Referee development

As well as an opportunity to show off the new belts that they had earned at the grading the day before, Monday night training last week had something special in store.  Geoff Dixon Sensei 5^th Dan and Chief Referee for JKS England and Head of the Referee Development was joining us to put Mike Sensei through his paces. Mike Sensei is working towards his refereeing qualification to allow him to referee at the World Championships in Edinburgh in September.

Geoff Sensei, members of the senior class, and some friends from Selby

Paul sensei from Selby has been running Referee development session for us (and karate-ka from Selby) once a month to give those of us who are interested an opportunity to develop and practice our refereeing skills, and this session was to prove to be compliment these very well.

Aiden and William providing the focus for the referees

As well as proving a wealth of advice, Geoff Sensei was very happy to answer any questions that might have built up over time.  Those of you that have been involved in Refereeing, Judging or Table Recording  know that it is a very high pressure environment at the event, and often questions or issues only come to light upon reflection – and having the JKS England Chief Referee for over two hours was a brilliant opportunity to get the answers from the expert.

Aiden demonstrating the correct etiquette

These referee development session are not just for those who want to develop their refereeing skills, the other members of the club get the opportunity to practice their competition skills, on mats, and in a very informal competition environment. They also get to learn what the referees are looking for in kata and kumite competitions which can only help their performances.

Everyone I spoke to enjoyed the session, and got a lot out of it. I’d like to thank Geoff Sensei for giving freely of his time and expertise.  We will continue to run referee development sessions once a month which are open to all, and if you are interested in the formal JKS referee development programme please contact Geoff Sensei directly at jksreferees@btinternet.com

 

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

Yet More Grading Success

I always enjoy the build up to a grading course, the heady mix of excitement and nerves! And this course was no different, in fact if anything there was a little more anticipation than usual as one of our favourite instructors, Hans Rana Sensei, would be leading the training.

Aiden and Aiwin look to be having too much fun!

From what was reported afterwards everyone really enjoyed the training (I was out the country with work so unfortunately could not attend the course). Hans Sensei managed to get every ounce of effort out of everyone, but in his usual style left them smiling whilst gasping for breath!

As well as the usual basics, there was work on kicking, combinations highlighting the importance of using your hips to generate power, and Junro Yondan and Junro Godan for the higher grades.

Onto the gradings: Zach, Daniel, Thomas,and Leon were first up, looking to earn their first Karate Belt. They all put in solid performances to pass their first grading. A special mention must go to Thomas for achieving a double grading and getting his 11^th Kyu – well done it is very rare for an examiner to award a double grade.

Next to represent the club were Oliver (S), Annabelle, Ethan, Jeon, Nixon, Kai and Izzy (the youngest karateka grading by several years!), again all were successful in attaining the next step on their karate journey (10^th Kyu), with Jeon being commended for his good kihon. It was good to see Nixon pass his first grading since moving to the club – it will be a lot easier to tell what grade he is now that his belt is the same style as everyone else’s!

 

Hans Sensei getting everyone to work hard

Poppy and Edwin were the last of our Junior Grades to step in front of the examiners. They have both been looking very strong in the lead up to the grading and did not disappoint, Poppy coming away with her 9^th Kyu, and Edwin attaining his 8^th Kyu.

Next up were our adult Junior Grades with Irena and Paul. Paul has returned to us recently after a prolonged break from karate. It is always great to see old member come back to the club, and even better when they smoothly attain the next grade. Irena joined him at 8^th Kyu despite being very nervous in the run up to the grading. Well done to the both of you. Although, you do not get the chance to rest on your laurels – there is a next syllabus and a new Kata to learn for your next grading!

 

The senior grades performing Tekki Shodan

William, Evie, and Aidan were up next, all going for their Yellow Belt. They have all put in a lot of work to get ready for the grading and it showed in the result. They all went home with the Yellow belt that really marks the end of you as a beginner, and the start of more intensive training. I know that Aiden was desperate to get his Yellow Belt, and hope that he keeps the same level of determination for the rest of his grades.

Aiwin and Oliver (G) were both going for their Green Belt, along with Sarah, who was very nervous and unsure before the grading. All three did excellently (with Sarah getting commended for her Kumite by the examiner). The next step is Purple belt which is step up in what is expected of you, but I know that you all have it in you to keep climbing the grades (and for Aiwin to keep ahead of his brother!).

Olivia and Holly were up next, both going for a Purple Belt (5^th Kyu for Olivia and 4^th Kyu for Holly). Your instructors had no doubt that you were both ready for this grading,  but is it always down to the individual karateka to put in a good performance on the day. And they did not disappoint, both put in very solid performances to get one step closer to their next milestone (Brown Belt!)

