Karatedo Shitokai New Zealand

 

The traditional Karatedo Shitokai New Zealand Dan gradings were held at Honbu dojo in Whangarei on 14th December.

 

This year was the biggest grading group for our organisation, with seven gradees (one Nidan and six Shodans, including three Junior Shodans). As usual the gradings were hard, with each gradee performing individually, making for a very long day. There was once again good support from family and friends, plus club members, cheering on gradees, especially in the spirit section.

 

It is pleasing to announce that there was a 100% pass rate, with Matt Redfern achieving Nidan, performing well under a lot of pressure, especially in his kumite and spirit section.

 

Karatedo Shitokai is steadily growing as an organisation, and this year, Ann Nuku from our Palmerston North club successfully achieved Shodan, as did Nick Foulkes from our Kamo dojo. Both of them performed very well, and it was obvious there had been much hard training in their respective dojos, and they will be valuable assets in those clubs.

From the Honbu dojo this year we had four gradees, Maurice Jennings, who achieved Shodan after some really hard work (he was made to work very hard in the fighting and spirit sections, but came through exhausted and bruised).

 

We also, for the first time, had three youngsters, Yvette Hendrickse, Olivia Crum, and Harrison Higgins, trying for Junior Shodan. These three youngsters had trained extremely hard in the months leading up to the grading, putting in hours of extra work with Sensei Bob, and it showed in their gradings, where all three performed superbly.

 

The only difference with a Junior Shodan grading is that they do not fight mature adults (although they did fight two of our adult female Karateka). They still had to demonstrate all the bunkai and self defence requirements, and the spirit section is no different from senior grades, so it was most pleasing to watch them all achieve Junior Shodan.

 

These youngsters have been training for five years and it has been a pleasure to see them grow in their Karate. Youngsters like these three are the future of Karatedo Shitokai, and they are fine examples of what Karate can do for those who persevere in their training, as well as a great example to the other club members.

 

Karatedo Shitokai has many more youngsters like these three, and the next few years will be interesting to watch how they grow and mature as both Karateka and young adults.

All in all, a most successful grading day, so congratulations to all of you, but remember, Shodan is the beginning, not the end, of your Karate journey

 

 

Matt Redfern, Ann Nuku, Nick Foulkes, Maurice Jennings, Harrison Higgins, Olivia Crum, Yvette Hendrickse