Year in review 2014

Wollongong Dojo – Year in review.

The Dojo

Its has been a big year for Wollongong dojo with our good friends Terri and Tom expanding the switchfit gym that houses our Dojo and allowing us to move next door to the bigger open space floor with well over 100 square meters of dojo training floor. 

As Terri Bowen became busier with the gym expansion she became unable to continue teaching the kids class and handed the reigns over to Daniel Athanassopoulos. I thank Terri for her great work getting the kids class off the ground with a great bunch of kids and now thank Daniel for picking up the task and doing a fantastic. Teaching will also be valuable for Daniels own development in 2015 as he trains for his Shodan  (Black Belt) grading in November.

 The final grading for the year saw only 2 students ready to grade, Rebecca Weller and Goran Jovanovic. Both did a great job and were successful in passing 6th Kyu and 10th Kyu respectively.

 

The last class for the year was on the 18^th Dec and we did a short Kihon session followed by me teaching the students a Nidan (2^nd Dan Black Belt) Kata called Seienchin as a special treat which they all enjoyed. We then went to the North Gong hotel for dinner and a beer and chat to finish the year.

1^st class back for 2015 is the 8^th of January.

National Camp

The annual Shinkyokushin Karate training camp was held in the usual beautiful  location at Harrietville in the Alpine region of Victoria and the base of Mt Hotham. The camp was attended by 10 students from Wollongong Dojo including our first student from the kids class, Olivia. It was a fantastic experience for her and from the questions back in the dojo and the stories she told the other kids I would expect a big contingency from the kids class next year.

Every year we invite a guest from overseas and this year its was Multiple Australian and multiple Japanese Regional tournament winner Sam Gilbert who has lived and trained in Japan for the last 10 years.  Sam was a great guest as he is a physio therapist and strength and conditioning trainer along with being a champion fighter he was able to share his knowledge of biomechanical and physiological understanding of how the body works directly related to Karate fighting.

The camp also saw Daniel Athanassopoulos grade for 1^st Kyu and Amanda Madruga grade for Nidan. I sat on the technical grading panel and both students performed very well with their technical proficiency.

 

 Annual Dojo Awards

Every year I look at the performance of the adult students and award some of them a certificate in recognition of their dedication, commitment and achievements. This year there were 4 awards given:

Technical Excellence Award – Daniel Athanassopoulos for his outstanding grading performances and great instruction of the kids class.

Spirit Award – Goran Jovanovic for showing fantastic spirit after breaking his finger and continuing to train and not miss a class in a finger cast even though in pain.

Student of the Year – Rebecca Weller for dedication to training, attendance and tournament victories

Outstanding Achievements – Amanda Madruga for the following results in 2014: 1^st AMAC Junior Games, 1^st Shinkyokushin NSW championships, 1^st Shinkyokushin Victorian championships, 1^st Shinkyokushin National championships, 2^nd Shinkyokushin Asian championships and graded for Nidan at the National Camp to finish off the year. 

Osu

Sensei John

Asian Championships - Amanda Madruga

Asian Championships 2014

On 20 September 2014, Wollongong student Amanda Madruga , along with the 6 other members of the Australian team, competed in the All Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

 

She fought in the lightweight female division (under 65kg). Her first opponent, from Iran, did not show up to the tournament so she was lucky to score a free pass into the second round. Amanda’s second round opponent was from Kazakhstan the winner of the last All Asian Championships and proved to be tough. After fighting three rounds, Amanda won by the judges decision. Amanda reports that this was one of my toughest and best fights to date.

In the semi final, she came up against a strong and fiery opponent from Singapore, and won by judge's decision in the first 3 minute round.

In the final, Amanda fought off against another very strong opponent from Kazakhstan. The fight commenced strongly with both fighters giving their all but unfortunately the Kazakhstani fighter  landed a very well time rolling kick, which knocked Amanda out cold. She was very lucky not to get any serious injuries from the knockout. .

 Photo from left to right - Amanda Madruga (2nd lightweight), Shihan Kenji Midori (president), Anna Texler (2nd Heavy) weight
 

Quote from Amanda

”I have taken away a lot from the tournament, especially realising the importance of a strong mind and spirit when competing. My first tournament was only in 2011, so I am proud of my achievement. I encourage everyone in the dojo to train hard to reach your goals in karate too, whether or not they involve competing at a high level. Also trust your instructor – if it wasn't for Sensei John Hall encouraging me to enter my first tournament in 2011 and continuing to support my fighting pursuits, I would have not reached this achievement.”

Osu.