous win to his opponent. Nor did I see Adam, whose Heian Sandan saw him progress through to the second round with a unanimous win. Unfortunately, in that round two of the judges deemed his opponent’s Heian Shodan the better and Adam’s competition was also over.

Elizabeth, performing on a Tatami with five judges, fared little better in the Dan grades category. Her first round Heian Sandan split the judges three to two, but in her opponent’s favour. Talking to her afterwards, she thought it was probably her stances than let her down. Something for her to work on, then.

Holly had a similar experience to Adam, winning the first round with a Heian Godan that saw all three judges rule in her favour. Her second round Heian Yondan, however, saw her opponent receive the same score.

With Adam and Jonathan heading home, the girls had a long wait before their individual kumite events, both of which took place late in the afternoon. Elizabeth was the first to compete and was up against Lois Norwicki, a 3^rd kyu from FSK who didn’t have the height advantage of Elizabeth’s usual opponents. As usual, Elizabeth fought bravely and with spirit, attacking much more than in the past. Unfortunately, it was to be her defence that let her down again. Both fighters went for a chudan gyaku zuki but it was Lois who was deemed to hit first. Then, as Elizabeth attempted to win the bout outright with a mawashi geri, Lois snuck in with another chudan punch, winning the fight 2:0.

With just Holly left to compete, it was looking as if Haxby were going to be leaving the event without any medals. Well, sort of…

Earlier in the afternoon, Holly had been drafted in to fight alongside Emily and Abby from Selby in the team kumite event. Fighting first in the first round, Holly won her bout and, with Emily losing but Abby leading 1:0 at the end of the allotted time and the judges awarding her the win, the trio progressed to the next round. With only a few teams entered, this turned out to be the final. Holly was first onto the tatami again but she took an eye-watering kick to the head which meant here opponent won outright. Both Emily and Abby’s fights ended in draws and, in both cases, the judges couldn’t separate them either, meaning that the team lost the round but, ultimately, won a silver medal.

After a bye in the first round, Holly’s individual kumite was a much more measured affair than Elizabeth’s, but Holly still took the fight to her second round opponent – Sofie Evans from Brecon. With no score at the end of time, and the judges not able to split the girls, the bout went to extra time and Holly scored first with a jodan punch, winning the fight. Again, a small number of competitors meant that her next round was a semi-final and a medal was guaranteed. A chudan punch saw Holly’s opponent take the first point and a jodan punch won her the fight, meaning Holly came away with a bronze medal.    

These competitions aren’t just about the medals, though. Winning is nice but, like any sport, it’s the taking part and doing your best that counts. “I tried,” mouthed Elizabeth to me as she left the mat after her kata, and that’s all we can ask, isn’t it? Well done to all four club members, all of whom showed determination and spirit.

Thanks to Ian Massey for this report (and to agreeing to be the squad coach at the last minute!)

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend - October

As Usual Dojo had a tough job deciding who he should go home with. There were a couple of karate kids in the running but he had been watching closely and it had come down to the very finest details which made up his mind for Octobers friend. Dojo decided that he would go home with Alex.

Alex started with us in in August and I'll always remember that first day. He bounced in like Tigger talking at a hundred miles an hour. His sunny disposition and his cheeky smile make him easy to teach even though his Tiggerish tendencies can sometimes get him into trouble. Alex impressed us all with his maturing attitude and everyone has mentioned how well he has settled down and has become more focused.  I look forward to February and to his first grading which I'm sure he will pass with flying colours.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Haxby Karate Kid - September

This winner for the month of September was no surprise. His dedication, determination and pure effort ensured that Dojo would not be going home with anyone else......
Well done William!

William had trained really hard to prepare himself for his 10th to 9th Kyu grading. Attending every lesson and really listening to tips and pointers to help him with his training.

William passed with flying colours. In fact, everyone mentioned that William's grading was of a high standard and he out performed other red belts who were older......remembering that he is only 6!

Well done to William and all the karate kids for an excellent grading. Osu

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Change of Venue and Training Times - 13th October

Monday's (13th October) training session will be held at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Station Road, Haxby, YO32 3LS.  Training times are 6pm - 7pm for Haxby Karate Kids and 7pm - 9pm for the main class.

