2015 has proved a good year for our spring grading not only in the volume of new starters but also in the quality of those grading. Six years ago I began my campaign to create the highest standard of karate-ka student possible. This had already happened with the higher grades (5th kyu plus) but has just started with this selection of ninth kyu. So now we are all quality from the off. This of course means students often have to miss a grade here and there and a lot of white belts and low grades missed this one too. But now the kids and parents know what I expect so there is little backlash in the form of disappointed parents or students. This was not always the case. Originally everyone thought they should just grade every time we held a grading as students do at many clubs. But it is as simple as this, I believe you should be what you say you are and not second rate.

As you can see from the volume of white belt beginners this was a large group. I hope some will take the mantle and strive to reach the standards required to join Dokans formidable competition squad. This of course requires more than one hour a week training but we all start somewhere and there was plenty of potential on show here at this grading.

We had four sections of 10 student white belts and 3 sections of tenth kyu’s in our biggest spring grading for some years.

At every grading I award grading trophies. Where there is a lot of high grades grading I give 8 trophies out and split the sections into 4 for high grade 4 for low grade.

We also have a supreme excellence grading certificate now for students of the highest calibre. Nine of these were awarded for this grading.

THE GRADING TROPHIES WINNERS.
1st ANAIS ERRINGTON
2ND BETH KERR
3RD EMMA SNAITH
4TH TILLY HARRISON
AWARDED FOR ALL ROUND SKILL AND MAXIMUM EFFORT THROUGHOUT THE GRADING IN ALL ASPECTS.

The picture at the top of page 1 shows our students doing jiyu kumite ( freestyle sparring ) I know of no other karate club that has students sparring in every grading from the day they start. Most clubs start sparring at purple belt, fifth kyu some never do it at all. At Dokan you are taught fighting skills from the off.

Grades known as kyu work in reverse order. You start at tenth kyu and work down to first kyu before you sit your first dan black belt grade known as a Shodan grade.

Tags: 2015, gradings