Selby Shotokan Kartae Club - Xmas 2006

Last night was the last training session of the year for Selby Shotokan Karate Club, as tradition demands we did a display of Kihon, Kata and Kumite for the parents, take a Christmas photo and have a little festive food.

The Selby Shotokan Christmas Photo 2006

It is nice to see the Christmas photo a little fuller than last years, a couple of members have moved out the area and more members have joined us following the beginners course in October.
A special welcome from left to right on the bottom row of the photo:
Callum, Phoebe, Harry, Ciaran, and Josh.

Next to Josh is Joe in the Yellow belt, Joe joined us after starting his Karate with the Swiss Karate Federation, he trained from September 2004 to March 2006 and joined us in the summer after moving to the UK. Joe was graded 8th Kyu in Jan 2006 under the SKU Suisse Karate Union. Hopefully Joe will build on what are very good foundations with the SKU now he has joined IJKA Europe.

Also a big welcome to Emma and Claire, (Phoebe's and Josh's mums), Emma has a background in TWK and is trying to adapt her style to Shotokan. Claire, I hope you will be the inspiration for other parents to join as well. As I said to the children last night, it is easy to do a sport and enter competitions if you are atheletic, supple and have natural ability. It is a lot harder to join in and stick with something when you still feel perhaps a little awkward. David and I can tell you that awkward feeling does not seem to go away, but it will not stop you enjoying your karate.

We started with Kihon, each grade undertaking techniques relevant to their experience.

Next was Kata, The beginners performed Heian Shodan up to the first Kia, very impressive, little Josh is still only five until February and everyone had a go, well done!
Emma and Joe performed Heian Shodan all the way through.
Lucy, Thomas and I think Joe performed Heian Nidan.
Thomas stayed on and the purple belts joined them for Heian Sandan and Yondan.
Rebecca and Domonic performed Heian Godan and Tekki Shodan.
The Brown Belts came on and performed Bassai Dai.

Lastly Kumite, the beginners demonstrated knee boxing as a group and we also had individual bouts, there was some very keen tatics going on.
The Green and Purple belts also demonstrated some free style. The boys have been training with us for three years now and have only just been introduced to freestyle. This is so they can develop good control of their techniques so they don't hurt themselves or others.
Rebecca and Domonic also demonstrated free style at a slightly more advanced level.

I also ran through all the club had achieved in the last twelve months, I forget sometimes how far we have come since moving the dojo to Barlby, just outside Selby.

I said in a previous post about my Shodan grading that although Sensei Ashley is my instructor, Sensei Trevor is my inspiration. Yesterday I presented to Trevor the Sensei Trevor Jinks Cup, in recognition of his Karate jouney and all he has done for our club. The Cup will be presented annually to a student who has not found "the way" particularly easy but has not given up and continued.

The cup was presented to Thomas Robinson ths year, Thomas came up to me afterwards because as usual he wasn't listening when I was explaining what it was all about.
Thomas joined the club three years ago with Sam, Daniel and Adam. We do not all learn at the same pace and Thomas does not always find it easy to take on or even retain new information and finds his peers advancing faster than himself.
However Thomas is one of our best attenders, when Sam missed his grading he went with him to Shihan Gullens club so he could do extra sessions and grade. He is willing to take part and have a go, even though he knows he is not likely to shine.
Many others would have given up their karate but Thomas carries on. Thomas is one of the most relaxed boys you will ever meet and that is why I think in the future Thomas's karate is going to be excellent, probably better than his peers. Every so oftern I will see a flash of perfect technique, there is a black belt inside of you waiting to get out. You may not get there as fast as some, but look to Sensei Trevor for your inspiration, a journey of twelve years to Shodan, what is the rush when you are travelling with friends, just enjoy the journey.

Sensei Trevor and Ashley with
Thomas Robinson
the first recipient of the
"Sensei Trevor Jinks Cup"

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