Click here for a location map of the school.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Change of Venue and times - 29th September

Monday's (29th September) training session will be held at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Station Road, Haxby, YO32 3LS.  Training times are 6pm - 7pm for Haxby Karate Kids and 7pm - 9pm for the main class.

Click here for a location map of the school.
visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Change of Venue - 15th September

Monday's (15th September) training session will be held at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Station Road, Haxby, YO32 3LS.  Training times are 6pm - 7pm for Haxby Karate Kids and 7pm - 9pm for the main class.

Click here for a location map of the school.
visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

August Training Times

During August there are a few changes to our training times:

• Monday August 11th - No training 
• Monday 14th August to, and including, 21st August the karate kids class will start at 7pm and finish at 8pm. There is no change to the main class training times. 
• Monday 25th August, Bank Holiday, no training 

Training times will be back to normal from Thursday 28th August

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend

Dojo's friend for June was......

Harry.

Some people may overlook Harry because he's quiet and unassuming and blends into the background. To be honest.......he's not! What many do not realise, is that Harry is a bit like a undercover super agent.
He takes everything in, listens carefully and explodes into motion when you're not expecting it, taking people by surprise.

Harry graded for the first time in June, and since he hasn't been with us for very long, he gave a fantastic account of himself making both his parents and instructors proud of his accomplishment.

Well done Harry.


visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Press Article - Lee Gets His Black Belt

An article appeared in The Press on 14th June 2014 about 12 year old Club member Lee being awarded his Shodan. The article can also be viewed on The Press website

With kind permission of The Press - www.yorkpress.co.uk

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Change of Venue - 23rd June

Monday's (23rd June) training session will be held at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Station Road, Haxby, YO32 3LS.  Training times are 6pm - 7pm for Haxby Karate Kids and 7pm - 9pm for the main class.

Click here for a location map of the school.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

A Special Black and Brown Belt Course

It was another early morning Sunday start for the couple of carfull’s that threaded their way south for the bi-monthly Black and Brown Belt course. Of course not everyone was simply tired, for one of us there was the prospect of retaking part of the Shodan exam.

The venue for the Black Brown Belt courses has changed to match the growing size of the JKS and the growing popularity of the course, and although it does not feel as intimate as the John Godber Centre, the Djanogly City Academy Sports Hall feels like a much more suitable venue for these important courses.

The first session was taken by Alan Sensei, and started off with a reminder that when you do karate, you should not just ‘go through the motions’ but should be concentrating and focusing from the moment the session starts. The session then moved on to various timing drills, with the key lesson that regardless of who you are partnered with (or what grade they are) a technique is either perfect, or needs improvement, and your responsibility when correcting a partner is to tell them if it less than perfect – ‘pretty good’ or ‘fairly close’ is not good enough.

The class was split for the second hour with the Dan grades and Kyu grades being separated. I didn’t see what the Kyu grades were up to as the Dan grades were (much too) quickly taken through Seipei by Douglas Sensei. This is not a kata that I have encountered before (and isn’t practiced in Shotokan Karate), and it was very interesting. Douglas Sensei’s instruction was very good and his bunkai excellent – and showed off his nearly encyclopaedic knowledge of kata. Alan Sensei took over the instruction again for the last part of the session taking us through some bunkai for Kanku Dai, which shed some light on a couple of the more obscure combinations in the kata.

For many this was the end of the training and they could get changed and head home, for others it was time to warm up before the Open Squad training. For the contingent from Haxby it was time to get nervous as the Shodan retakes were about to get underway. Despite his calm exterior Lee had been quieter than normal all day, and I think this was his way of showing his nerves.

There was only Lee and Ben Peach (from Walsall) going for their retake which allowed Alan Sensei and Glenn Sensei to really put them through their paces. They were given three Kata each to do and both young Karate-ka put in very strong performances and looked more composed than their Instructors Mike Sensei and Steve Carless Sensei.

The results were announced – Shodan Pass for both Karate-ka! Well done to Lee and Ben – Alan Sensei commented on the improvement since February (and the strength of your grip!).

Lee has impressed everyone at the club with how he has dealt with the disappointment of just missing out in February. A lot of people would not have dealt with it as well as you have – you have put your all into training, attending the club at every opportunity, training hard, and practicing yourself before and after the session. Fellow karate-ka and your instructors have been very impressed with your maturity and your determination – you very much deserve your success!

