NEWSLETTER 6th April 2000

Hi All!

This term has really shot by for me. Time seems to be speeding up without any sign of a let-up.

Nevertheless, some real progress has been made in both the junior and the senior sessions.

This term has been a bit of an experiment in the senior group, as we have moved quite a few of the older juniors to this group as well as allowing some younger beginners straight into the senior group.

The Junior Group

This experiment has had the effect of making the junior group a little more manageable and has allowed us to give each member a little more personal attention than has been possible in the past.

We would like to congratulate David Stoof for a very good Junior Red Belt Grading.

Also Ocean and Romelli were real stars this term for managing to come up with a great performance in what is a remarkably difficult grade – Junior Purple Belt. With this sort of effort, black belts are really only just round the corner – keep it up.

I am sure that the rest of you juniors were inspired by what you saw and I think that the next term will see quite a few more gradings for everyone.

The end of term competitions were very exciting and all of us that were judging and refereeing were very impressed by the effort that you all put in.

In the Kata competition the results were as follows:

It was also great fun to see the team sparring competition, which saw the blue team win. Well done all of you!

We are sad to announce that Logan Thompson is leaving us after 2 ˝ years training. Logan is moving to Tauranga and will be joining another Karate club there. Good luck Logan and come back to visit when you are in the area. If you send us a post-card telling us about your new club, I will publish it in the next newsletter.

The Senior Group

The senior group has almost doubled in size to accommodate all the new beginners and to accommodate the juniors that have been moved up. We would like to welcome you all.

We have always prided ourselves in the fact that we have a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in this group, yet we are able to maintain a high standard of martial arts learning.

But I’m rather afraid that some of you new young seniors (including some of the “moved-up” juniors) have misinterpreted this atmosphere to mean that we accept a boisterous behaviour or minimal effort – we don’t!!

This is not like school: you do not have to be there. If your self-discipline and effort are not completely voluntary then you will not be allowed to continue until you have reached the required level of maturity. I hope I make myself very clear!

I would like to congratulate Yvonne, Amy, Daniel and Leighton for a good grading result.

I would also like to give a lot of praise to Tony, Jocelyn and Walter for getting your blue belts. You truly deserve your grades and I look forward to teaching you the next part of the syllabus.

Helena and I would like to give a special mention to Walter: being our oldest member, you constantly display a level of commitment and a level of fitness that put a lot of us younger people to shame! I would like you to know just how much we value your presence at the club and just how much inspiration this gives us. Watching you reminds us that there really is no excuse.

A lot of you have asked me for a translation of the Japanese text on your certificates, so here it is:

“This is to certify that the bearer of this certificate has been examined and found worthy of the grade entered. A period of study has been undertaken and sufficient progress in Karate-do has been made both mentally and physically.”

There you have it!

I am hoping that there will be a senior purple-belt grading in the middle of next term. All of you people hoping to take it have a lot of work to do before this becomes a reality. Start now, and schedule your own structured training plan, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Helena and I will help at the drop of a hat.

See you next term