Spring Grading
This year our spring grading was a smaller affair than usual but the standard of the students was higher than usual. The fact the date clashed with the Easter holidays caused a few problems but this was the only Sunday free till late May.
We had fifteen beginners grade and there were some excellent gradings from those who turned up. The first place trophy went to Lewis Pounder, 2nd Isabel Pye and the runner up medals will go to Joseph Frost and Emma Ali Hutchinson. Well done to everyone.
I was very pleased with the quality on show and this sets us in good stead for our large Summer grading where around 100 students will grade.
We started the day with a small display explaining what karate consists of to our new parents and this also lets the children see what they can achieve if they join evening classes and take the sport seriously. I do the talking and two Dokan Elite squad girls do the demonstrating. Eve Palmer (British Kata champion) and Lola Cassidy (British kumite champion) really can show you what it is all about with the best fighting and kata display from two eleven year olds in the country. Both girls train 9 hours a week, every week.
The talent is there but it takes a lot of commitment to reach the top. Here are three vital ingredients.
1) Personal drive, ambition and courage.
2) Parental push and support.
3) Natural talent.
Number 3 is the least important as without the first two it is useless.
We had fifteen beginners grade and there were some excellent gradings from those who turned up. The first place trophy went to Lewis Pounder, 2nd Isabel Pye and the runner up medals will go to Joseph Frost and Emma Ali Hutchinson. Well done to everyone.
I was very pleased with the quality on show and this sets us in good stead for our large Summer grading where around 100 students will grade.
We started the day with a small display explaining what karate consists of to our new parents and this also lets the children see what they can achieve if they join evening classes and take the sport seriously. I do the talking and two Dokan Elite squad girls do the demonstrating. Eve Palmer (British Kata champion) and Lola Cassidy (British kumite champion) really can show you what it is all about with the best fighting and kata display from two eleven year olds in the country. Both girls train 9 hours a week, every week.
The talent is there but it takes a lot of commitment to reach the top. Here are three vital ingredients.
1) Personal drive, ambition and courage.
2) Parental push and support.
3) Natural talent.
Number 3 is the least important as without the first two it is useless.