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend for April

Dojo's friend for April was Aiwin

Aiwin started training with us in October last year. He always listens very closely to instructions and is always quick to raise his hand when answers are needed.  Lately his little brother has joined the karate kids and, rather than be distracted, is always there to help but doesn't get distracted. Aiwin will be grading soon and hopefully the next photograph will be of him wearing a coloured belt.

If you want to join Dojo on his adventures then why not join Haxby Karate Kids. Training is from 6.30pm to 7.30pm Monday and Thursday ONLY £10 a month. Haxby Karate Kids is part of Haxby Shotokan Karate Club, Wigginton Recreation Hall, The Village, Haxby, York, YO32 2PL www.haxbykarate.co.uk

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Selby Competition - 4th May 2014

A report by Ian Massey

Fifteen members of Haxby Shotokan Karate Club competed at the Selby Shotokan Karate Club’s Novice Competition this year, making the slightly shorter than usual trip to York College. This venue seemed bigger than the gym at Barlby High School, meaning that the various categories could be comfortably split across three tatami and, even with competitors and supporters from at least eight clubs (testament to the popularity of this well-run competition), it didn’t feel as crowded as usual, even if it was hard to keep up with what was happening on each of the mats.

Open to competitors of all ages and grades, up to those who have been a 1^st Dan for less than a year, the event itself lies somewhere between the Children’s Competition and the JKS Nationals. It is a bit more relaxed than the Nationals and judges, especially those officiating the youngest age categories (in which many of the children would be competing for the first time), took special care to explain all the rules and what was expected of the competitors even, at times, joking with the children in an effort to keep them relaxed. All the kata events were mixed, with only the Over 16 category split by grade. In kumite, Under 9’s and Under 12’s were mixed, the rest split into male and female and, again, the Over 16’s split by grade. In some ways, this meant better matched competitions – splitting by age meant little variance in height – but, in others, it was possible to have pairings separated by many grades. In most cases, however, individual bouts were good-natured and spirited although, as would be expected, kumite increased in intensity with the age of the competitors.

Evie doing Heian Shodan

Under 9 Mixed Kata:

Haxby had four competitors in this category. Edward, Xander and Oliver were all given Heian Shodan for their first round kata but didn’t manage to progress. Evie, however, started with Kihon Kata and won through to the second round. Sadly, what seemed to be a slight hesitation during her second round Heian Shodan saw her lose to a 6^th kyu.

Under 12 Mixed Kata:

Elizabeth being awarded her Medal

Elizabeth, taking part for the last time in this competition, was Haxby’s sole representative in this event. With a bye into the second round, she was up first against a 4^th kyu, performing Heian Godan and winning 4:1. She managed the same score with Heian Shodan in the next round, this time against a red belt. It was a closer affair in fourth round as, up against a 1^st kyu and performing Heian Yondan, she went through to the semi-final with a score of 3:2. It was getting serious now and, choosing Basai Dai as her semi-final kata, she went through to the final with a unanimous win. Again she chose Basai Dai, with her 1^st kyu opponent choosing Heian Yondan. This time the unanimous score went against here, but Elizabeth had secured Haxby’s first medal of the afternoon – a silver.

Under 17 Mixed Kata:

Joe finishing Heian Shodan

Meanwhile, this event was going on further down the hall and, because I was concentrating on Elizabeth, I missed quite a bit of the detail. I did see Joseph lose his first round Heian Shodan. Given it was against a 1^st kyu, there was no shame in that. Adam and Jonathan both progressed to the second round, but were then knocked out by the eventual bronze and silver medallists. Tom Fisher also progressed to the second round where the draw saw him up against fellow Haxby member Katherine who had, I think, surprised even herself by beating a brown belt 3:2 in the first round. Tom’s victory over Katherine saw him into the last eight, where he was up against and lost to a 4^th kyu.

Over 16 Mixed Kata (Beginner to 3^rd Kyu):

Colin was our only representative in this event. He succumbed in the first round, his Heian Neidan losing 3:2 to a 5^th kyu.

Over 16 Mixed Kata (2^nd Kyu and above):

Dael suffered a similar fate in this category. Competing against a 3^rd kyu, his Heian Neidan wasn’t enough to see him progress.

