Dokan Karate Club

No rest for the Dokan squad as we set off once again on the six hour journey to Somerset. This has become a firm favourite with our kids as the two night stop over appeals as a short break and the fifty-eight seat coach along with a couple of families driving meant we had a decent sized squad of 23 students entering.

We arrived to bright skies and Baltic winds, a bit like home from home, none of the 24 degree heat wave we have experienced in the past. Yet I believe everyone enjoyed the first day doing their own thing before we all met up later for a beer or two together.

The competition itself was extra busy this year with over 600 entries and as I stood at the notice board reading the volume of entries to each category that morning a man behind me said to his son, “ah God! Marcus Henderson is here.” That cheered my morning as Marcus had just turned 8 years old the day before and although he’s a tiny fellow his reputation must be growing big.

The day began with individual kata followed by pairs and team kata and I got a pleasant surprise when I noticed all my squad had upped their game since the nationals just two weeks earlier and looked in peak form. In the under 16 years individual black belt section we took all four medals With Sadie winning, Eleisha second and at only 11 and 12 years old Lola and Eve in bronze position. I was over the moon, a clean sweep. Then the brown belts and Olivia took gold here with Elle silver and Katie H 3rd. We also picked up silvers and bronzes in loads of other individual sections. Next team kata where Dokan again won gold and two bronze, we followed this with another clean sweep in pairs with my 13 to 15 year old girls winning first and second and my ten to twelve year old girls taking home both bronze. It was about this time when compliments started coming in from referees and officials. You may believe this is normal for such a successful club but it is not. My squad were beyond top form and it was being noticed.

Kumite started and there were some scary categories due to the wide age gap. This was most evident in the 10 to 12 year girls where Katie Hunnam and Lola Cassidy where dwarfed by the opposition. I had also put a lot of thought into preparing the squad for this kumite after the nationals and it was evident as we romped to many victories including a Lola and Katie final as they beat off all the larger more aggressive girls with skill and courage. Yet another highlight of the day. On a different mat we had another Dokan final with Olivia Fellows taking her second gold this time against Grace King. And the bronze and silvers were still piling up from different individual sections including Eleisha Mitchinson who made the final in all five sections she entered, winning 3 of them. The team fights started with the most exciting first round bout ever as the Henderson boys along with Reuben pulled a massive come back off to qualify for the next round. They eventually lost in the final but what an event.

Eleisha, Hannah and little stand in Lola took gold in the 13 to 15 girls team and thankfully Lola never had to fight in this section as the older girls won every bout. Dokan also took gold and silver with our super 10 to 12 year old girls battling it out in yet another Dokan final where Katie Hunnam, although injured through a clash in her individual section, still fought in every round, as did Olivia who twice had her nose burst. Our other gold winning team was the 9 years and under girls and again this was exciting although not as busy as the older age events. Maddison Taylor guided the new girls Emma Ali and Emma Cole to victory and yet again I was pleased with the way these girls performed especially Emma Cole on her first competition. Team kumite finished the day and was an exciting and thrilling climax to a brilliant day of karate. One of the rare occasions where all the hard work seems to pay off and everyone performs at their zenith. The competition was finished by 5.00 p.m. - a remarkable show of efficiency.