Latest News

What a fantastic day our inter club tournament was!!

We have had many, many compliments about the day - thank you for all of them. 

From white belt to Nidan grades everyone who competed was superb and everyone supported each other, the older male and female students are an absolutely credit to themselves for encouraging and supporting the younger students who where there on the day. Along with our amazing instructor team we are so lucky to have such fantastic and supportive people around us. 

Demonstrations from the elite squad kata team and a team demo from our senior instructors was very inspiring to see - and everyone really enjoyed watching the perfomances. 

Congratualations to all our competitors - medal winners or not you were all awesome and we hope you got lots of experience of competing on the tatami.

All the results from the tournament are now available to view on the club's closed facebook page.

Once again, thank you all for supporting this event and we very much look forward to holding the next one!

 

On Sunday 29th April two of our elite squad members - Brandon Crowther and Danni Williams, travelled to Yorkshire for trial selections for the English Karate Federation Youth Kata 'A' Squad and  selections to officially represent England abroad in 2018.

After what was a very tense four hour selection process we are absolutely delighted as a club to announce that Brandon and Danni were both selected for the E.K.F 'A' squad - but their afternoon's success didn't stop there - not only were they both then chosen to represent England individually in their respective kata categories but were also each selected as one of three team members for both  male and female team kata in their appropriate category age groups!

They are now both eagerly awaiting the competition which takes place in Helsinki in mid August and are already no doubt training hard with this tournament in mind.  

This  is a fantastic achievement for these two brilliant young athletes and Chief Instructor Sensei Simon Crowther couldn't be more proud of them both!

We very much look forward as a club to watching them prepare for the competition and we know every one of our students and families will be supporting them all the way when the time comes.

Congratulations Brandon and Danni - we wish you every luck with your future karate journeys and we know you will both be awesome in Helsinki!

 

On Sunday 4th March we held our first grading of 2018 and what a fantastic kick start to the year it was! This was a large grading with students of various grades – for some this was their first experience of a club grading and attempting the grade of 9th Kyu right through to students attempting their 1st Kyu – their very last experience of participating in a club kyu grading and their final kyu grade before black belt.

As always, we need to thank those who helped on the day, Senior Instructors – Sensei Julie Dudley, Sensei Martin Thomas and Sensei Gavin Oliphant. Club Sensei’s - Sensei Del Knowles, Sensei Chris Greenhalgh, Sensei Jack Churchouse, Sensei Amanda Kershaw, Sensei Martin Wilmot, Sensei Kirsty Churchouse and Sensei Martin Kershaw. Grading and admin preparation - Sensei Yvonne Crowther, Junior Instructor - Nathan Crowther, and Junior Sempai’s - Amy Kershaw and Brandon Crowther and black belt students - Harvey Atkinson, Keiron Gray and Oliver Spencer. Thanks to you all for your extremely valued help and support – it makes the task of days like gradings a much more manageable deed!

The room was once again packed with family supporters and friends encouraging and cheering on everyone who was grading. As a large club we are extremely lucky to have such amazing families who support everything we do and leave us such fantastic reviews. So, a huge thank you must go to all the parents who every week drive their children to lessons, and vastly support gradings, tournaments and seminars - without your superb commitment none of this would be possible and Musuko Karate Academy wouldn’t be the club that it is. 

Back to the grading now – and everyone did amazingly well on the day and we are proud to have yet another 100% pass rate, the effort and focus brought by many was brilliant to see and there was some superb karate on display. All the instructors were very impressed with everyone who graded and fully agreed that all the students fully deserved their next kyu grades.

The white belts were of an exceptionally good standard and showed some very promising students going forward – all the white belts handled the grading extremely well and they should be very proud of their first kyu grade and the first rung on their own personal ladder of achievement – well done to you all!

Everyone who graded from 8th kyu to 4th kyu – also worked superbly all afternoon and there were some lovely katas, stances and kumite on display! It’s brilliant to see such talent coming through the ranks and there are some awesome students to watch for the future. Some of our younger students going from 6th kyu red belt to 5th kyu blue belt really pulled it out the bag and surprised everyone with their real effort and focus all day – keep up the great work guys! Congratulations to you all on your new grades.

We had a particularly high number of students attempting the grades of 3rd Kyu and above – and as always, we mention each of these students by name as to gain these senior grades takes many years of dedication, training and commitment. Therefore, massive congratulations to all of the students named below for your superb efforts and achievements so far:

 

Dev Patel – 3rd Kyu

Dev has been training at the Leigh dojos for a number of years now and is starting to make real strides in his karate. Dev really enjoys his training and is a great student to have in the club, he supports all our events and has formed some great friendships with other students of a similar age. He is a pleasure to teach and tries his hardest at everything he is shown. Since starting senior class Dev has started to grow in confidence and understanding and this is now reflecting in his karate. Dev did well at his grading he worked hard all day and gave everything to each section. His katas and stances are improving all the time, and he now has cleaner combinations. Dev never stopped in the kumite section and worked tirelessly regardless of who is opposing sparring partner was, he handled the section well and showed he fully deserved his 3rd Kyu belt. Congratulations Dev - keep up the great work!

 

James Paterson – 3rd Kyu

James has been training with Sensei Julie since a white belt. He has progressed through his grades nicely and is starting to understand more now what is being asked of him in class. One of our male adults in the club, James has made some good friends with other male students and is a polite mannerable student who is a pleasure to teach. James seems to enjoy his karate and rarely misses a lesson and along with his daughter Lydia they are supportive of all events we hold. James gave his all at the grading he worked hard from the start and was determined to get his 3rd Kyu grade. He coped well with the kumite section when pushed and just kept going no matter what. James would now benefit hugely if he attends senior class to grasp a greater understanding of black belt combinations, hip work and more detail of the higher grades katas - an essential part of the syllabus for anyone progressing towards black belt.  Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu James, very well done!

 

Calvin Kenyon - 3rd Kyu
Calvin has trained with Sensei Simon and Sensei Julie since a white belt. He is consistent with his training and he has always attended senior class since becoming a 4th Kyu. Calvin has good basics, and katas and has a really good understanding of hip work. Calvin is a quiet student who does have some confidence issues, and this is something we need to try and build on now. On the grading day Calvin did well, he worked hard in the sections and was pushed harder in the kumite section than in previous grading's - Calvin did struggle with this section for a while, but he did compose himself and carried on to the end and we commend him for this. To get to back belt is never easy but hopefully Calvin can dig deep and not give in. Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu Calvin. Stay positive and keep up the hard work.

 

Matthew Lacy – 3rd Kyu

Matthew trains at the Chorley dojo along with his son Joshua and really enjoys his training, he is an absolute pleasure to teach and tries his hardest in every lesson. He always arrives at class early and is often seen practicing before the lesson starts along with Joshua. This all helps Matthew massively, and along with rarely missing classes and listening intently to everything he is taught he is making great strides in his training. Matthew is keen to learn and will ask questions if he is unsure of anything, he also has a great knack of picking things up very quickly and takes his karate very seriously. If Matthew could now attend senior class, he would make even greater progress with his karate working on the different aspects required for high ranking grades.  With this experience we have no doubt he would go all the way to black belt and beyond. Well done Matthew – superb work! Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu.

 

Gary Churchouse – 3rd Kyu

Karate in the Churchouse home is a real family affair! Gary started training a few years ago after watching wife Sensei Kirsty, and sons Sensei Jack and Junior Sempai Ben train. As a family they are brilliant members of the club and support everything we do.  Since starting Gary has progressed well through his grades despite having to take some time out due to an injury. He is a great character to have in the dojo and tries his hardest in every lesson, he is also a popular member and has made many friends.  Gary did very well at his grading, despite still having some discomfort from his injury he didn’t let it hinder him and was determined to get through his grading no matter what! Gary worked hard all afternoon showing some nice clean practiced katas and good basics.  He coped well with the kumite section, despite being pushed hard at times, and is now showing a greater understanding of sparring. Well done Gary. Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu, keep training hard and the rewards will continue to come.

 

Mandy Chalk – 3rd Kyu

Mandy has trained with Sensei Julie since being a white belt along with her two daughters Ella and Poppy. She is a great student to have in the club, is popular with other adult female students of a similar age and has made some great friends. She has a lovely friendly personality and is a pleasure to teach. Since gaining her 4th Kyu Mandy has started attending senior class and has increased her training hours, this has helped her improve her karate massively and prepare for higher grades, working on combinations and higher-grade kata’s. Mandy did very well at the grading she worked hard from the start and showed all her karate ability off to a great standard. She had good katas, basics and stances and wasn’t fazed at all during kumite, and there was a definite improvement in all arears since her 4th Kyu.  Mandy just now needs to start believing in herself more and how far she has come with her training. Well done Mandy keep up the great work you’re doing. Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu!