Family Kata:

Colin and Dexter were competing in this event and moved into the second round with an unopposed Heian Shodan. If anything they were even tighter performing the same kata in the second round but, unfortunately, their opponents were judged to be better.

Colin and Dexter did a great job of Family Kata

Under 9 Mixed Kumite:

Edward resting between bouts

For me, this event saw Haxby’s performance of the day. Edward looked to be progressing nicely, having already beaten an orange belt by two points to nil and a 6^th kyu by the same score, despite being given a warning for contact in that bout. His third bout was against a 5^th kyu and, from the start Edward was pushing him back and looking good. Unfortunately, with no score on the board, Edward received a hard punch to the face. Medics were called, more to give comfort than treatment, and for a while it looked as though he was going to continue. Ultimately, however, he decided not to continue. Well done to him for getting as far as he did, though.

Under 12 Mixed Kumite:

Still flushed with her earlier success, Elizabeth had a bye into the second round and looked to be fighting nicely – on the attack against a 4^th kyu and looking strong. Unfortunately, her defence let her down and she took two quick hits to lose the bout.

U17 Male Kumite:

Tom looking confident in his Kumite

Adam’s first round bout was against a 6^th kyu and his opponent was first to score, then received a warning for contact. Unfortunately, this didn’t stop him from scoring again and bringing to an end Adam’s competition.

Jonathan was also up against a 6^th kyu and his opponent also received a warning for contact. There was no score at the end of this bout so it went to sudden death and Jonathan won with a punch to the body. His next bout was against a 2^nd kyu, who scored first and rounded off the fight with a very quick second point.

Tom’s first round bout was against a 3^rd kyu and Tom took the first point with a head shot. Medics were called to his opponent but, again, no treatment was necessary and he decided to carry on. Tom was always on the attack, perhaps a little overzealously, and received two warnings for contact. Unfazed, he scored a second point and progressed to the next round where, up against a 6^th kyu, he lost the first point. Soon, both competitors were being spoken to about their techniques, after which Tom pulled a point back, before losing the deciding point.

O16 Kumite - Male (Beginner to 3^rd Kyu):

Gareth’s first round bout was against a 4^th kyu and, despite a valiant attempt, the disparity in grades went against him as he lost 2:0.

O16 Kumite – Male (2^nd Kyu and above):

With just four people entered into this competition, we had been joking that Dael was guaranteeing to win Haxby’s second medal of the day. When it was announced that one competitor had dropped out, that guarantee became reality and the only thing to be decided was the colour of the medal. This event was fought as a round robin, with each competitor fighting the other, rather than a knockout event. Dael was up first, against Scott from Selby. Scott received a warning for contact before scoring the first point. Dael seemed to be taking some hits but fought through them to take the next two points and the bout. After a short rest, Scott was back on and won this bout, against a 2^nd kyu, 2:0. The 2^nd kyu then fought Dael, who took another punch to the face before scoring the first point. His opponent, though, took the next two points, winning the bout.

There then followed some discussion between the judges as all three competitors had won one bout. Counting up points scored showed that Dael and Scott had both scored three while the third competitor had only scored two, putting him in the bronze medal position. In the audience, we expected Dael, who had won his bout with Scott to be awarded gold, but the judges announced that they were to fight again. This time Scott took the fight 2:0, leaving Dael to take home silver.

The 2014 Haxby Squad

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Ian Shaw is awarded his 4th Dan

An article appeared in The Press on April 2014 about Ian Shaw being awarded his 4th Dan.  The article can also be viewed on The Press website

With kind permission from The Press (www.yorkpress.co.uk)

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend for March

Dojo's Friend for March was Sam.

All I can say is....wow, wow, wow!

Sam has been awarded Dojo before( in October).  However this is a very different Sam we see before us now.  I count in english.......I hear him counting in Japanese, I ask a question.... Sam gives me the correct answer and explains why, I ask everyone to make sure they're stood still and listening.......he is already doing just that!

Sam has blown, both myself and Dojo, away with his dedication, commitment and growing maturity. He is a totally different young man who first entered our Dojo in July last year.

I couldn't be prouder of Sam and look forward to the next grading, where I'm sure, all his hard work will pay off, with the receiving of a coloured belt.

