Page 28 - Phonebox Magazine June 2010

Karate – fun for all ages
IF THE POPULAR press is to be believed, our children are becoming unruly and undisciplined and some would advocate a return to the Victorian principle that children should be “seen, but not heard”.
Such misguided perceptions could not have been further from reality when, on the 24th April 2010, the 26th Annual TASK Karate Championships took place in the Olney Campus Sports Hall, with more than 40 children from six to thirteen years old and nearly as many adults from clubs in Bedford, Olney, Flitwick and Newport Pagnell competing for medals in the Traditional Shotokan form of this fascinating martial art.
Far from being a violent fighting sport, karate, while undeniably a highly effective means of self-defence, is taught through local clubs affiliated to the Traditional Association of Shotokan Karate (TASK) using the principles of discipline, training and humility to avoid physical confrontation wherever possible. The benefits to our younger students are obvious, they are all calm, controlled young people, full of great spirit and eager to learn. The added benefits from the mental discipline and physical fitness that regular karate training brings helps children with their learning at home and at school too, with many finding that concentration and focus are easier to achieve as a result of their training in the dojo – training hall.
The childrens’ section of the Championships is open to students under 14 years of age ranging from beginners (blue and red belt) right up to 1st Kyu (brown belt with 2 red stripes).
The children competed in Kumite - sparring, where carefully-learned Sets of defensive and attacking moves are carried out and Kata – Formal Exercises, competed both individually and in teams of three during which students carry out increasingly intricate sequences of defensive blocks and counter-attacking punches, strikes and kicks against multiple imaginary attackers.
For our beginners, this was probably the first time that they had performed in public and the standards of precision, technique and control at all levels was highly commendable. Cheered on by students from all of the competing clubs, children of all grades competed to win bronze, silver and gold medals in all disciplines.
In a contest lasting over five hours, during which both children and adults competed at different levels, the results in the Junior Finals were as follows:
Kumite (green belt & above): Gold – Olney; Silver - Olney; Bronze – Bedford
Kumite (yellow belt & below): Gold – Newport Pagnell; Silver – Newport Pagnell; Bronze - Flitwick
Team Kata: Gold – Olney; Silver – Shin-Gi- Tai; Bronze - Flitwick
Individual Kata (purple/brown belt & above): Gold, Silver and Bronze – Olney
Congratulations to all the clubs above and to those students who won the Individual Kata contests for purple belt and below, whose details were unavailable at the time of writing this feature.
Although this feature focuses more on the achievements of the children, it should not
go unmentioned that the adults performed admirably too, winning medals in Individual Kumite, Team Kumite (where sparring is free- style), Individual Kata and Team Kata and competing at all grade levels from beginner to Black Belt.
Local clubs welcome students of all ages and experience to join and train with us. While beginners train in the same classes as more advanced students, classes are often split to ensure that beginners gain the benefit of training and instruction at a pace more comfortable for beginner grades.
Local training takes place on:
• Tuesday nights in Olney at Ousedale School, Olney Campus in Apreys from 7.00 – 8.00pm for all students.
• Thursday nights in Olney at Olney Youth Club, East Street from 6.45 – 7.45pm for beginners and 6.45 – 8.15pm for intermediate and advanced students.
• Friday nights in Newport Pagnell at the Tickford Community Centre from 7.45 – 8.45pm for all students.
For more details please contact the Olney & Newport Pagnell Clubs Secretary, Mr Matt Breeds, on 01234 240174 or 07803 011637 or e-mail mwbreeds@btconnect.com
MAN AND HIS VAN
THE NO HASSLE, FRIENDLY, RELIABLE SERVICE Telephone Malc
0790 408 9216
EMAIL capt.vantastic@googlemail.com WEB www.captainvantastic.co.uk
Central Heating Services Keith Pryce
Tel 01234 241172 Mobile 07764 577292 www.climaheat.co.uk corgi registered 24-Hour call-out
Installation, maintenance & repairs on all Gas appliances
K R HEATING
GAS CENTRAL HEATING SPECIALISTS
164893
Gas Safe Registered
INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS ON ALL GAS APPLIANCES
FREE ESTIMATES
Telephone 01234 240780
Mobile 07767 303310
A.S. HULATT
Internal and External Plastering
Friendly and Reliable telephone 07887 962136
01234 881694 Locally based
28 Phonebox Magazine