 

Lydia -May Geddes – 2nd Kyu

Lydia is a great little student who has been with the club a number of years now and consistently trains - rarely missing lessons. She has a lovely gentle personality and is a popular member within the club. Lydia has kept training hard and listening to what she is being taught since gaining her 3rd Kyu and this showed at her grading. She always tries her best in class and this attitude then reflects on days like gradings.  Lydia regularly attends senior class and this is helping her greatly improve and prepare for her higher grades. She coped really well at the grading displaying  lots of effort all afternoon with clean katas and stances and good controlled kumite. Lydia should be proud of the progress she is making and the achievements she is seeing through. Well done Lydia keep up the splendid work – Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu.

 

Jessica Shovelton – 2nd Kyu

Jessica is a lovely quiet natured student who is an absolute pleasure to teach. She tries her hardest in every lesson, listening intently and then putting it into practice. She is a popular member within the dojo and has made some great friends. Since gaining her 3rd Kyu Jessica has started attending senior class on Tuesdays in Leigh and this has helped her immensely to learn the higher-grade katas and black belt combinations required moving forward. She is now much more confident and relaxed than the shy student who started out all those years ago, and hopefully she is starting to believe in her own ability.  Jessica has lovely stances and katas and has good controlled kumite, she is progressing really well, and we have every confidence she will go all the way to black belt and beyond. Jess did brilliantly at her grading, she worked hard from the start and nothing fazed her all afternoon, showing that she has real spirit and focus. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu Jessica – very well deserved! Keep up the splendid work!

 

Bethany Bradford – 2nd Kyu

Bethany is another delight to have in the dojo, and a real pleasure to teach. She is a quiet natured student but inside has a steely determination and enjoys her training and the challenges it brings. A popular member in the dojo, she is a great member of the club and supports a lot of our events.  Bethany rarely misses classes and since attending senior class has significantly improved. On the grading day Bethany quietly got along with doing everything asked of her, she can sometimes look like she is just breezing along but when pushed Bethany can handle any situation brilliantly. She has good clean katas, stances and basics and her kumite is nice and controlled, when pushed in this section she just got on with the job in hand and her understanding of distance and pace helped her hugely. Well done Bethany, keep working hard towards that black belt. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu!

 

Georgia Jackson – 2nd Kyu

Georgia is another of our talented young female students and is progressing well through her grades. She is very polite and always listens and tries her hardest in class. Georgia has always trained well and along with her mum Sempai Karen Jackson rarely misses a class. Georgia is a great little character and is fast becoming a great karate-ka. She has a lovely bubbly personality and is always smiling. Georgia is a delight to teach and soaks up a lot of what is taught like a sponge. She has brilliant katas and all her basics and stances are lovely and clean. Georgia handled the grading with no difficulty at all, she worked tirelessly all afternoon and completed everything asked of her. In the kumite section she was controlled at all times and showed how fast she is now maturing as a student. Well done Georgia – keep up the fantastic work. A very well deserved 2nd Kyu!

 

Karen Jackson – 2nd Kyu

Sempai Karen Jackson is one of our talented female adults, she is a brilliant student to teach and takes her karate very seriously. Karen always tries her hardest at everything and can get frustrated when she doesn’t always get things correct straight away, she doesn’t need to be so hard on herself though as she is doing brilliantly in all areas. Karen also really enjoys her role of Sempai and takes every opportunity to support at gradings and pre-assessments as well as being a great teacher in class. Karen has a lovely friendly personality and is very popular with other female students of a similar age. She regularly attends senior class and this has helped her grow both in confidence and understanding as she works through those higher grades. She is making huge strides in her karate and is significantly improving year on year. Karen was superb on the grading day and nothing troubled her, she gave every area her all and with a real steely determination and focus. Congratulations Karen – a brilliant achievement. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu!

 

William Marland – 2nd Kyu

William is one of our talented young male students and is a great student to teach. William really loves his karate and never misses a class unless he is poorly or on holiday. He supports every event we hold and we’re sure if William could, he would train every single day! Since obtaining his 3rd Kyu William has been attending senior class, he has handled everything brilliantly for a student of such a young age and is now making significant improvement in all areas of his karate. He is a lovely polite student, who just gets on with his training – he listens intently to everything he is taught and then puts it all into practice. William is growing both in confidence and understanding and on the grading day nothing really intimidated him, he worked hard from the start and was good in all areas displaying lovely practiced katas and basics. William also handled his kumite section with no problems and is beginning to show real control and maturity while sparring. Well done William – we hope you’re proud of how far you’ve come. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu!

 

Emma Mackie – 2nd Kyu

Emma is another brilliant student to teach. Along with her daughter Abigail she has trained consistently since a white belt and has progressed really well through her grades. Emma hasn’t always found all aspects of karate easy – but her sheer determination and drive have kept her going and for this we admire her. She has good all-round karate and her kata’s and kumite are much cleaner now than they were twelve months ago. She is a popular member within the club and has made some good friends, she supports a lot of our events and is really enjoying her karate. A regular student at senior class Emma is improving all the time as she heads towards her black belt, and hopefully she is now starting to believe in herself more. Emma did great at the grading, she worked hard from the start and coped well in all areas, her katas and basics were clean and had been practiced well and she handled the kumite section much better than in previous gradings. We very much look forward to seeing Emma continue improving and keeping up the splendid work she’s doing.  Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu Emma – a fantastic achievement!

 

Ocean Patel – 2nd Kyu

Ocean trains at the Leigh dojo’s and has regularly trained since a white belt. He is a great character to have in the dojo and can often make us laugh with his funny ways and sayings. Ocean attends every event we hold and is a popular member within the club, having made lots of friends. Since gaining his 3rd Kyu Ocean now regularly attends senior class on Tuesday evenings and this is helping him work hard towards the requirements for black belt, as well as significantly improve his karate. If Ocean could pay a little more attention in class and listen to what he is being taught he would progress even further, although we’re sure as Ocean gets that little bit older this will come. On the grading day Ocean worked hard all afternoon, he tried his best in every section and was determined to get his 2nd Kyu grade. In the kumite section Ocean was pushed hard for character and desire and coped well, towards the end of the kumite when he was tiring fast, he did lose his temper for a brief spell before regaining composure and carrying on with real determination and grit and along with the other students who were still doing kumite at this point received a huge applause for his efforts at the end of the round. Well done Ocean – keep concentrating and moving forward. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu!

 

Naisha Patel – 1st Kyu

Naisha is another of our talented female students, training at the Leigh dojo’s since a white belt. She has rarely missed any classes and is now a regular attender of senior class too. Naisha is a lovely polite student who has always had good strong karate and really good kicks, and kumite has always been one of her areas of strength. Naisha has made lots of friends and she seems to enjoy her karate, and when Naisha puts her mind to it she can display some outstanding katas. In class Naisha just now needs to concentrate at times more on what is being taught and she will improve even further, Naisha always comes alive though at gradings and her 1st Kyu grading was no exception. She worked hard from the start and showed lovely katas, basics and stances, in the kumite again she showed her lovely kicks and sparring technique and we hope Naisha is proud of how far she has come. Keep concentrating and working hard now Naisha as you head towards that black belt. Congratulations on your 1st Kyu!

 

Lauren Welsh – 1st Kyu

Lauren is one of our super talented young females, and a member of the elite tournament squad where she has had numerous successes in tournaments both nationally and internationally. A lovely polite young student she has always been a delight to teach and has had brilliant stances and lovely katas from being a white belt. Lauren has a knack of picking challenging combinations and katas up really quickly and she has progressed exceptionally well through all her grades. Lauren has been attending senior class for quite a while now and this has helped her to improve even more in all areas. A popular member within the club Lauren and has made lots of friends and she supports every event we hold. On the grading day Lauren worked tirelessly from the start and was very strong in all sections, her katas were lovely and precise, and her hip work and combinations very strong. Lauren did great in the kumite too showing improved understanding of distance and speed and handling every situation superbly even when pushed by her sparring partners. Fantastic work Lauren – Congratulations on your 1st kyu – next stop black belt!

