THE YORKSHIRE OPEN 2018

Last year Dokan topped the medal table winning 10 gold / 11 silver and 28 bronze positions. This year we exceeded those results in every section so no doubt had there been a medal table this year we would be top club again.

 

With a massive squad of 49 students we scooped up well over 100 medals on the day. The competition itself was well reffed and well ran with 7 areas going all day it finished on schedule at 5.00 pm which takes some doing when you have 700 entries. The standard was as usual extremely high and it was good to see 4 refs flagging on many kumite bouts. Obviously every decision does not go your way but you take it on the chin and get on with it.

This was a fabulous way to start 2018 for Dokan squad. Check out the gallery, looking not for the usual action shots but at the camaraderie and friendship that exists between our students. Dokan train hard and enter to win but I am there with the intention of everyone enjoying the tournaments, having a laugh and supporting each other throughout the day. Dokan are a team and for me this is a crucial factor. It is okay to be ambitious and self motivated but life is nicer and more enjoyable if you have friends and companions to help each other through good days and the bad. I always hoped my club would be a place where lifelong friendships would be created but at some point people choose the path they will take. I have noted many times over the last year or so those that have left sitting solo or trying to catch the eye of one of our parents for some conversation, usually to brag how fantastic their child is. While our Dokan parents are part of a strong social network and generally at tournaments in large numbers. Perhaps those that left prefer solitude?

A FEW WORDS ABOUT A FEW STUDENTS.

The entire club performed as well as I could hope. Our teams and pairs were superb, our kata was better than ever and so was our fighting. To mention everyone is impossible..

LAILA HUNNAM super tough little 7 year old girl, began competing age 5 and is coming good at last. I am delighted for her.

 

LEWIS POUNDER aged 12 and a tad short for his age, fighting a guy a foot and a half taller than himself, got stuck in and he is toughening up and looking great.

ISOBEL PYE the clubs most improved student this month, looking superb in kata but it is her fighting that has me excited.

KATIE HUNNAM fighting better and better every tournament she does

DANNY HEWITT showed good character, and listened to the coaching through his bouts leading his team to gold. 

EVE PALMER despite loosing to an England badge (Eve was better) Eve looked way ahead of her 13 years with such skilfully performed  kata. I am very proud of how Eve looks.

ANJALEE DHALIWALL huge improvements since November.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.dokan.co.uk/2018/the-yorkshire-open-2018.html#sigProIddeb8df4e58