Haxby Karate Kids 6.30pm to 7.30pm Monday and Thursday ONLY £10 a month. Haxby Karate Kids is part of Haxby Shotokan Karate Club, Wigginton Recreation Hall, The Village, Haxby, York, YO32 2PL www.haxbykarate.co.uk

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Sensei Ian - 4th Dan

We are very proud to announce that Sensei Ian was awarded his Yondan (4th Dan) by Sensei Kagawa, Chief Instructor of JKS. Ian Sensei does not like to draw attention to his accomplishments however, as a club we are very proud of his achievement, and to have him as our Instructor. OSU Sensei!

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Beginners Class

If you want to get in shape and fancy a challenge why not come along to our four week beginners class on Monday and Thursday evenings from 8pm to 9pm starting on the 10th April at Wigginton Recreation Hall, The Village, York . The course only costs £10. Please email info@haxbykarate.co.uk or call 0758 324 9225 to book a place or find out more.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Article in The Press

The 8th March 2014 edition of The Press included an article about four junior club members being awarded their black belts. Click here to see the article on the website

with kind permission of The Press www.yorkpress.co.uk

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Change of Venue & Training Times

Monday's (3rd March) training session will be held at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Station Road, Haxby, YO32 3LS.  Training times are 6pm - 7pm for Haxby Karate Kids and 7pm - 9pm for the main class.

Click here for a location map of the school.


visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Grading Weekend

What a weekend!

Mike and Ian Sensei with Alan Sensei and Nagaki Sensei

It had been perfectly set up by the surprise visit to the club on Thursday by Glenn Sensei from Akashi (see previous news item) but I know that a lot of our karate-ka were feeling very nervous!

The weekend started with the Shodan preparation course that was taken by Alan Campbell Sensei. Elizabeth, Oli, Thomas, Lee, Adam, Jonathan, and Bethany all attended a very useful training session focused on the Shodan syllabus and grading.

Mike and Ian Sensei were watching intently on the sidelines to pick up any changes in the technical aspects of the syllabus and to get an insight into what the grading panels would be looking for in each technique. The two hours of training seemed to fly by, despite the noise generated from the Competition Kumite course that was being run by Nagaki Sensei in the other half of the hall.

Sunday morning arrived (all too soon for those that were feeling nervous!) and the grading course got underway with the junior grades. Training as usual was split between our two guest instructors - Alan Sensei and Nagaki Sensei, and everyone I spoke to was full of praise about the instruction they received.

One of the things that really impressed over the weekend was the number of club members who were training. There were a lot of Karate Kids on the course who were not grading, and due to their enthusiasm (and some confusion on my part) some of them even kept on training after their session was finished! Despite whatever nerves they must have been feeling our junior club members appeared to approach their grading with confidence. Cameron, Ruby, Harry, Dexter, Evie, Thomas and Oliver all were successful.

Next up were our red belts, Xander and Edward looked composed as they were put through their paces. Well done to both of you for another successful grading. I know from speaking to them beforehand that Joe, Gareth and Colin were all very nervous, however Peter Sensei reported that they entered the grading hall looking very relaxed (we only found out later that this was near exhaustion from putting all their energy into their training!). All were successful and Gareth and Colin earned their Yellow Belts, with Joe advancing to 8th Kyu.

I was assisting Alan Sensei for the rest of the Kyu gradings and had a perfect view of the proceedings, although I do find it incredibly stressful to have to watch the gradings and try to maintain a neutral expression. Katherine attacked her grading with her usual style and grace, which caught the attention of Alan Sensei. Lisa looked very nervous throughout the grading, but despite a couple of small mistakes, which I am sure were down to nerves, she successfully graded to 5th Kyu - catching up with her daughter Rebecca. It always surprises me how much pressure we put on ourselves during grading. I am sure that it is a reflection of how important karate is to us and how strongly we want to excel at it. Lisa conquered her nerves and should be justifiably proud of her purple belt.

Peter was presented with his Shodan certificate by Alan Sensei

Fraser was up next, and looked full of determination. Progressing through the brown belts is a very testing time as the technical requirements of each grading seem to increase exponentially with each grade. Fraser did very well to achieve a Temporary 2nd Kyu, but I know that he was disappointed not to have achieved a full grade. For a lot of people this might be enough to put them off returning to training, however I hope that Fraser sticks with it as he is very close to achieving that elusive Black Belt, and with dedication to his training and determination I know that he can get there.

