Dokan Karate Club

January 26th 2014 was the English Kyu Grade nationals at Sheffield, the busiest competition I have ever been to. 38 medals were won by Dokan, 11 of them gold. If there had been a medal table we must have been close to topping it. Dokan could not have wished for a better start to the year.

The success continued at Penrith with over 50 medals taken on the day, then the one and only true ENGLISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (again held at Sheffield) in March and Dokan were even better 48 medals and 13 gold. For the first time since the creation of Dokan I actually believed we were at the very top end of English karate. This was confirmed as we finished 4th on the medal table - not bad for a junior squad entering only one day of a two day event.

But there was no time to gloat as we were off to Kosovo on April 5th to 7th for the WSKU world championships. Pretty much the same kids that pulled gold in the English nationals did the same in the Worlds. The finale being when my squad were asked to put on a show at the official opening ceremony for the crowds, dignitaries and TV cameras. What a fantastic experience for everyone and friendships were forged amongst the parents too.

Returning may have been an anti-climax had we time to ponder but the tournaments kept on rolling in as we travelled to Edinburgh for the Scottish International one week later before heading to Somerset for the Western Union tournament at Weston Super mare. Here the club enjoyed a fabulous fun filled bank holiday weekend in a seafront Premier Inn with clear blue skies and Dokan topping the medal table with 16 gold and 32 other medals won.

Seven major tournaments by May 5th and we had seminars too in 2014. Both English number one kata coach (Ady Gray) and head kumite coach (Willie Thomas) paid visits to our dojo to conduct training sessions, as did England squad member John Gardiner.

Time to slow down with the approaching summer holidays? Not really! We squashed a Fight Night in and our Dokan In-Club competition in June (which was big this year).

We then shot off for another weekend away, this time at Worcester for the Central England Open on July 7th. Stopping at a Premier Inn on the cricket ground by the side of the river, opposite a park with a pub in it. And it was sunny! Enough said there. Sunday, after the tournament, on the coach home we got the call to tell us that Dokan were top club of the seventy clubs that entered. We received a huge trophy in the post.

A few weeks off did not dampen Dokan's ardour to get back on the circuit and win.

September 14th heralded the East Yorkshire Open at Hull. Yet another really busy competition with a packed arena. An outstanding effort shown by our squad and a proud day for me as the class of the kids shone through taking a total of 49 medals and all hard won.

On an adrenalin buzz on the coach home, I arrange a late entry, and a weekend away at Glasgow for the British international on 27th September where Dokan came third of 66 countries and associations that entered. The skill, etiquette and overall behaviour of Dokan's kids is becoming well known throughout the refereeing world and I intend to maintain this reputation.

The next outing was a local affair to support a friends competition at Billingham in October (Taisho-Do). A large squad from Scotland's premier fighting club made sure we had to work for everything won here but a good day was had by all and again we topped 50 medals.

No more external tournaments in 2014 so we had 1 month to prepare for our Dokan In-Club tournament. With a summer of low grade quitters behind me I was worried about numbers entering. I need not have been, 132 students entered on the day of which 97 were from my own club. The comp was massive for an in-club with 3 areas running all day to get through the categories with some tremendous new-comers on the horizon getting a taste of competitive karate for the first time. A shipment of trophies and medals has already been ordered for next summer’s Dokan competition where I hope to run four areas by employing even more qualified referees. Head referee Harold Stephenson summed the day up as a fine way to end his refereeing year at a well organised friendly competition with an abundance of talent and helpful parents with polite children.

Next on the agenda was our Winter grading. 115 students graded, it was huge and we had a star studded grading panel with two English referees, two sensei from other clubs and Christine Pullan, the UK's highest ranking Shotokan woman, as well as myself and Ron Angus. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed unlike many terse gradings I have attended. 5th kyu onwards the grading was as exceptional as I hoped it would be. Below that it was average for Dokan which is exceptional at most other clubs. But the newly graded. The white belts were brilliant. Fingers crossed they take the bait and become a Dokan superstar training hard to reach the top. The panel were most complimentary and I hold them all in high regard especially Sensei Pullan who I trained under for years and does not waste her breathe on meaningless compliments.

Finally our presentation party night on December 13th. A new venue, new awards, new games and new families. Our biggest and best yet with almost 200 people attending to enjoy the night, which raised almost £900 from the door, raffles and tombola. I have never received so many grateful texts or so much help from Dokan's quality parents. A fitting end to a marvellous year.

SUMMARY
527 Medals won in prestigious external competitions this year - 122 of which were gold medals.

13 World Champions, 8 International Champions and 12 National champions.

I doubt we will ever top 2014 but I will try my very best to keep Dokan winning and at the very top of English Karate.

Head Coach Kevan Mitchinson.