 

Christian Schofield – 1st Kyu

Sempai Christian is a great student to have in the club, consistently training with Sensei Simon and Sensei Julie since a white belt he has really enjoyed his training and has progressed well through his grades. A great student to teach he tries his hardest in every class and never shies away when confronted with something new to learn. Christian also enjoys his role as a Club Sempai and helping other in class, he attends all pre-assessments and gradings as a Sempai and can be actively seen encouraging others. Another popular adult member within the club he has gained lots of new friends, and actively supports all our events. Christian worked really hard at his grading, his basics and katas were strong and clean, and his hip work is starting to come along nicely. In the kumite section Christian was pushed hard and although he wasn’t hurt he was challenged to dig deep for his spirit and character. He was extremely tired towards the end but handled the whole section brilliantly showing real steely determination to get through all the sparring section no matter what, and along with the others grading he got a huge round of applause at the end. Well done Christian – keep working hard now for that black belt at the end of the year. Fantastic work! Congratulations on your 1st Kyu.

 

 

 

 

On Sunday 26th November we held a black belt grading for students attempting the ranks of Shodan-Ho, Shodan and Nidan. Black belt grading’s are always a special affair and our November grading was no different. We are very pleased to confirm that we had a 100% pass rate from the ten students who attempted grading on the day. After a few nervous training sessions leading up to the day, everyone really stepped up their game and did brilliantly.

The grading panel consisted of Brian Seabright 7th Dan – Chairman of the B.K.A., Sensei Simon Crowther 3rd Dan, Sensei Julie Dudley 2nd Dan, Sensei Gavin Oliphant 2nd Dan and Sensei Martin Thomas 2nd Dan. Many thanks to you all for assisting on the grading panel and being a huge help.

We also had a number of fantastic people who wanted to be involved and help on the day these were Sensei Martin Wilmot and Sensei Paul Webber, Junior Instructor Nathan Crowther, Sempai Karen Jackson, Junior Sempai Alfie Appleby and students Amy Kershaw and Chris Morley. Thanks to you all for once again doing a fab job, your help was invaluable!

The atmosphere at black belt gradings can sometimes be quite intense and the parents and supporters watching from the sides did a fantastic job cheering and encouraging all those grading and keeping everyone motivated all afternoon –  a huge thanks to you all - not only for your support on the day but all year round bringing your children and family members to events and classes.

To gain grades of Shodan-Ho, Shodan and Nidan takes many, many years of dedication, commitment, sweat and even sometimes tears! The euphoria when you achieve these grades though is ecstatic and is what makes these grades so special. Congratulations to you for obtaining these grades. You all have weaknesses and strengths in different areas but your combined effort and sheer determination at the grading is what makes you all so special.

Four-hour grading’s are no easy feat - but as students we know you wouldn’t want it any other way! The most exciting thing about earning these grades is that your karate journey now only truly begins! We very much look forward to seeing you all progress and learn even more in the coming years.

We are sure everyone in the club will join us in congratulating you all on your massive achievements.

These fantastic and amazing people who graded are all named below along with their grade ranks.

Jacob Greaves – Shodan - Ho

Jacob is a quiet student who has consistently trained at the Fleetwood dojo’s since a white belt and he very rarely misses classes. He is a popular member within the club, and has made lots of good friends. Jacob takes his karate very seriously and he particularly enjoys helping others in the dojo with their karate, showing great leadership skills. Jacob did really well at his grading, his basics and kata’s were all strong and he gave it his all from the start. If Jacob was nervous he didn’t let it show, and he did everything that was asked of him. Jacob also coped brilliantly in the kumite section, and although tiring quickly towards the end of the grading he never stopped working until he was told to. Brilliant work Jacob and many congratulations on your Shodan-Ho, keep working hard now towards that Shodan grade.

Harvey Atkinson – Shodan – Ho

Harvey is a very thoughtful and polite student who has always tried his best at everything he does, and he is an absolute pleasure to teach in the dojo. He has trained consistently since a white belt at the Fleetwood dojo’s and has steadily made substantial progress through his grades. Harvey has a lovely gentle personality, is a popular member of the club and is well thought of. Harvey has good clean basics and kata’s and his understanding in kumite is starting to come together much better. Harvey was well prepared for his black belt grading as he has been regularly attending senior class which has helped him really concentrate on areas of his karate massively. Harvey knew what was expected of him on the day and coped brilliantly throughout – if there were any nerves they certainly didn’t show! He stayed focused throughout and gave real effort to everything he did. We are all so proud of how far Harvey has come and look forward to seeing him continue to progress as he works towards his Shodan grade. Congratulations Harvey – brilliant work!

Daisy Oliphant – Shodan – Ho

Daisy is one of our talented young female students in the club and is a little star in the making!  A popular student she has lots of female friends and has a lovely little character. She has consistently trained regularly since a white belt at the Fleetwood dojo’s and has great guidance from her dad Sensei Gavin and Semapi Karen. Daisy is only ten years of age but won student of the year in 2015 and has also had great success in external karate tournaments she has attended. Daisy was brilliant at her grading, despite being a little overcome with her emotions at the beginning of the day, she soon settled down and showed off some beautiful basics and kata’s. Her combinations were very strong, and she also had really good kumite. Daisy should be so proud of how far she has come she has achieved so much as such a youthful age, and I don’t think she realises how good she really is.  The grading panel all very much look forward to seeing Daisy attempt her Shodan grade next year. Congratulations Daisy – fantastic work! Well done on achieving your Shodan-Ho grade.

Connor Mooney – Shodan-Ho

Connor is a brilliant student to teach and always tries his hardest in the dojo, he is really focusing on his karate again now and making great strides. Connor has a great personality and has made lots of good friendships with other students of a similar age.  No one could be prouder of Connor than his instructors and what Connor has achieved these last twelve months, after an initial wobble about his karate there has been a huge turn around for Connor, and he is now much more switched on in classes and is really starting to understand his karate and how good he is fast becoming. To see this change in character is brilliant and the future is looking very bright for Connor. Having trained at the Fleetwood dojo’s since quite young he has made substantial progress through his grades and now has really strong basics and kata’s. In kumite Connor is now like a completely different student, no longer having the anger and tempers when sparring that used to be, instead is a calm controlled student who knows exactly how to handle situations with his opponent. Congratulations on your Shodan-Ho Connor. Be proud of everything you have achieved. Fantastic work, keep it up!

 

Kieron Gray – Shodan

Kieron Gray is a lovely young man and a great student to teach. He very rarely misses classes and supports all events we hold within the club. Kieron’s karate is improving all the time and he has had great success this year with our tournament squad at external events winning medals in pairs kata – a brilliant achievement for his first year competing in outside tournaments! Consistently training since a white belt at the Fleetwood dojo’s, Kieron is a very popular member within the club and has made lots of friends. He has good strong karate with clean basics and well-practiced kata’s which have lots of kime, his kumite is strong and controlled and nothing really seems to faze him when sparring with other opponents. Kieron was well prepared for his Shodan grade, having already graded to Shodan-Ho in June this year, he knew what was expected of him and handled everything on his grading day brilliantly. Well done Kieron on your Shodan rank, a fantastic achievement and one you should be extremely proud of. Keep working hard now towards that Nidan grade.

Martin Kershaw – Shodan

Martin joined up from another club just over a year ago, and since then he has made remarkable progress in all areas. His confidence, ability and understanding of karate have all grown hugely and he seems to now be really enjoying his karate. It can be difficult at first when joining from elsewhere and can take time to fully adjust, but Martin has now settled in completely and has formed some strong bonds with other adult students. He has a great personality and often makes us laugh with his antics in the dojo.  Martin has worked extremely hard leading up to his Shodan grade – something I hope he will continue to do, he knew what was expected of him after his Shodan -Ho grading in June, so attended extra classes and did lots of personal practice when at home. Despite a few nervous sessions leading up to the grading – Martin really stepped it up a gear on his grading day and was absolutely determined to come away with his Shodan grade. Martin put in 100% effort all day and you could see that his basics and kata’s had been practiced well. In the kumite section Martin was pushed extremely hard – as we wanted to see if he really had the karate-ka and character to cope with it all, and although Martin was at times exhausted and purple in the face he just kept going and going and was brilliant! Martin was quite emotional when he was told he has passed his Shodan and deservedly so! Congratulations on your Shodan Martin – a fantastic achievement and one you should be extremely proud of! Keep up the great attitude and progress you have made!

Ben Churchouse – Nidan

Ben started his karate journey at a very young age and the club has seen him grow into a gentle giant of a student. Ben has always trained consistently at the Fleetwood dojo’s and is fiercely loyal to the club along with his older brother Ben, mum Sensei Kirsty and his dad Gary – so for the Churchouse family karate is a real family affair! A popular member within the club he has formed some great friendships with other students of a similar age and he has a great personality.  Ben has good strong karate, and his basics and kata’s have all been practiced well, he also understands kumite and what is expected of him, and he knows how to move around and get through sessions when sparring with opponents without tiring too much. Maintaining a good training routine and attending senior class regularly has seen Ben significantly improve from his Shodan to Nidan grade, and this was brilliant to see. On the grading day Ben was a completely different student than when he went for his Shodan grade – everything he did throughout the day was executed much better, cleaner and with much more kime and confidence. Not once during the day was he fazed even when he was pushed in the kumite section, Ben just coolly went about his business completing whatever was asked of him. Well done Ben – you did brilliantly at your grading and should be extremely proud of yourself – keep up this new found you! Fantastic work and congratulations on your Nidan rank.

Jack Churchouse - Nidan

Jack is another fantastic student to have in the club and always supports every event we hold. He started training as a young boy in the Fleetwood dojo and this year celebrated his 18th birthday!  Jack enjoys his karate as much as the day he started, and he understands that you never stop learning or being challenged. Jack is so committed he is even considering his particular choice of university, so he can continue his training, such his is love of karate!  Jack has made some good friendships within the club and is a great role model for our young male students to look up to, he enjoys helping and teaching others - something which he is really good at and which is an essential qualification towards a Sandan grade. He can be often seen assisting at gradings, and takes his role in the club very seriously. Jack like his brother Ben, has consistently trained since his Shodan grade and along with senior class this prepared Jack very well for his Nidan. He has significantly improved since his Shodan grade and handled all situations brilliantly on the grading day, his basics and kata’s were lovely and clean and done with confidence, and to see how much he has developed was brilliant to see. Jack was pushed hard in the kumite section as he was potentially ranking under a senior Nidan grade but he handled all the situations brilliantly and never stopped once even though he got extremely tired towards the end. Congratulations on you Nidan rank Jack, a huge and admirable achievement – keep up the fantastic work you do!

Amy Greenhalgh – Nidan

Amy is a lovely polite young lady who has trained from being very young along with her dad Sensei Chris. Amy joined us from another club around two and a half years ago, somewhat disheartened and fast losing her enjoyment in karate. What a difference to now! After initialling settling in Amy went on to attain her Shodan grade very confidently and since then has continued to improve all the time. A popular member within the club she has formed some great friendships with other girls of a similar age, and is now really happy in the dojo. Amy has a lovely bubbly personality and often makes us laugh with her giggle fits and quirky sayings, and as her dad often says she really is one on her own! Amy had prepared well for her Nidan grade, training hard in both regular and senior classes and paying attention to everything she was being taught. She did brilliantly on her grading day and should be extremely proud of how far she has come. Amy had good strong basics and her kata’s were very clean and showed off some lovely hip work. She is also very good in kumite and is quite a powerful opponent to spar. Amy is very talented and is slowly starting to believe how good she is fast becoming. Keep up the fantastic work Amy and many congratulations on your Nidan grade. An awesome achievement. Well done!

 

Taigen Swinburn – Nidan

Taigen is another lovely young lady who has trained consistently from a young age. She is a popular member within the club and has formed lots of friendships with students of a similar age. Taigen has always loved her karate – and absolutely hates it if she ever has to miss a lesson ..which is very rare! She is very committed to her training – attending every event we hold, and can always be seen helping out and supporting at gradings, which is a brilliant help. She is a fantastic role model to the younger girls within the club and a student that a lot of them aspire to be like. Taigen has exceptional karate and is extremely strong in all areas, she has beautiful kata’s and her kicks in kumite are formidable.  A member of our elite tournament team, Taigen has done fantastically well this year in external competitions – having numerous placement successes including Malta in March and Edinburgh in September. Taigen worked extremely hard leading up to her Nidan, after breezing through her Shodan grade two years ago, she didn’t drop her training and continued to push and challenge herself whenever possible. On the grading day Taigen knew what was expected and gave every section 100% effort all day, showing very strong basics, well-practiced kata’s with lovely hip work and excellent controlled kumite. Fantastic work Taigen. Congratulations on your massive achievement of Nidan grade – keep up the awesome work!

 

We held a large club grading on Sunday 19th November for grades from 10th Kyu white belt right through to one student attempting the grade of 1st Kyu – the final kyu grade before black belt.

This grading had a lot of our quieter natured students attempting their next belts, so everyone took a little longer than usual to get warmed up and fully into grading mode.

Once they had all overcome this initial hurdle though, every student really came into their own and showed off some fantastic karate. I am proud to say once more we had a complete pass rate and all successfully achieved their next Kyu grades.

Thank you to everyone who helped to assist on the day with the grading – Sensei Julie Dudley, Sensei Gavin Oliphant, Sensei Martin Thomas, Sensei Del Knowles, Sensei Martin Wilmot, Sensei Kirsty Churchouse and Sensei Paul Webber. Junior Instructor Nathan Crowther, Sempai Karen Jackson. Junior Sempai’s Taigen Swinburn, Alfie Appleby, Jack Churchouse, Brandon Crowther and Katie Knowles, and student Amy Kershaw. Once again, all your help was much appreciated and without it large grading's like this one would be impossible tasks to do.

A special mention must go to the parents and friends too who encouraged and applauded those grading all afternoon. Your support really spurred on those grading – so thank you!

All the kyu grades did exceptionally well, from those students attempting that first nervous grading right through to students going for senior grades of brown belt and above, there were a particularly large number of students attempting 7th Kyu green belt and 6th Kyu red belt and within these grades we had quite a number of relatively young students who coped brilliantly all afternoon – well done to you all.

As a club that encourages and supports everyone – we always give a special mention by name to those students attaining the grades of 3rd Kyu and above, as these grades take many years of practice, dedication and training, so it’s rightly so that these grades are truly recognised.

Many congratulations therefore to the following students:

Isaac Lacy – 3rd Kyu
Isaac has been training at the Chorley dojo for a long time and started karate when he was really young, he always trains regularly along with his dad John and very rarely misses any classes. Isaac is a lovely polite student and an absolute pleasure to have in the dojo. Over the last eighteen months we have seen a real change in Isaac, perhaps it’s because he is getting that little bit older, but Isaac’s confidence and attention have really rocketed. He is now paying much more attention in class and always tries his hardest at everything he does, this is really reflecting in his karate and he is improving fast. On the grading day Isaac was really strong throughout and worked hard all day showing why he really deserved his 3rd Kyu. Well done Isaac and many congratulations on your new grade, keep up the great work!

Georgia Jackson – 3rd Kyu
Georgia is an absolute delight to teach in the dojo, she is always polite and friendly and tries her hardest at everything she does. A popular member within the club she has made some great friends, and is always smiling. Georgia listens intensively to what is being taught in class, and then practices what she has been taught. Georgia has a great role model in her mum Sempai Karen Jackson, as well as guidance from Senior Instructor Sensei Gavin. Georgia’s karate is now starting to become a very high standard with lovely basics, and well-practiced kata’s, her kumite is also very good, and she is starting to understand what is being asked of her. Georgia did still extremely well all afternoon at her grading – she gave everything 100% and was very determined to earn her new shiny belt. Very well-done Georgia. Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu grade!

Lydia Geddes – 3rd Kyu
Lydia is another of our very talented girls in the club and she really enjoys her karate. Rarely missing classes Lydia is a great student to teach and always listens and pays attention to what is being taught. She has good all-round karate, nice strong basics, well-practiced kata’s and good kumite. Lydia is always polite in the dojo and is a popular member with the other girls in the class. On the grading day Lydia just got on with the job in hand, she stayed focused all afternoon and let nothing faze her. Lydia has made excellent improvement since her last grading, something that I’m sure will continue. Well done on your 3rd Kyu Lydia, keep up the fab work!

Helen Talbot – 3rd Kyu
Helen is one of our adult females who really enjoys her karate and is a popular member within the club, Helen along with daughter Kaitlin supports every event we hold within the club. Training with Sensei Julie since a white belt Helen has made great strides in her karate and has always had a good standard, and now that Helen regularly attends Senior class too, her karate is improving even more. Helen has always paid attention in the dojo and then tried her hardest to put into practice what is being shown, she likes to train regularly and gets really annoyed if she must miss classes due to work commitments. Helen has taken huge steps forward in her karate since she last graded – showing much more confidence in her basics, kata’s and kumite. We look forward to seeing Helen continue to improve as she moves ever closer to her black belt. Well done Helen, congratulations on your 3rd Kyu!

Bethany Bradford – 3rd Kyu
Bethany is an absolute pleasure to teach and is a popular student among the other girls in the club. Rarely missing classes Bethany always pays attention and tries her hardest at everything she does. She is also such a thoughtful student and is always willing to help others. Bethany seems to really enjoy her karate, and this is reflecting in her progress – so much so that she is starting to become one to watch for the future! Bethany did brilliantly at her grading, she was very confident at everything she did, and she worked tirelessly all afternoon with a big smile on her face. Her kata’s were very clean and precise and in the kumite section she handled all situations totally unfazed! Well done Bethany, splendid work – keep it going. Well done on your 3rd Kyu!

