Koike Sensei in Nottingham

Above : Yutaka Koike Sensei 5th Dan JKS

If you can get to Campbell Sensei's dojo in Nottingham on Sat 26th June you will have a great day, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

If you have never trained with Koike sensei before I can not recommend it strongly enough, if you have I am sure you will be going anyway.

There is a Children's only (U13) session, followed by all grades, followed by Brown and Black Belts.

Unfortunately, I am away that weekend otherwise I would definitely be there. enjoy, Osu!

If you need further details drop me a mail.

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JKS (GB) Open Nottingham 2009 (A Table View)

Considering these latest championships were held at a different venue to last year, with a reduced mat and viewing area, the organisation and efficiency was upto the usual high standard. Thanks, once again, must go to Sensei Campbell and Langley and to their team for running this event at a consistently high level.
Purely from a 'table' outlook, the Kata and Kumite was also of an overall high standard. The technique, speed, focus and attitude of the majority of competitors in both Kumite and Kata were a pleasure to watch and epitomises the Karate spirit, with only the odd exception of bad sportsmanship directed at fellow competitors or officials.
Congratulations to those competitors who entered from the Selby, Haxby and York clubs and who were successful in their various categories. Commiserations to those who entered and didn't reach the top three in their categories. The one common achievment for everyone that did enter was experience, whether it was their first national competition, or indeed, their first ever competition.
Thanks need to go to the individuals for participating, spectators for providing support and transport, club officials and most of all, Paul, for the huge time and effort put in behind the scenes, making it possible for everything to run smoothly.
Osu.

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JKS (GB) Open Nottingham

This weekend nineteen karateka from Selby boosted the IJKA Yorkshire contingent travelling to Nottingham for the competition to thirty-seven.
Many thanks to our hosts Campbell and Langley Sensei for organising the competition and extending the invitation to join them.
We have never really been a competition orientated club but we are slowly trying to build into our training some preparation and build up a small team. It was very encouraging to see so many of our club members come and compete for the first time.
Although I am always a little disappointed at my performance I do find these events very motivational in my overall training. It spurs me on to make further improvements.

The IJKA results were as follows:

• 1st Place - Holly Bamford - Haxby Club - Ind. Kata - 10 to 4th Kyu - 10 to 15 years - Mixed
• 1st Place - Eve Nixon - York Club - Ind kumite - Any grade - 12 to 14 years - Girls
• 2nd Place - Max Baudouin - York Club - Ind Kata - 10 to 4th Kyu - 16+ years - Mixed
• 3rd Place - Elanneor Dook - York Club - Ind. Kumite - Any grade- 9 to 11 years - Girls
• 3rd Place - Julie Dallison - Selby Club - Ind. Kumite - 10th to 4th Kyu - 18+ years - Female
• 3rd Place - Paul Brant - Selby Club - Ind. Kumite - Any Grade - 40+ years - Male
• 3rd Place - Shaun Bushby - York Club - Team Kata - Any grade - 16+ years - Mixed
• 3rd Place - Jordan Rankin - York Club - Team Kata - any grade - 16+ years - Mixed
• 3rd Place - Simon Flint - Haxby Club - Team Kata - any grade - 16+ years - Mixed
• 3rd place - Tom Smith - Haxby Club - Team Kumite (Seibukan "B") - any grade - 13 to 15 years - mixed

Josh, Ellie, Abby, Amy, Lewis, Liam and Shauna were first on in the under 9 kata. Poor Shauna was I think the very first on. It is not easy when you are not even sure what should be happening. This happened to Rebecca at the European championships, it is very daunting. Don't worry about freezing, I do it all the time. Just look forward to the club competition in May. Abby did particularly well as a yellow belt knocking out a 2nd kyu, she was very unlucky not to be in the medals, may be next time?

Leila and Jammie competed in the 10 to 15 years section, which was always going to be tough. You both performed your kata as well as you could with no mistakes. Well done, you both have quite a few years left in this age band so better luck next year.

Claire, Alan and Julie all competed in the 16+ age group for 10th to 4th Kyu. I think as adults sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves. As normal with a couple of minutes to go I was trying to run through kata in my head and couldn't remember anything, I started to panic (as usual) and thought just forget everything, relax and go out with an empty mind. It actually worked. You have all done your first event now, it will be easier every time from now on (promise).

Rebecca was not competing so it left only Helen to fly the SSKC flag. I think her opening round was a split decision unfortunately going to the other karateka.

Dom, Mickey and myself were in a massive group of over thirty competing in 3rd kyu and above over 16 years. Poor Mikey was drawn against a really strong Japanese karateka. It seems that every event Mikey enters he has a really tough draw. I was just glad to finish my kata without a mistake, I usually get knocked out and then wait for the kumite.

The standard of kumite was really strong and unfortunately Shobu Ippon Kumite is not something that we practice very much of at all with our low grade youngsters. We tend to have a strong focus on Gohon kumite up to 4th Kyu and then Jiyu-Ippon Kumite from 3rd Kyu to 1st Kyu. I personally see this as a strong foundation to long term development, but it may be a short term disadvantage for competition preparation.

Claire, Alan, Julie as adults starting karate later in life I think kumite is difficult. We are not as flexible and we were as a youngsters and have been told for the last few decades not to go round punching and kicking people. Now our Sensei is shouting instructions from the sidelines , we can't hear them properly and having trouble breathing with this gum shield in our mouths. We keep think we are delivering scoring techniques, but no flags go up and the referee appears to be suddenly mute. The time keepers clock also seems to have stopped because we are starved of oxygen and there is not even a sign of the 30 second warning. When it does eventually come to the end of the round it is a draw and this bloke wants us to carry on for another minute when all we want to do is collapse in the corner out the way...welcome to Kumite, it does get better. Our big surprise of the day was Julie who gained a bronze medal for 3rd place in the Female kumite 10th to 4th kyu age 18+ years, not bad for a 7th Kyu, Gold next year?

Mikey competed in the 3rd kyu and above kumite a very tough section and was unlucky not to progress further.

Andy, Mike and myself competed in the "old mans" kumite which unfortunately was all a bit of a mix up, from entrants to the odd decision.

All in All, the JKS (GB) Open gave our club the opportunity to compete at a level in between our club competition and the IJKA Europeans. Hopefully we can all look forward to May when we will hold our club competition and I think it will be July in Tallin, Estonia for the Europeans but this is yet to be confirmed.

I would like to thank every one of the IJKA karateka for representing our three clubs, your discipline and conduct were a credit to our association. Otagai-ni-rei.

Many thanks to Gullen Shihan our coach, Sensei Mike,Ian and Bernard for acting as our representative officials, without whom none of us can compete. Sensei-ni-rei.

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JKS Open 21st November 09

The “Runners and Riders” are sorted and I have returned our list of entries to Campbell Sensei – JKS (GB) for 2009.

What a great turn out, thirty-eight karateka from IJKA Yorkshire will be travelling to the competition this year, with a total of Seventy-four entries to twenty-one of the thirty events run.

Above - The travelling contingent for 2008

I am particularly proud that we have eight entrants to the 9 years and below kata event, three entrants to the 8 years and below kumite event and 12 entrants to the 9-11 years kumite event. It is great to see our karateka getting involved in competition at an early stage of their training. It is also encouraging to see our adult low and mid grades stepping up to the mark and representing IJKA Yorkshire.

Hopefully the majority of the competitors can stay and support the squad for the whole day so that we can get a team photo at the end. Maybe we can win a couple of medals along the way, with such a good turn out there will always be someone to watch / support.

Above: Becks, Helen and Emma gained bronze at team kumite in 2008

Many thanks to sensei Ian Shaw from Haxby and Bernard Schilke from Selby who have kindly offered to act as IJKA officials for the day. Without their support we would not be able to enter.

Look forward to a great day and good luck, Osu!

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Kagawa Sensei course review on the Shotokan Way

Simon dropped me an E-mail to say that the Shotokan way had reviewed the recent course in Nottingham with Kagawa Sensei.
Follow the link below for the full report and you will also see a few familiar faces in the background.

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Kagawa review

Kagawa Shihan Course

We have survived 3 days training with Kagawa Shihan and a few hundred miles driving up and down the countries motorways, but the 12 hours driving was well worth it.
Today's kata for Shodan and below were Bassai Dai and Empi. It was Kagawa Sensei who first taught me Empi when he travelled with Asai Sensei to the Crawley course a few years ago. Last time I was trying to learn the moves as a Purple belt I think. Today I could focus on what Sensei was explaining about the detail.

Above: The Group photo

Unfortunately despite Hans Sensei encouragement to sneak into the Nidan and above training we missed out on Sensei teaching Kanku Sho, a Kata Simon and myself have been practising for the last few weeks. I am sure that Sensei Keith will be able to pass on Sensei's "top tips" over the coming weeks.

I am sure Simon will be too modest to mention , so I will. Sensei got Simon to demonstrate the jump in Empi and after a couple of minor corrections and a few more jumps stated "good jump eh" compliment indeed!

Many thanks to the JKS for inviting us.
Sensei ni rei
Octagai ni rei
Osu!

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