Adam and Jonathan were up next. I know that they have found progression through the brown belts to be difficult, but you would not have known that if you were watching their grading. Both of them put in excellent, determined performances (and both did the best Bassai Dai that I have ever seen them do) to successfully reach 1st Kyu. Congratulations, this is the pay off for all your hard work in the dojo! However there is more to come - you have a whole new grading syllabus to learn, kata to perfect, and kumite to master, but if you show the dedication that has brought you this far then I know you will be joining the ranks of the club’s black belts soon.

With the Kyu gradings over, the grading panel moved back into the main hall for the climax of the weekend - the Dan gradings. We had five hopeful karate-ka attempting their grading for Shodan - Jack, Lee, Oli, Elizabeth, and Thomas. This was perhaps the most nerve wrecking part of the weekend for the parents, club members and instructors. I am very proud to report that every one put in very strong and skilled performances. There was a bit of concern from his parents when Thomas was called to do kumite with a second partner, but if anything the second match was even more impressive than the first.

Congratulations to our new Shodans - Jack, Oli, Elizabeth, and Thomas. You have worked very hard for what you have achieved and should be very proud of yourselves. Lee also put in a very good performance, but an unfortunate mistake during Heian Sandan meant that he has to retake the kata section of the grading again. This should not be seen as a failure - the grading consists of three sections, Kihon, Kata, and Kumite, and Lee did very well to pass two out of the three sections. The gradings with the JKS are very thorough, and to pass two out the three sections is something to be proud of.

  

A very proud Sensei

The most impressive thing about the whole weekend was the manner in which every single member of the club trained. You were focused, enthusiastic, dedicated and gave it your all. You also maintained the high standards of etiquette that we pride ourselves on. You should all be very proud of yourselves, as your instructors, fellow club members, family and friends are.

As I said earlier - what a weekend!

Final thanks must go to Paul Sensei for his awesome organisational and logistical skills. The entire weekend went off without a hitch, which is a testament to the amount of planning and preparation he puts into each course he runs. OSU Sensei.
Jim


As a postscript I would like to say how glad we were to see Lee at training on Monday. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to walk back into the dojo after a grading where you are not happy with your performance. The fact that you were training on Monday Lee speaks volumes about your strength of character and determination. I predict that you'll be tying on your own Kuro Obi soon.



visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Surprise guest instructor!

We had a surprise visit from Glenn Riley Sensei from Akashi Shotokan Karate Club in Leeds on Thursday 20th February. He took the class for an excellent lesson on Ushiro Geri, possibly following prompting by Brenda, and then assisted Mike Sensei with the instruction on kata and kumite throughout the rest of the training session.

Glenn Sensei performing Junro Shodan

It was an absolute pleasure to have Glenn Sensei at our club. He always invites us to any special training session that he runs, and I know that several of us have thoroughly enjoyed travelling to Leeds to train with his club.

Glenn Sensei showing the correct technique for Ushiro Geri

For our potential Shodans I think this visit was perfectly timed. Whilst the content was very relevant for their grading (and everyone else's development) the change of focus, instructor and the lessening of the pressure allowed them to relax slightly before the stress of the weekend.

Glenn Sensei showing his incredible reach with his Ushiro Geri

I'd like to thank Glenn Sensei for visiting and instructing us, and to extend a warm welcome to him and everyone from Akashi - you are more than welcome to come and visit us at Haxby anytime, and we look forward to the next opportunity that we have to train together.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend for January

Dojo decided that his friend for the month of January is Harry.

Harry hasn't been with us for long, but this shows that with commitment, and the correct attitude to learning, anything is possible.  Harry is quiet, thoughtful and keen to learn new techniques.  He never has to be asked to listen or pay attention, and is always ready in line for training to begin.  It is time for Dojo to have a responsible and reliable role model, and with Harry, I think he has just that.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Children's Competition

Children’s Open Competition

9^th February 2014
By Ian Massey

An early start was in order, if only to secure a space in the car park of the John Godber Centre. Even arriving nearly an hour before the start of the event, though, we joined a queue of competitors and supporters snaking up the stairs and, eventually, filling the reception area. It must have been some relief for the Centre’s staff when the doors to the main hall opened and we made our way in and out of their way.

