Dokan Karate Club

Probably our last competition of 2017 and also Dokan's largest squad with just over 90 Dokan students in attendance. 

Only two weeks after the North of England we had our final external tournament of 2017 down Manchester. A new competition aimed at young students under 18 years of age. With some really good categories aimed at low grade students I expected a big turn out from Dokan.

In 2016 I took part in the Boxing day dip. Just three Dokan dads trying to raise a bit cash for the club funds. I thought then how much more fun it would of been if we could involve the kids too.

For the bulk of our squad this was a return to the competition scene after a summer respite, for some of the younger ones it had been almost 6 month and it was time to see if the hard work they have put in recently was enough to secure success.

Another year ends and the annual Christmas parties become ever more popular and better every time. 

Originally a small squad of 6 students put their names forward to travel to Switzerland for the Basel Masters International. This was the ideal number to make up two kata teams and although only 6 there was some fantastic quality from those chosen. Unfortunately Lola suffered a severe injury in mid July and although I held off as long as possible she was unable to attend and compete. No replacement could be found at such short notice.

Since the day I took a karate club over I have aimed to continuously improve my teaching methods and thus improve the standard of student I turn out. It has been a struggle to keep students happy while not grading them every couple of month like a lot of their friends do at other clubs but I have done what I had to do to create one of the best clubs in England today.

Central England Tournament Worcester 2017.

I planned this comp as far back as December in order to secure hotel rooms and every year I struggle to get replies yet by the time the tournament arrives we have always mustered a large squad. This year 28 Dokan students attended the busiest Worcester comp to date. The huge stadium was rammed full of competitors and spectators. I was very worried the event would over run and the standard of club attending was also mildly worrying as I looked round at top quality familiar faces from the competition circuit.

Only our second garden party of 2017 but it went off with a bang. 

For the past 6 or 7 year I have put on a firework display and invited in some students and friends from the club. This event is growing yearly and just like everything we do it gets better each year. After spending about 6 hours setting my garden up on Thursday ( I knew I would have no time that weekend due to competing down Manchester) It was just a case of keeping my fingers crossed it did not rain. The weather held and we had two burners going all night to keep folk warm. With plenty of marshmallows and a wide choice of barbecued food plus chilli etc no one went hungry. 

I set the fireworks off just after 6.00 and most people left by 8.00 to get their kids to bed for school the next day. The fireworks themselves, I buy large display ones from a wholesaler and plan an even bigger display next year. A lot of the new parents were impressed how good the fireworks were and all in all everyone seemed to have a good time. The kids were buzzing at the club the following day talking about the evening.

Although I pay for the food / drink and the fireworks I had a donation pot out for anyone who felt the need to give something. The money raised will go towards Dokans Tyne Tees open comp in 2018 where I want to pay half or more of every kids fee from my club and ensure a bigger entry. Money donated totalled £85. Thank you to all the parents that donated.

• Thumbs up from Sam Thumbs up from Sam
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• Grace / Katie / Elle Grace / Katie / Elle
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• Emily and Grace Emily and Grace
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Our second time in the larger and much better venue of Temple park and it is starting to feel like a home venue already. This summer saw over 100 students from various clubs around the country make the journey north to compete against Dokan squads 75 entries. All in all over 170 students competing is not too bad. Many thanks to all my association clubs that supported the comp and to those external entries without whom it could not run. 

DOKAN KARATE ASSOCIATIONS AT THE ENGLISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017

This year the English National Championships was held at Leicester arena on the 8^th and 9^th of April and was open only to students aged 12 years and over. Dokan took a small squad of nine girls to compete on the first day of the event. Their results were outstanding with a medal tally of 7 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze thanks to some successful team sections. This was enough to put the club 6^th on the medal table for the event and only a couple of gold medals behind the winners.

Dokan have 2 large gradings a year and one smaller spring grading. There is no rush to grade and as we run a quality outfit I prefer my students to be highly competent before they grade.

This summer we had a fantastic standard from our beginners and low grades. The best ever to be fair and the day flew by ahead of schedule for a change.

Notable sections were the white belts who although nervous and lacking confidence were totally ready to grade and I could see plenty of potential in there. Now to get them attending proper clubs and up their ambitions.