John Lacy – 2nd Kyu
John is one of the male adult members within the club and has been training at the Chorley dojo for a considerable number of years. He is a fantastic student to have in the dojo, and tries his hardest at everything he does, if John doesn’t pick up a technique straight away he will keep trying until he masters it, such is his drive to do well! Due to other commitments John doesn’t get to train as much as he would like to - so, it had been quite a while since he last graded – which says an awful lot about John’s determination and character, and something I must commend him for. This absence from training never deters John though, and he keeps going trusting he will get there in his own time. John did brilliantly all day at his grading, he shied away from nothing and worked tirelessly all day, his basics were focused and strong and he did a brilliant kata Basai-Dai. In the kumite section John seemed to really enjoy sparring and handled situations very well. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu John. Keep up the fantastic work!

Christian Schofield – 2nd Kyu
Sempai Christian is another of our adult males within the club who is really enjoying his karate. Christian trains regularly at the Fleetwood dojo and has made great friends with other adults within the class. Christian is very supportive of the club and attends every event we hold, he always listens and tries hard in classes and really relishes in his role as a club Sempai helping others whenever he possibly can. Christian regularly attends senior class and this has helped his karate improve massively as he prepares for his black belt grade. On the grading day Christian knew what was expected of him and gave his all to every section, he had good basics and his kata’s were very clean and it was clear they had been practiced well. Christian also really enjoyed the kumite section and is starting to show more understanding of distance and speed when sparring. Keep up the great work Christian, you thoroughly deserved your 2nd Kyu. Well done!

Lauren Welsh – 2nd Kyu
Lauren is a super talented student who regularly trains at the Leigh dojo’s. A very popular member within the club, she has made some great friends and always supports every event we hold. Lauren really enjoys her karate and rarely misses classes, she always pays attention in the dojo and often has a natural ability to pick things up really quickly. A member of our elite tournament squad team Lauren has again had enormous success this year in external tournaments, coping brilliantly under pressure on the mats. Lauren worked tirelessly all day at her grading, her basics and kata’s were very clean and she gave every one of them, all her effort. In the kumite section Lauren understood distance and speed and never stopped working showing brilliant control. Despite getting very hot and feeling unwell for a brief time it was clear Lauren didn’t want to stop, but by this point of the grading she had more than shown that she was very deserving of her 2nd Kyu, and it was good to see that she thankfully recovered quickly, and was able to collect her belt and certificate. Congratulations Lauren – keep up the awesome work!

Freya Hulme – 1st Kyu
Pocket rocket Freya is another of our super talented young female students. Regularly training at the Leigh dojos with her sister Lucy, Freya is really starting to come into her own with her karate and I don’t think she realises how good she is fast becoming. Freya also regularly attends senior class, and this has improved her karate tenfold – she is already well ahead of where she needs to be for her grade and her future in karate is looking very bright and exciting. On the grading day Freya was awesome! She gave every section 100% effort all afternoon, her basics, combinations, kata’s and kumite were all executed brilliantly and with such focus rarely seen in younger students. The instructor team all commented on how good Freya was and we all very much look forward to seeing Freya attempt her black belt grading next year. Congratulations on your 1st Kyu Freya. Very well deserved!

On Sunday 24th September, we held our first club grading after the summer holidays. A smaller than usual group were present but every student was superb and it was a great chance to see the fantastic standard coming through the club, and I’m happy to say we once again had a 100% pass rate.

I firstly need to start by thanking those who gave up their day to assist and support the grading. Senior Instructor Sensei’s Julie Dudley, Gavin Oliphant and Martin Thomas. Club Instructors Martin Wilmot, Del Knowles, Kirsty Churchouse, Chris Greenhalgh and Yvonne Crowther, Sempai Christian Schofield, Junior Instructor Nathan Crowther, Junior Sempai’s Chelsea Grundy, Brandon Crowther, Taigen Swinburn, Alfie Appleby and Katie Knowles and student Amy Kershaw. As I have stated in previous write - ups I truly value all the time given and your commitment to the club. It’s also fantastic for students to have such brilliant role models to look up to and give them something to aspire and aim towards.

Many thanks too to the parents for giving support and encouragement all afternoon to those grading as well as giving up your time to take your kids around to all the various classes, we are very lucky to have such fantastic families within Musuko Karate Academy.

Every one of the students grading on the day tried their hardest from start to finish from the white belts all the way through to one student attempting 1st Kyu, bright red faces indicated how hard everyone had worked and there was some really outstanding karate on display.

Congratulations to our new yellow belts – you have now achieved your first grade on the way to black belt and experienced your first grading, you all did brilliantly and showed real effort. Well done!

The yellow belt students who were attempting orange belts were also superb, particularly so with the female adults within this group – they are the best group of yellow belts I have seen in a long time – simply brilliant, keep up the great work!

A special mention must go to the 7th Kyu green belts who were attempting their next grade of 6th Kyu red belt, this group of talented students were superb and worked tirelessly all afternoon. All had really good stances and showed off some fantastic karate. It’s very exciting to see such notable talent emerging! Congratulations to you all on your new red belts – I very much look forward to seeing you all proceed through your grades.

We had one student on the day attempting 4th Kyu – Paul Preston. Paul works very hard at his karate and by his own admission practices and practices to nail techniques which he is determined to learn. Paul did brilliantly at his grading and will now gain even more confidence and experience by training at senior class which I hope he will start to attend shortly. Well done Paul!
We always personally name those students who gain the grade of 3rd Kyu – brown belt, and above. To achieve these grades takes many years of hard work, practice and dedication. I’m sure everyone within Musuko Karate will join me in saying a huge Congratulations to the students listed below.

Lauren Welsh – 3rd Kyu
Lauren is a superb student who started training with Sensei Simon from a white belt around three and a half years ago. She is a lovely polite student, who picks up techniques really quickly and she is an absolute pleasure to have in the dojo. Fiercely loyal to the club Lauren supports everything we do and is a natural at karate. She has brilliant all round karate – her kata’s, basics and kumite are all superb and are well advanced for her grade. Lauren is also a member of our tournament squad team and has had multiple successes winning gold in her category’s back to back all year. She has also won numerous awards at our presentation evening and is a fantastic role model to all our younger female students. Well done Lauren on your 3rd Kyu. Absolutely superb all day at the grading. The whole instructor team are very much looking forward to seeing you inch ever closer to that black belt. Keep up the amazing work!

Emma Mackie – 3rd Kyu
Emma is a very quiet and dedicated student who enjoys her karate and is a real pleasure to teach. Emma has worked steadily through her grades and along with her daughter Abigail never misses classes. She regularly attends senior class and this has helped Emma improve her technique greatly. Emma has good all-round karate, her kata’s and her basics have been practiced well and her kumite is now starting to show greater control and understanding. Emma has lacked confidence in the past with her karate, but is now starting to believe in herself more and I’m sure Emma will now only get better and better. Emma worked brilliantly all day at her grading, steadily going through each section and just getting on with the job in hand. She really showed the instructor team why she deserved her 3rd Kyu and Emma should be proud of everything she has achieved so far. Well done Emma, Congratulations on your grade – keep up the splendid work!

Ocean Patel – 3rd Kyu
Ocean is a popular member within the dojo and a real character. He rarely misses classes and is now starting to listen more about what is being taught. Ocean does have talent in his karate but just frustratingly needs to apply it all the time – something that will hopefully happen now he has started senior class. Generally, Ocean does have good basics and his kata’s have been practiced, his kumite is starting to have more understanding and I’m sure as he gets older this will continue to get better. At the grading Ocean worked hard and was determined to get his 3rd Kyu no matter what, and by the end he was very tired. If Ocean regularly attends senior class and continues to pay attention I have no doubt his karate will continue to vastly improve. Well done Ocean on your 3rd Kyu, keep working hard now.

William Marland – 3rd Kyu
William is a quiet dedicated student and rarely misses a class. A pleasure to have in the dojo he always tries his best at everything, listening attentively and then putting it into practice. William always supports everything we do and has made great strides both in his karate and his confidence. He has made good steady progress through his grades and has nice clean karate. His basics are done correctly, and his kata’s and kumite have been practiced well. William’s dedication to his training has seen him win Most Improved student award both in 2015 and 2016 at our presentation awards evening and this is a testament to how far he has come. William as a 3rd Kyu will now benefit even more from attending senior class as he inches ever closer to his black belt. Well done William, Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu – keep up the fab work!

Jessica Shovelton – 3rd Kyu
Jessica is another very talented female student, a popular member within the dojo she has made some great friends, is a pleasure to teach and always tries her best. Jessica has made superb strides in her karate and is really starting to come into her own. Her confidence has grown massively and she is really starting to become one student to watch for the future. On the grading day Jessica was brilliant from start to finish she has very good clean basics, and her kata’s were superb with lovely stances. Her kumite is controlled well and she now has a greater understanding of how to handle situations. It really is fantastic to see Jessica now starting to really develop with her karate – and I don’t think she knows how good she is fast becoming! Well done Jessica, superb work. The instructor team very much look forward to seeing you continually progress. A very well deserved 3rd Kyu. Congratulations!

Karen Jackson – 3rd Kyu
Karen is a fantastic student and Sempai to have in the club and is one of our talented adult females. Karen has made great strides in her karate and is getting better all the time, along with this; her confidence is also growing and this is helping her in training massively. Karen is a very popular member in the dojo and has made some great friends. As a Sempai she is also a great role model and teacher and her gentle caring nature is really helping the younger ones with their own karate. Karen was brilliant at the grading she worked tirelessly all day and really showed how much her understanding of karate has matured. Rarely missing classes and attending senior class regularly has really helped Karen and nothing troubled her all afternoon – her basics, combinations and kata’s were very strong and in the kumite section she handled all aspects and situations brilliantly. Well done Karen – you are so very deserving of your 3rd Kyu. Congratulations, you should be very proud of how far you have come. Keep up the fantastic work!

Naisha Patel – 2nd Kyu
Naisha is a great little student who is starting to come into her own now. She has made lots of good friends and is a popular member within the dojo. Naisha’s karate has improved a lot since attending senior class, she is now listening more and trying harder to improve and it’s all starting to pay off. Naisha has good clean karate, her kata’s are well practiced and she has brilliant kicks. Her kumite is now showing much more maturity and control and this is great to see. Naisha worked really hard at her grading and gave 100% effort all afternoon, she really was determined to get that 2nd Kyu! On a two on one sparring session near the end of the grading Naisha coped brilliantly and didn’t let anything faze her at all. Well done Naisha brilliant work! Just keep paying attention in class now and be proud of everything you are achieving, a very well deserved 2nd Kyu.

Paul Webber – 1st Kyu
Sensei Paul is a fantastic student to teach and really enjoys his karate. He always trains hard at every class giving each session his all and this reflects to how far he has come in his karate. Paul takes his karate very seriously, assisting Sensei Julie on Thursday evenings at Fleetwood, he is also a great teacher and role model and is always eager to help anyone he can in the dojo. A popular member within the club he supports everything we do and is fiercely loyal. Paul showed on his grading day why he deserved the title Student of The Year Overall Winner 2016. Paul was brilliant from start to finish! He had very strong karate, his basics were clean, his kata’s were practiced and executed well and he had a great understanding of hips. Paul’s kumite has vastly improved from last time he graded – gone is the crash, bang, wallop of old and has now been replaced with distance and control and how to deal with situations. Paul was brilliant in his two on one near the end of the grading – a testament to how much more he now understands karate. Well done Paul! Congratulations on your 1st Kyu, next stop black belt!

 

We held a large club grading at Cardinal Allen high school on Sunday 25th November for students attempting their very first grade of yellow belt right through to students attempting 1st Kyu – the last Kyu grade before black belt. From the beginning, everyone put in loads of effort and focus, and all were supportive to each other all day.

We need to mention a special thanks to those that gave up their day to assist with the grading, Senior Instructors Sensei Gavin Oliphant, Sensei Julie Dudley and Sensei Martin Thomas, Club Instructors Sensei Del Knowles, Sensei Martin Wilmot, Sensei Kirsty Churchouse and Sensei Yvonne Crowther, Sempai Karen Jackson, Junior Instructors Nathan Crowther and Jack Churchouse and Junior Sempai’s Brandon Crowther, Taigen Swinburn and Lucy Hulme and student Kieron Gray. Your help as always is a massive support to Sensei Simon on the day, and is very much appreciated.

A big thank you too must go to the parents and family members who watched and supported from the sides and constantly encouraged those who were grading on the day, this really helps the students to continue to keep going even when they are really tired.

Every student who attempted their next grade did fantastically well, and all successfully passed. We had a number of white belts from age 4 years of age right through to adults, who showed some great karate basics for their first ever grading, and there was some lovely Kihon kata on display. Well done to you all!

Well done to the new 5th Kyu blue and 4th Kyu purple belts – you are all getting ever closer to those senior grades, continue to train hard in classes and the rewards will come!

We always name in person those students who reach the grade of 3rd Kyu and above as these are senior grades and take many years of training, dedication and practice. Congratulations to the following students:

Christian Schofield – 3rd Kyu

Christian is really enjoying his karate and has improved massively since his last grading, he regularly attends senior class and this has helped him move forward immensely. Christian is a popular member of Musuko and has made some great friends. He is a brilliant help in the dojo and a great person to have in the club. Christian takes his karate very seriously, he is very committed to his karate and his training is very consistent. He always watches everything he is taught very closely and regularly learns the moves for his next kata from sites like YouTube. On his grading day Christian was very good, his basics and katas were very strong and had been practiced well, and they had a nice flow about them. In the kumite section Christian was pushed quite a lot but is starting to handle situations better and with more control, I have no doubt that as he progresses through his grades his kumite will continue to improve more. Well done Christian and congratulations on your 3rd Kyu. Keep up the impressive work you are doing!

Freya Hulme – 2nd Kyu

Freya is a brilliant student to have in the club, along with her sister Lucy she trains three times a week including senior class and very rarely misses any lessons. She is a popular member of the club and has made lots of friends. Freya is a little pocket rocket and her karate is coming on leaps and bounds since starting senior class. Freya is now beginning to take her karate much more seriously and as a result she is really coming into her own growing both in confidence and ability. She has really good all-round karate all this and she is only 10 years old! Freya was awesome on her grading day everything she did was done with 100% effort and focus. Her basics and katas were all very strong and had a lovely flow, and in the kumite section she was just superb and handled every opponent with no problems at all. Her sparring with her sister Lucy was great to watch, and as sisters I’m sure they enjoyed sparring each other and have a great mutual respect. We are really looking forward to seeing Freya continue to improve through her grades.  Well done Freya you were fantastic on your 2nd Kyu. Keep up the brilliant training and we are very much looking forward to seeing you attempt your black belt in the not too distant future

 

Paul Webber – 3rd Kyu

Sensei Paul is a very dedicated student and a fantastic student to have in the club. Paul really enjoys his karate – especially kumite, and trains three times a week, rarely missing any classes. He assists Sensei Julie in the Thursday Fleetwood dojo and is enjoying teaching students, really relishing in his role as a Sensei. Paul is great to teach he always listens and tries his hardest at everything he does, he never shies away from work and gives every class his all. All this effort and focus is helping Paul to make great strides in his karate and continuously improve. He has progressed through all his grades strongly and has always achieved everything that has been asked of him. Paul was excellent at his grading he gave all his effort and focus to every section from the start, and he had strong all-round karate, his katas were very polished and precise and his kumite was really strong. Paul just now needs to learn to relax and have more control and distance in kumite, I’m sure Paul will listen to what is being taught him though and no doubt fix this area for future gradings, as he is very determined to always do well. Congratulations Paul on your 2nd Kyu – keep up the magnificent work a thoroughly deserved grade!

Rebecca Catlow – 2nd Kyu

Rebecca is one of our many talented female students in the club. She is a popular member in the dojo, who is always willing to help others and she always tries hard at everything she does. Rarely missing classes, Rebecca is very consistent with her training and she has really improved since she last graded, she has very good all-round basics and she always watches everything she is being taught very closely. Rebecca is always keen to learn and try new things, and handles most challenges well, and this has helped her progress through her grades well.  Rebecca worked really hard at her grading and gave 100% all day, she displayed precise clean kata’s and good controlled kumite. She had to kumite for longer this time around but she stayed calm and knew what was expected of her. Well done Rebecca keep up the splendid work you’re doing and congratulations on your 2nd Kyu.

 

Harvey Atkinson – 1st Kyu

Harvey is a great student to have in the club, and a real gentle giant. He always listens and pays attention to what is being taught in the dojo and then puts this into practice. He has made huge strides both in confidence and ability since attending senior classes. He is a popular member of the dojo and has made some good friends. Harvey has progressed nicely through his grades, thoroughly deserving of each rank, and he seems to be enjoying his karate. On the grading day Harvey worked tirelessly from start to finish, he had great focus and determination and produced good clean basics and katas. In  kumite Harvey was nice and controlled, and although at times Harvey was pushed during this section he showed great determination to carry on without any fuss, never once showing any signs of giving up. This shows a great maturity in his karate development, and is fantastic to see.  Huge congratulations on your 1st Kyu Harvey, keep the fantastic work going! Next stop black belt!

 

Connor Mooney – 1st  Kyu

Connor is another great student who has made some good friends within the club. Connor regularly trains and rarely misses classes and this has given him good strong karate with great basics, he always tries hard in class and then puts whatever he has been shown into practice. On the grading day Connor did really well he was very determined to do well in each area and he stayed focused throughout. His katas were lovely and clean and had been practiced well, and in the kumite section Connor was much improved, showing excellent skill and great movement. Gone is the temper and in its place a greater understanding in what is being asked, an essential requirement for black belt. Well done Connor you never gave up, fantastic work. Congratulations on your 1st Kyu. We look forward to you attempting your black belt soon!

 

Daisy Oliphant – 1st Kyu

Daisy is a great little student to have in the club, and has consistently trained since being very young with her dad Sensei Gavin Oliphant. Daisy and her dad have always supported every event we hold and are very popular members of the club. Daisy has great all-round karate with brilliant katas and kumite, and is ever more turning into a little pocket rocket. Daisy has had a lot of success with her karate - winning medals at karate tournaments both inter-club and at outside associations, and has also won great accolades at our award evenings including Student of the Year, all this and Daisy is only just 10 years of age! Daisy enjoys her role as Junior Sempai and is a splendid example to the young female students who are coming through their grades. On the grading day Daisy was fantastic!  She worked extremely hard from the beginning and put in loads of focus and effort. Her katas were lovely and sharp and had been practiced well and in the kumite Daisy handled situations much better and stayed in control throughout. Congratulations Daisy fantastic work! Well done on your 1st Kyu we look forward to seeing you take your black belt soon!

 

Jack Southern – 1st  Kyu

Jack is a great student to have in the club, he consistently trains and rarely misses classes,  and his great attitude has encouraged his dad Mark to start who is really doing well in his own training. A popular member with boys his age, Jack has made some good friends and is enjoying learning new things. He has really good all-round karate and through his sheer determination and his eagerness to learn will no doubt just keep getting better and better. He is another little pocket rocket, who has progressed through his belts well and is now approaching his black belt along with a number of other talented students. Jack has lovely clean katas which he completes with great confidence and with a lovely flow about them and his kumite is very good and controlled. Jack did extremely well at his grading and worked hard throughout, he has improved significantly again since he last graded and as he gets older we have no doubt that this will continue. Jack is enjoying his karate and his sheer commitment to his training will definitely take him to his black belt and beyond. Well done Jack – congratulations on your 1st Kyu. Next stop black belt – keep up the fantastic work!

On Sunday 18th June, we held one of Musuko Karate Academy’s largest black belt gradings to date and it was yet another fantastic grading – after every grading we don’t think the effort and standard can get any better, but each grading seems to surpass the one before!

The grading had students attempting the ranks of Shodan-Ho, Shodan and Nidan and we are extremely proud to announce we once again had a 100% pass rate after a fantastic and admirable effort from all grading on what was one of the hottest days of the year so far.

Many thanks to our special guest instructor who agreed to sit on the grading panel (you know who you are) and to Sensei Martin Wilmot who gave up his day to sit on the panel and assist grading with the Shodan-Ho’s.

Thanks to Sensei Paul Webber, Sempai Christian Schofield, Sempai Karen Jackson, Junior Instructor Nathan Crowther and Junior Sempai’s Jack and Ben Churchouse and Brandon Crowther, who assisted and encouraged those grading. Your help as always is invaluable!
Many thanks to all the parents, family members and friends who supported and encouraged those grading all day, you certainly helped to spur everyone along towards the end when they were very tired.

Congratulations to Sensei Julie Dudley, Sensei Gavin Oliphant and Sensei Martin Thomas who are now Senior Instructors after gaining their Nidan levels, and Congratulations also to Club Manager and Sempai Yvonne Crowther who now becomes a club Sensei with immediate effect.

Black belt gradings are such special days. For an Instructor to see a student achieve their black belt, or next Dan grade is an amazing experience and I am so very proud of you all.  The Shodan-Ho’s really held their own in their first black belt grading, all kept their nerve and did amazingly well. The Shodan’s all showed great improvement from last time they graded and really stepped it up a notch, and the Nidan’s all really came into their own, after a few nervous starts, and rightly showed that all their years of dedication and training all came down to grading day and they were ready  to deliver. 

To quit at black belt is an easy option –  assuming you have ‘achieved it all’, but gaining a black belt is truly only the beginning, to stop training means you are a black belt no more. The real learning starts from the moment that black belt goes around your waist, you then get back in the dojo and the journey continues.

Please take note of the feedback that you were all given on the day – this will only help you all to improve your karate even more.

I have every confidence that all those named below are truly dedicated and I look forward to seeing them ever more progress in their karate. Congratulations to each and every one of you!

 

Kieron Gray – Shodan-Ho
Kieron is a very talented young man who has always consistently trained and very rarely misses classes, along with his brother Max they are an absolute pleasure to teach and are both truly lovely boys and popular members of the club. Kieron’s karate continues to get better and better, he has recently been selected for the Musuko tournament squad, and after entering his very first tournament two weeks ago came away with two bronze medals – an amazing achievement! Kieron was superb at his grading, he has very clean karate and lots of kimae and he really showed off everything he has learned over the years. He stayed focused throughout and handled his kumite session very well indeed. Congratulations Kieron on your Shodan-Ho keep up the magnificent work and we very much look forward to you taking your Shodan grade very soon!

Martin Kershaw – Shodan-Ho
Martin along with his wife Amanda and daughter Amy joined us from another club around ten months ago, and after an initial settling in period, Martin is now beginning to make great strides in his karate. He is a real character in the dojo and he very often makes the students laugh with his funny antics, he is very determined though and under that exterior he does take his karate seriously. Martin has worked really hard these last few months and he did brilliantly at his grading, rarely putting a foot wrong. He worked tirelessly throughout and he was aware of the things he needed to correct and did this all successfully. Martin was really pushed in the kumite section, but he just kept going with gritted teeth and handled all situations superbly. Well done Martin and Congratulations on your Shodan-Ho, your sheer determination and effort shone through and you thoroughly deserved your grade. Next step Shodan!

 

Michael Jordan – Shodan-Ho
Michael joined Musuko Karate already a Dan grade in other forms of martial arts but was keen to learn Shotokan karate. Mike has always been a superb student to teach, always humble and always trying his best at whatever he is shown.  I’m sure Mike won’t mind us saying that he is currently our oldest member in the club – but this has gained Mike lots of respect, as he has never asked for special treatment or an easier training session. Mike was brilliant on his grading day, from the start he worked tirelessly and with good concentration, and even managed to throw in a bit of humour. He completed every section well and gave it his all, showing what a true karate-ka he is. Congratulations Mike – it was a great honour to see you achieve your Shodan-Ho, and everyone is extremely pleased for you. Keep up the great work – and we have no doubt you will attain your Shodan. Congratulations!

 

Yvonne Crowther – Shodan-Ho
Club Manager and Sempai Yvonne has not always had an easy ride to Shodan-Ho. Sensei Simon has been tougher on her than most students, but Yvonne wouldn’t really want it any other way! She is rarely out of a gi these days – training three times a week as well as helping to teach the younger students at the Chorley dojo, despite all this she rarely misses classes. Karate doesn’t always come naturally for Yvonne, but she has kept moving forward - never giving in, and this has encouraged other female adults to take up karate, and to challenge themselves.  Yvonne did really well on her grading day, completing all sections cleanly and holding her focus and nerve all afternoon– not easy in front of Sensei Simon! Her combinations were clean and her kata’s had been practiced well. During the kumite section on a very warm day, she was starting to tire but kept going with a great steely determination. Two on one sessions with Sensei Kirsty and Chelsea were interesting to watch, but the three of them generally took care of one another and could be heard constantly encouraging one another through it.  Congratulations Yvonne, very well done on your Shodan-Ho and on becoming a Sensei. Next step Shodan

 

Oliver Spencer – Shodan
Oliver is a thoughtful young man, who can be a grumpy teenager at times ..but we love him all the same for it!  Oliver tries his hardest at everything he does.  He is a great role model to the younger students in the classes and is an absolute pleasure to teach. Rarely missing classes, Oliver is a popular student within the dojo and has made good friends with other boys of his age. Hopefully Oliver now truly believes in his karate as it is strong in all areas. Oliver did brilliantly on his grading day, from the start he pushed himself 100% and gave it his all.  His basics were very good, and his kata’s were full of kimae and had been practiced well. Oliver coped amazingly well in the kumite section and showed a greater maturity and understanding than at his last grading of Shodan-Ho, being much more in control this time and able to deal with situations much better. Oliver seems to be really enjoying his karate and we are really pleased for him that he is achieving so much. Well done Oliver, Congratulations on your Shodan you thoroughly deserve your grade!