The point of this event, as Alan Sensei was at pains to point out during his introduction, is to give the younger karateka a chance to compete in a slightly less intimidating and more relaxed atmosphere than one of the bigger competitions, with no big black belts wandering about. While still competitive, it is intended to be fun and the children are intended to be the stars. The smaller size of the venue, with just one tatami, makes it easier for the spectators to see the competitors and those spectators are encouraged to give vocal support, although shouting such things as, “Kill him!” was discouraged.

There seemed to be slightly fewer children competing this year, compared to last and slightly better use of floor space, including the provision of extra chairs after the competition had started, meant that everybody who wanted to be seated could be, although a few chose to stay standing at the back of the stage.

The competition itself included, over the course of the day, various categories of kata and kumite, based split by age and grade, and ended with a team kumite competition. Team kata, which had featured last year, was missing this time round. One thing that was incredibly impressive was the sportsmanship on show throughout the day. Very few of the children, no matter how young, forgot or had to be reminded to shake hands with their opponents and the vast majority were either magnanimous in victory or gracious in defeat. Inevitably there were the occasional tears, either in defeat or during kumite bouts but, especially during the latter, the referees were brilliant at putting the children at ease and, as far as I can remember, no competitor dropped out of a bout.

The kata sections were keenly competed but it was the kumite that showed just how much spirit the children have. Even in the lower age groups, the bouts were entertaining to watch and, what some of the children lacked in different techniques, they more than made up for in enthusiasm. This was especially evident with a very young, very small white belt called Felicity, who provided many of the day’s “aww” moments. Up against a yellow belt, she was first to make a move as the referee started the bout, launching herself at her opponent. Unfortunately she seemed to injure her own foot as she ran over and had to retire injured. One of the most spirited performances came from a boy, again in the youngest category, with a red stripe down the middle of his white belt. Making the final (in one of the largest categories) was no mean feat, especially given that he took some big hits in every round, and he eventually received his silver medal with the biggest smile of the day.

Elizabeth, keen to compete for the second year despite having no team-mates once again managed to meet up with friends from other clubs. This time she was at least partially adopted by members of, I think, the Seibukan club, receiving a bit of coaching from Shaun, one of that club’s black belts, and being among the first to congratulate her friend Natalia on her silver medal in kata and gold in kumite.  

Her competition was a bit of a mixed bag. In Individual Kata, 3^rd – 1^st Kyu, 10 – 13 yrs, Female she was up against another 1^st kyu and they were given Heian Sandan. An apparent hesitation or stumble at the very start was obvious to all and Elizabeth lost 4:1, with only the head referee awarding her a flag. She later admitted that she had got mixed up with Heian Godan.

Always first to admit that she prefers kumite to kata and it must have been with some relief that, this time round, she found herself up against an opponent no bigger than her, but the same grade, in the 3^rd – 1^st Kyu, 10 – 13 yrs, Female section. Elizabeth scored first but her opponent soon levelled and with the score tied at the end of the bout, the judges unanimously awarded the win to the other girl, presumably because she attacked more. (I may be biased, and no expert, but I couldn’t see much difference.)

After that defeat, it came as a bit of a surprise when she was called up again, this time to fight for the bronze medal. I assume that this must have been on some sort of “count-back” but can’t be sure. This bout saw her take on a 3^rd kyu who was quite a bit smaller than her. Size didn’t seem to matter, though, and Elizabeth was quickly a score down. It briefly looked as though she had levelled when Paul Sensei seemed to flag a hit for her, but the head referee overruled him and her opponent then scored again, taking the medal.

The Team Kumite took the same format as last year, with the team members shared out between the six highest grades. There seemed to be fewer competitors this year and those who had stayed seemed to be younger than last time, including young Felicity, prompting more cries of “aww” from the remaining supporters.

