Club Notices
With the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee marking 70 years on the throne coming next week we know that many students are taking advantage of the extra bank holidays to get away. So with this in mind we have decided that we will close for the week starting Monday 30th May 2022 and re-open on Monday 6th June 2022.
We hope you all enjoy the break and we will see you when you return.
Sensei Sue and Richard.
Awards & Presentations
We are extremely pleased to announce that Sensei Susan Hession, Chief Instructor of Birmingham & Weoley Castle Shotokan Karate club has been promoted by the NAKMAS National Management Committee on the 8th May 2022 to the rank of Godan (5th Dan) following a formal audit by a certified BSI Lead Auditor and the completion of training course requirements.
Sensei Hession works tirelessly both in and outside the dojo to ensure the club runs smoothly and all students get the training and equipment they need. Most students will be unaware of just how much time she dedicates to the club or those extra little touches she adds such as framing all dan grade certificates that help make BWCSK what it is. Therefore I hope you will all join us in congratulating Sensei Hession on her promotion. Those who attended the class at Bournville College earlier would have heard our announcement in person and we will be having a more formal presentation in due course.
On behalf of all the instructors at the club I would like to also add my personal congratulations on a well deserved promotion.
Richard Amuzu, Senior Instructor.
Club Notices
Hi folks,
The club will be closing over the Easter holiday to allow both students and instructors to have a well deserved rest. The last class before Easter will be on Saturday 9th April 2022 at the Longbridge Dojo. The club will then be closed from Monday 11th April 2022 to Saturday 23rd April 2022. The club will reopen for the first class after the break on Monday 25th April 2022 at the Weoley Castle Dojo.
We hope you all have a happy Easter.
The BWCSK Team
Awards & Presentations
We held our first post covid restrictions Kyu and Dan gradings this month which is the start of a more normal grading cycle going forward. The grading day itself was on Saturday 19th March 2022 at the Longbridge dojo . In a return to the more normal schedule we were able to have a training session running along with the gradings. However, even we were slightly surprised when we saw everyone lined up from one end of the hall to the other.
The proceedings started with the presentation of Dan grade certificates for those who passed in the December grading.
The kyu gradings started with the brown belts and went down the grades so as to give everyone an idea of what happens as many had either not experienced a full grading with everyone gathered in the same location or it had been quite a while in front of that many people and their family members. The gradings themselves went well with a high standard maintained by all. Unfortunately the sheer number of people meant we overran the time allocated and were unable to present all the kyu grades with their certificates on the day. So these have been distributed on classes this week.
As the venue was closing we had to secure an alternative location to complete the dan gradings, luckily my gym, Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing were able to provide a place to conduct the gradings, the place n fact that Sensei Hession and myself had spent many an hour training with Shihan Cummins. Dan gradings are always very stressful affairs candidates have spent years training to reach that point and people failing is not uncommon so the possibility of their grading having to be postponed and then to relocate to an unfamiliar location at short notice to take the grading should not be underestimated in terms of extra pressure. I am however pleased to say that both candidates that day rose to the occasion despite the extra difficulties and performed well to pass their shoran and aidan gradings respectively.
On the Monday we had a small wrap-up grading to cover those who for various good reasons were unable to take the grading on the weekend. This consisted of a handful of kyu gradings and a couple of Junior dan gradings. Again we were pleased with the effort shown and the focus and quality in the dan gradings.
We would like to congratulate all those who took their gradings, we all remember what it’s like so well done. We extend special congratulations to Stephanie Waldron who passed her shodan (1st dan) and Michael Paul who passed his nidan (2nd dan) on the Saturday and Seth Newman and Kyree Notice who both passed their shodan.
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Club Notices
The Instructors and all members of the BWCSK team would like to wish all our students, friends and their friends and family
Grading
Over the course of the month we conducted the December 2021 grading examinations for Kyu and Dan grades. Firstly we would like to thank everyone for their support for these as we had to change the initially planned date due to one of the venues deciding to close for the Christmas break earlier than initially expected. This meant we had to conduct the examinations when people were available on various training nights.
As instructors we were very pleased with the standard shown and the effort and dedication you all put in preparing for and taking your gradings. We would like to congratulate each and every one of you who took a grading this month. We know these can seem quite daunting especially for the first grading which it was for many involved. So well done you did us all proud.
We would like to extend special congratulations to Leonard Jones and Daniel Ray who both passed their Nidan (2nd dan), Kasey Stanley (who completed her grading having taken the first two thirds under the easing of lockdown restrictions that meant she was unable to do the humite elements until now) , Shanai Stanley and May Smith who all passed their Shodan (1st dan) black belt gradings.
Club Notices
Hello,
We are saddened to have to announce the closure of our recently revived Wednesday night class. Unfortunately whilst pre-opening a lot of requests were made to resume a Wednesday class unfortunately due to the time and changes in people’s circumstances we simply have not been getting enough people attending to even come near to covering the rent for the hall. For our dedicated small core of attendees we hope you enjoyed the class and are sorry that we can’t continue but we would like to thank you for your support.
We hope to re-establish the option of training in Longbridge or the immediate area twice a week again in the future and plan to revisit the idea again at a future date but in the meantime training continues at Weoley Castle Mondays and Thursdays and Longbridge on Saturdays.
The BWCSK Team
Awards & Presentations
Well with the pandemic and summer holidays it took a while to be able to organise these presentations but we were finally able to get almost everybody together between two days who took their Dan gradings in June to present them with their certificates.
Congratulations to Jacob McBride 2nd Dan, Angela Notice 2nd Dan, Jiannan Yin 2nd Dan, James Newman 1st Dan and Lincoln Boult 1st Dan, As special recognition of the unique achievement of Lincoln to become our youngest black belt which he has achieved through continued diligent training he was also presented with a boxed embroidered black belt bearing his name. Well done again to you all!
Grading
Well done to everyone who took their grading on the 25th September and to those who came to train whilst the gradings were happening. People always talk about taking their black belt gradings as being difficult but many forget those first few kyu gradings are terrifying in their own right as it is all very new and you haven’t yet learnt what to expect. We were very pleased with the standard shown and the amount of effort everyone has put in to reach this point. A special mention for Kayleigh Emmison who graded to 7th kyu.
Congratulations to all again.