When the EKF decided to remove all under 12 year old sections from the English Nationals we were left with a large gap to fill. There seemed to be very little about in May and then I remembered the invite from Paul Campbell to attend his summer comp. A text was sent and withing 2 days we had a healthy squad of 26 students signed up for the weekend.

Dokan have 2 large gradings a year and one smaller spring grading. There is no rush to grade and as we run a quality outfit I prefer my students to be highly competent before they grade.

This summer we had a fantastic standard from our beginners and low grades. The best ever to be fair and the day flew by ahead of schedule for a change.

Notable sections were the white belts who although nervous and lacking confidence were totally ready to grade and I could see plenty of potential in there. Now to get them attending proper clubs and up their ambitions.

One week after the Swedish open a hasty squad was put together to enter this year Chojinkai tournament which is a top quality competition with encouraging categories for all ages and grades below 17 years. The volume of categories on offer enabled me to invite in a larger span of students and we ended up entering 45 which was decent attempt on one weeks’ notice. 

DOKAN COACH ACCREDICATION COURSE.

April 2^nd saw the association take another step forward with our own coaches’ accreditation course which had an official EKF accreditation officer and a police Chief inspector child protection officer in attendance to give the proceeding a certified seal of approval.

The day also included a cadet and junior course for those trainee instructors that regularly help out at our clubs and was well supported by Dokan’s junior volunteer staff. What a great set of kids we have here at our clubs. Pictured is Eve Palmer receiving her diploma and a special merit for the best thought out and presented lesson plan, from coaching assessor Derek Laing who put a lot of time and effort into organising the event. Thanks Derek, and well done Eve.

A small squad of 12 kids accompanied by their parents set of from Edinburgh airport for Copenhagen on March 4th where we caught a train to Malmo the host town of the Swedish international. Spirits were high and the kids were all excited not only to be competing abroad but to all be together for a weekend away. We arrived in Malmo just before dark and walked to our hotel which Dokan tour guide Emma Cassidy had found for us and what a beautiful hotel it was, and right in the town centre too. Great work Emma. Friday night after the meal where thirty of us descended on a steak house we ended up back at the hotel bar for Malmos big Friday night venue and the 70s soul train. An interesting night ensued. At the tournament the Saturday was all the adult events which meant we had a day to explore the town. Some caught the train to Copenhagen but most looked round Malmo itself which I found to be an interesting enough place with some pretty features. I hired a pedal bike for a better look round.

January 29^th and Dokan host a fight night at Whitburn social club. This event consisted of 28 bouts with the age span of the competitors ranging from 6 years old to 45 years old. The evening started with a team kata and bunkai display by the clubs top kata team which went down well with the 200 people present. We followed this with a few dangerous stunts and sensei Kev dusted off his bed of nails to entertain the kids.

A small squad of 12 kids accompanied by their parents set of from Edinburgh airport for Copenhagen on March 4th where we caught a train to Malmo the host town of the Swedish international. Spirits were high and the kids were all excited not only to be competing abroad but to all be together for a weekend away. We arrived in Malmo just before dark and walked to our hotel which Dokan tour guide Emma Cassidy had found for us and what a beautiful hotel it was, and right in the town centre too. Great work Emma. Friday night after the meal where thirty of us descended on a steak house we ended up back at the hotel bar for Malmos big Friday night venue and the 70s soul train. An interesting night ensued. At the tournament the Saturday was all the adult events which meant we had a day to explore the town. Some caught the train to Copenhagen but most looked round Malmo itself which I found to be an interesting enough place with some pretty features. I hired a pedal bike for a better look round.

YORKSHIRE OPEN FEBRUARY 2017. Now the Kyu grades were busy but they have 8 areas and lots of refs, the Yorkshire have 7 areas and not all are full size and a distinct shortage of quality refs, so these days are very different but the standard was as good at both. It is nice to compete at the highest standards but sometimes it’s even nicer just to have a few easy wins. There seems to be little of this nowadays but our kids were amazing and pulled off their usual personal best performances. This day turned out to be epic in more ways than one.

DOKAN KARATE – TOP OF THE COUNTRY…

This is the final year that the Kyu Grade nationals will be held at Ponds Forge Sheffield as the event is now so popular it has out grown the venue. This year the tournament had over 1100 entries and was still going on when we pulled out of the under nine years team kumite at 8.00 pm, this section had 60 under nine year old boys entered. The categories were so huge every medal won on the day was well deserved and the Dokan students did themselves, their club and the North East proud.