Elizabeth’s team picked the name Stealth and, up against The Karate Kids, the pattern was much the same as last year. With the higher grades fighting first in bouts of just thirty seconds, Elizabeth was again up against the same 3^rd kyu who had beaten her to the individual medal. Again her opponent scored first and, with just the one point separating them at the end of the bout, the decision went o the judges who, again, were unanimous in her opponent’s favour. The next three bouts were draws and the final of the five was won by a red belt from Stealth, so the scores were tied with each team taking one win. The highest grades took to the tatami again and the winner of this bout would see their team progress. This time out neither girl scored but the judges voted 3:1 in favour of Elizabeth’s opponent. A slightly better result but one that mean that, for Elizabeth and Team Stealth the competition was over.  

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Monday 3rd February - Change of Venue

Monday's training session will be held at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Station Road, Haxby, YO32 3LS.  Training times are 6pm - 7pm for Haxby Karate Kids and 7pm - 9pm for the main class.

Click here for a location map of the school.


visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend

As promised in my last blog, here is Dojo's friend, the same week he was announced...
well done Cameron.


Cameron was awarded Dojo for listening carefully and trying his hardest. It is very easy to get distracted when your younger brother is always dodging your footsteps, but Cameron has shown real maturity lately by focusing on his own training. We love to have families training together(which we have quite a few), as sometimes it is hard to remember everything, and it's great to have someone to remind you. It's also great that when things go right, you have someone else to share that moment with. In fact I don't who was the happiest when Dojo was awarded...Cameron, with the biggest smile or Liam (who definitely gave the loudest cheer!)

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Kangeiko on the Beach 2014

With a groan I forced myself out of bed before 5 am again this morning to start the long, dark drive to Cleethorpes for join our friends at Kiazen No-Michi who once again had invited our club members to join them for the last day of their cold weather training (Kangeiko) on the beach at Cleethorpes.

However, I was not on my own this year – Lorraine Sensei, Holly, Brenda and Helen had all agreed to join in the fun, and soon the car was full, and the conversation ranged from how mad we all were to do this, to karate and then off at various tangents!

The Haxby contingent (Helen, Holly, Lorraine Sensei, Jim Sensei, Brenda)

Before long (or so it seemed) we arrived to find most of the Selby contingent (Paul Sensei, Rebecca Sensei, Ian Sensei, Matt Sensei, Dave, Kelvin and Phoebe) already there. Shortly afterwards the Kiazen No-Michi club members arrived and soon there were 30 karate-ka who were very cold but raring to go!

The 2014 Kangeiko Class

The warm ups and the jog up and down the beach with the chant of “Washoi” (be brave) quietly ringing out over the beach soon got our blood flowing. Andy Sensei led us through a series of combinations and partner work, which the footing of the frozen beach made quite challenging! Before finishing off with kumite work, Kihon Kata and another exercise which consisted of putting the beginning 5-6 moves of all the Heian Katas together to form in effect another kata – I had never done this particular exercise before, but it strikes me as an interesting way of remembering the Heian katas.

We finished off with a few photos and then hurried to a local beach front cafe for a well earned fry up – a just reward for getting up so early and the hard work we had put in!

A well deserved cuppa whilst waiting for breakfast

I’d like to thank Andy Sensei and Jackie Sensei for inviting us to their Kangeiko again. I’d also like to thank all the members of Kiazen No-Michi for being so welcoming and such fun to train with. I was very impressed with how many Tigers (their junior class) were training, and even more impressed that some of the parents were joining in!

The talk in the car on the way home was of us running a Haxby Kangeiko next year. 6 days of early morning training on the park finished off by joining the everyone at the Kiazen No-Michi Kangeiko on the beach for the final day. If you are interested then let me know and we will get it organised.

OSU

Jim

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk

Dojo's Friend

I have had a stern talking to myself about getting these posts up on time! One of my New Years resolutions is just that, posting within the week of the student receiving the award. You can help me by checking the blog and seeing if it's there, if not, I give you my permission to nag me.

Novembers Dojo's friend was Liam.

He looked slightly shell shocked when it was announced, but he has worked so hard, that really it shouldn't of been that much of a surprise.

Liam is so full of fun and high spirits, he sometimes has to reminded to calm down and not to gravitate towards his brother. It has been our mission to channel this exuberance into following instructions and learning basic techniques. He has worked so hard towards this, that I feel that he will be able to grade in the summer months.

Well done Liam for all your hard work and for that wonderful laugh which makes me smile whenever I hear it.

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk