Manchester Youth open 3.11.18

THE MANCHESTER YOUTH OPEN 3.11.2018.

 A lot of our squad simply did not want to enter here. The older girls get like this towards the end of the year, they have competed so often they want to rest and recharge their batteries. I know better than they do when it is time to do that, so I went ahead and sorted a large squad to enter.

 

39 students which dropped off to 37 when Alex got a job and Sommer broke her toe. Still a large and respectable entry, though tiny compared to Yanagai kai (the host association) who entered 107 students.

With our students we finished second on the medal table and only 4 gold behind Yanagai kai. A fantastic achievement to finish a fantastic day.

The tournament itself was refereed largely by association judges and the truth is it was as fair and well judged as any tournament we have competed in this year. With so many students competing I was stretched to my limits and luckily Glenn was there to lend a hand and coach too plus Keith done his best sorting the little ones out too. Hopefully Poppy will do a lot more tournaments and Keith can also help coach.

The whole club performed well and the fact we won more gold than silver or bronze is testament to this achievement. My 12 to 13 girls and my 14 to 15 girls cleaned the board in both their fighting sections. I was delighted with their form. Sixteen to seventeen years team kumite was another good victory. Lewis pounder almost done the same in his individual sections with a gold and silver. And the new kids on the block Archie Mcguire and Danny Hewiit showed their class.

If I mention everyone, I will wear my fingers out typing but needless to say this was our best form of the entire year and all the students really enjoyed the day especially those big girls that did not want to go.

We have had an up and down sort of year, my small select elite competitors are breaking through into world karate and this is a new game completely. They and their parents understand you do not stroll in and beat the best in the world effortlessly, you start at the bottom loosing and work your way up. Expense is the issue. Our younger students seem less ambitious than what I am used to, but I have put the ground work in place to push them to the top like the elite girls and it is paying off throughout the club. This year at every competition I am receiving compliments on the standard and improvement of our students, from referees and other coaches. Some comments are given almost begrudgingly others are spoke with an element of awe and most are simply offered out of respect. I think outsiders can see better what I am doing and how far the squad has come.

Manchester showed that I am not only working hard to improve my older squad, but I am doing this throughout the club for all the students. The squad sessions have played a huge role and we will continue in this manner right through 2019 when hopefully some new talent with ambition will sign on for Dokan.

Manchester = Our best performance of 2018 / The most friendly tournament of 2018 and a fabulous end to a very busy year.

 

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