The inspirational Hans Sensei

Helen was our last entry for the grading. Helen has been impressing a lot of people with her karate lately. Mike Sensei and Paul Sensei have both commented that she seems to have suddenly turned a corner and settled into her style of karate – and I know from personal experience how impressive her Kumite has become. Despite all this I know that Helen is a victim of nerves before her gradings. However, she needn’t have worried as she put in a very strong performance (being commended for her good spirit in her Kihon) to get her Brown Belt. Perhaps Helen you will be more inclined to believe the compliments of your instructors – they are not given out lightly!

All in all another very successful grading for the club. Thanks have to go to Mike Sensei and our team of instructors for getting everyone ready, Paul Sensei for his usual fantastic organisation, and Hans Sensei for the excellent instruction. I’m looking forward to the next grading in October (work permitting!).

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

JKS Novice Competition 2016

Aiden performing Heian Shodan

The JKS Novice competition organised by Sensei Paul from Selby is always one of the highlights of the karate year, and this year was no exception. It was held at York College and was a very well attended and supported event with competitors from many of the JKS clubs nationally. It was also a chance to catch up with friends from other clubs, and to meet new karate friends. As always Sensei Paul did an excellent job of organising the day and the officials and judges (including Sensei Mike, Sensei Ian and Jim from Haxby) were kept very busy on the mats and behind the tables- so much so that they did not get enough time to get any cake.

Haxby had a small but perfectly formed squad competing and everyone from HSKC who took part can be very proud of their achievements. Jack, Carl, Aiden and Olivia were all taking part in their first competition and it isn’t easy stepping out onto the mats, especially in a busy hall when there can be a lot of waiting around for your event to start. Our Haxby guys didn’t let the nerves show though and all four of them produced confident performances on the mats that did not go unnoticed by other spectators. I was asked more than once who I was supporting and I was proud to tell them - the people I spoke to were impressed with our competitors, particularly with Olivia’s assured kata performance.

Olivia peforming Heian Sandan

Aiden was the first Haxby karateka to compete and his confident Heian Shodan got him through to the second round of kata, which was not easy in a large category with a lot of higher grades taking part. Well done to Aiden on your first competition.

Next up was Olivia in kata, again she was amongst a lot of high grades and produced an assured Heian Nidan to win the first round against a 3^rd kyu. All that practice must have paid off because she went on to win against the same competitor in the next the next round due to an amusing confusion with the officials (Sensei Jim must have thought Olivia’s kata was so good he wanted to see it twice!) To reach the fourth round in her first competition was a great achievement- well done Olivia.

I was watching Carl’s kata category at the same time as other events but did manage to see Carl’s Heian Shodan- again a very assured performance, sadly not enough to reach the next round but he can still be very proud of how well he represented the club and gained competition experience. 

Carl with his 'Kata face ' on!

The family kata category is always a great event to watch and it was nice to see Carl and Jack carrying on the Haxby tradition of competing in this event. Their first round opponents were not able to compete due to sickness so they got a bye into the second round where they were up against two brown belts. Carl and Jack’s Heian Shodan was well timed and sharp but they sadly lost out to the higher grades on this occasion. Well done though guys!

Aiden took part in a large and competitive kumite category which was fascinating to watch and he did score an early half point against a 6^th kyu from Bradford- well done Aiden. We could see that you were ready and determined on the day and have great potential in kumite.

Olivia had quite a long wait for her kumite category and she also did very well in her first kumite competition. She was up against a 5^th kyu, so again a higher grade, but even if she was nervous Olivia did not let that stop her from getting stuck in and I thought she showed real determination out on the mats.

While HSKC did not win any medals I would say that is not what was important. It was more important to gain experience of competition, to take part and gain confidence at the same time. With the JKS nationals coming up later in the year it was a great learning experience going forward and Haxby hope to take a bigger squad to Nottingham in November.

Carl and Jack put in a very good performance in the hotly contested Family Kata category

Ian looking more nervous than Olivia!

Ian did an excellent job of looking after our squad: warming them up, providing encouragement and making sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. Bethany and I were also supporting the club by taking photos and cheering our squad on. Bethany’s efficient list of categories came in very handy as we tried our best to be in two places at once when Haxby guys were competing on different mats at the same time. I (Helen) was also helping out some of the Selby ladies with the cake stall which proved very popular and I enjoyed talking to karate friends old and new while selling cakes. It was nice for me to see a competition from the other side instead of competing and take the opportunity to watch, support and see some very high quality karate. A big well done to everyone who competed and especially to Jack, Carl, Aiden and Olivia in their first competition.

And finally, our thoughts were never far from ‘Our Joe’ on what would have been his birthday. Joe was always keen to represent Haxby at competitions and our squad did a really good job on his birthday.

Report by Helen Baker, Photographs by Bethany Bamford.

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 - Monday 25th April

Monday's (25th April) 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 Early Class, 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 Training Times - Monday 18th April

Monday's (18th April) 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 Early Class, 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

New Training Times

From Monday 14th March our training times will change.The new times are as follows:

Kids Class - 6:15 - 7:15
Early Class - 6:15 - 7:15
Main Class - 7:15 - 9:15

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

Another very successful grading!

 It was a rather wet and miserable Sunday morning, but for most of the members of the club that did not matter as they were going to spend most of the day at Joseph Rowntree School attending our latest grading course.

Steve Sensei with the Junior grades

The course started off with a surprise for me – Alan Sensei (JKS England Chief Instructor) presented my Nidan certificate with some very kind words about my determination and dedication to Karate – I have not found my Karate Journey to be easy, but that just makes me value how far I have come even more. I had passed at the JKS Christmas course, and Alan Sensei brought my certificate back from Japan after attending Kangieko.

Sarah showing her ‘kill face!’

After this brief presentation, training started in earnest with Alan Sensei (6^th Dan), and Steve Carless Sensei (6^th Dan) taking turns to instructor the more Junior students, taking them through the traditional combination of Kihon, Kata, and Kumite, along with some more unusual exercises. I was particularly pleased to see some of our junior members who were not grading but had turned up to take advantage of training with our excellent guest instructors.

 The gradings started at 11am and once more our students performed brilliantly with Izzy, Oliver, Ethan (M), Annabelle, Riley, Kai, Ethan (D), Alexander ©, Keira, Stanish, and Poppy all successfully grading..

Whilst these gradings were taking place, the training continued uninterrupted.  With the Junior level grades being out through their paces before their grading. There were definitely some nerves in evidence, but once again Ireana, Jack, Aidan, Carl, and Sarah all successfully reaching the next step on their Karate journey. Special mention must go to Ireana who, despite running a very high temperature and not looking very well at all, insisted on grading. Her comment of “well, I am here, so I will go for my grading” demonstrates a true ‘Karate’ attitude!

And for Sarah this represents her graduation from ‘beginner’, and her grading results showed, she has got a good understanding of the fundamentals of karate and now we will build on them to deepen her knowledge and ability.

Olivia demonstrating Yoko Geri Kekomi

The Mid level grades were training while Ireana was battling through her grading.  Again, both instructors covered the three pillars of Shotokan – Kihon, Kata, and Kumite, and Steve Sensei finished off with an explanation of the importance of displaying your Spirit when you train and grade – this is something that we continually mention at the club, and it was great to have this sentiment repeated by one of our top Karate-ka. Holly and Olivia were both successful in their grading, putting in strong and confidant performances, showing that they had been paying attention during Steve Sensei’s teaching.

The senior grades were training at the same time as the mid grade. Alan Sensei began (after Matt Sensei’s warm-ups) by taking us through a grueling set of squats and other conditions exercises. I have to admit to struggling with the last set of squats, but a glance to the left of the line were Mike Sensei was leading by example by sweating away with the rest of us was all it took to get me through them. I find it very inspirational that Mike Sensei trains harder than any of us, he attends every course that he can, and never spares himself from any effort – if you doubt this just ask to see the bruises that he picked up when training on the course.

 

We then practiced Mae Geri, Yoko Geri Kekomi, and Mawashi Geri, very slowly focusing correct preparation and technique, before doing them with speed and power, and then went through some Kumite exercises focusing on movement and speed.

The Senior class tackling Gojushiho Sho

Alan Sensei finished off by starting to go through Gojushiho Sho, an interesting kata with some unusual transitions and moves but some repetition that made it quicker to learn. Unfortunately we ran out of time before we could finish the kata, but Steve Sensei picked up seamlessly were Alan Sensei left of and we finished Gojushiho Sho and also picked up some important tips for refereeing on what sets an excellent performance of this kata apart from an average performance – brilliant advice for those of us that are learning to referee.

We then moved onto Junro Shodan, after first doing a number of exercise to improve the first three moves of the kata. Ju Ippon drills followed this, again focusing on correct movement to block and counter. To finish we went through a number of exercise and stretches using a partner to provide resistance.

Jonathan pushing Rebecca Sensei around whilst Steve Sensei looks on with approval!

For a change we did not have any student attempting their Shodan this time, but Mike Sensei will be looking at Brenda and Joe to see if we can get you ready for next years course.

I would like to express our thanks to Alan and Steve Senseis for their excellent and engaging training. Wendy Sensei for her work behind the scenes ensuring that everyone’s membership is up to date and the Dan gradings run smoothly. And of course Paul Sensei who devotes a lot of time and effort to ensure that we always have top instructors at our courses, and that the courses and the gradings run smoothly.

OSU

Jim

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

Jim and Holly get their Nidans

An article appeared in The Press on 9th January 2016 about Jim and Holly being awarded their Nidans. The article can also be viewed on The Press website

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