 

Katie Knowles – Shodan
Katie is a lovely thoughtful student and never really misses any classes, she has made some good friends within the dojo and always trains with a smile on her face. Along with her dad Sensei Del they are two students who always support everything we do.  Katie has worked hard leading up to her Shodan and has consistently practiced her kata’s over and over before class – with guidance from Sensei Del.  Katie enjoys helping and teaching white belts and young students, her gentle caring nature really helps to settle our younger students and she takes her role of Junior Sempai seriously. Katie did really well on her grading day, she was well prepared and after her Shodan-Ho knew what was expected of her, her basics, combinations and kata’s were all nice and clean and she completed them all with confidence. In the kumite section Katie continued to show much better understanding and control, in the past Katie may have be troubled a bit in this area, but now Katie is much more confident and virtually came through the whole section unfazed! Congratulations Katie. Your Shodan belt symbolises all the demanding effort you put in to achieve it. Keep up the great work!

 

Lucy Hulme – Shodan
Lucy is another lovely girl, who rarely misses classes.  Junior Sempai Lucy has always had good clean karate and along with her sister Freya they are a pleasure to teach. She is a popular student in the class who always has a smile on her face, she has made some great friends, and seems to be really enjoying her karate. On the grading day, with mum Jenny and dad Chris proudly watching from the side Lucy gave it her all from the word go. All those years of regular training and dedication really helped Lucy and she coped brilliantly from start to finish! Lucy had excellent basics in all areas, her combinations were clean and had been practiced well and she had brilliant effort and focus. In the kumite section Lucy handled everything thrown at her amazingly well and showed off those fantastic kicks of hers to their full potential, letting nothing faze her. Well done Lucy, a thoroughly deserving Shodan grade. Keep up the brilliant work and wear that Shodan belt with pride!

Kirsty Churchouse – Shodan
Sensei Kirsty is a popular member within our club and has made lots of friends. She started training around four and a half years ago and has consistently trained since – rarely missing classes and trying hard in everything she does. Karate hasn’t always come easy for Kirsty but this has made everything she has achieved so far even more admirable, and again like Yvonne she has been a great role model in encouraging ladies to join in with karate. Kirsty also enjoys her teaching role within the club and is very often seen helping out at Sensei Julie’s class on Thursday evenings. Along with husband Gary, and son’s Jack and Ben – karate is a real family affair for the Churchouse family and they support everything we do. Kirsty did brilliantly on her grading day, she completed all areas with good focus and tried her hardest at everything that was thrown at her. In the kumite section Kirsty’s kumite was much more controlled – much less crash, bang, wallop and this helped her to cope with the section much more comfortably. Her sparring session with Sensei Julie was interesting to watch but she coped very well, and never gave in even when Kirsty took a slight kick to the head!  One of the overall key factors of the day for Kirsty was seeing a huge stride forward in her karate from when she took her Shodan-Ho grade. Congratulations Kirsty on your Shodan, a fantastic achievement! Be proud of everything you have accomplished, we look forward to seeing you in your new Shodan belt soon.

 

Chelsea Grundy – Nidan
Chelsea is another of our very talented teenagers. Chelsea has again been training with Sensei Simon from a white belt and is a very devoted student. She supports every event we hold and her karate means an awful lot to her. She is a popular student in the club and has made lots of good friends. A member of our tournament squad team Chelsea has had brilliant success of late attaining a silver medal in the pairs kata with Amy Kershaw a few weeks ago, a fantastic achievement for their first competition together as a pairs team! Chelsea is a real pleasure to teach, she has worked hard on her karate over the years and her dedication and determination to succeed is now showing real results for her. At her Nidan grading, Chelsea’s kata’s and combinations were extremely good, showing great movement and making them look effortless! Her kumite was very good and nice and controlled, in fact no area troubled Chelsea all day!  She is now growing much more in confidence and will I’m sure continue to be a great role model to the other young females within the club. Huge Congratulations on your Nidan Chelsea. Keep up the fantastic work you are doing!

 

Alfie Appleby – Nidan
Alfie is a polite and thoughtful young man who has been training with Sensei Simon from a white bel. Along with his mum Sensei Julie he has consistently trained and rarely missed classes. Alfie has always enjoyed his training, and supports all events we hold. He is a popular member of the club and has made some great friends. Alfie is a member of the Musuko Karate Academy squad team and has very recently had brilliant success in Liverpool winning two bronze medals in his first attempt at pairs kata with Keiron Gray. Alfie’s karate has significantly improved as he has got older he now has much more speed and strength in his movements and as Alfie continues to train hard his karate will just keep getting better and better. He has great karate in all areas and his kata and kumite are of equal strengths. At the grading Alfie gave it his all from the very start, his basics and combinations were all extremely good and his kata’s were controlled and practiced well. Alfie’s kumite was also very good with good clean controlled moves and a greater maturity and understanding than when he graded to Shodan. We are very proud of Alfie’s achievements and all his training and pushing himself hard is now starting to pay off for him and show real results. Congratulations on your Nidan Alfie, brilliant work young man, keep training hard and aim high!

Martin Thomas – Nidan
Sensei Martin is a very dedicated student and Instructor who very rarely misses classes, his training is always consistent and he totally loves his karate. Martin is an extremely popular member of the club both with adults and children alike and he has a fantastic personality. He teaches along with Sensei Martin Wilmot on Tuesday evenings at the Blackpool dojo and between them they have a great class that is growing in numbers all the time. Martin has always made people laugh with his funny stories and antidotes and real characters like Martin help to make the club what it is today. Martin has good all-round karate and has worked extremely hard over the years to constantly improve his technique. His kata’s are practiced well and he has brilliant kumite skills. After a nervous start on his grading day Martin soon settled and put into practice all those previous years of training, he worked tremendously hard all day and was thoroughly deserving of his Nidan grade. Congratulations Martin on both your Nidan grade and becoming a Senior Instructor, keep up the brilliant work you are doing and of course keep making us all laugh!

 

Gavin Oliphant – Nidan
Sensei Gavin is another great person to have in the club, his larger than life personality is well known but Musuko Karate Academy has always been very dear to him and he is fiercely loyal. He supports everything we do and really enjoys his karate. Gavin is always willing to help anyone who asks for his help, and he enjoys having great banter with the other men in the club. Gavin started training as a white belt with both his children, and since then has rarely missed a class, and has progressed well through his grades. Gavin has always listened carefully and then put into practice what he has been taught, he has made great strides as an Instructor teaching on Friday evenings at the Carleton dojo and his students are progressing well through their grades. Gavin worked tirelessly from the start on his grading day, he was 100% focused and determined to give everything in each section. All his years of training came into their own and he coped very well all day.  Gavin did all his basics and combinations to a very good standard, and he had great focus and kimae in the kata section. In kumite Gavin likes to give it his all, and he handles sparring opponents brilliantly, sometimes tiring but never giving in. Gavin you are so very worthy of your grade – Congratulations on both your Nidan and becoming a Senior Instructor. Keep up the splendid work you are doing!

 

Juliie Dudley – Nidan
Sensei Julie is our highest ranking female adult in the club and a fantastic role model to all the other female adults. She is a very caring person and is happy to help anyone if they ask for help, she cares deeply for the club, is very loyal and we are very lucky that she and other Instructors support us like they do. Julie is extremely passionate about her karate, and this reflects in her own training and that of the class she teaches on Thursdays.  From speaking to other females, we know that Julie is a great inspiration to them all and has a lot of respect within the club, in fact you only need to see Julie with her students to see this. Julie started training as a white belt along with son Alfie, and again has rarely missed a class since, she supports everything we do and even got boyfriend Sensei Paul Webber hooked on karate too - such is her love for the sport! Julie was brilliant on her grading day, fully focused and absolutely determined to give everything to every section. Julie’s combinations, basics and kata’s were all lovely and clean and had been practiced immensely well. In kumite Julie is brilliant and is one of our top kumite females, she is known in the club to be fearless, and can certainly hold her own  – enjoying many a good humored kumite bout with most of the male adults too! All the years of dedicated training and commitment have all paid off for Julie with fantastic results. Congratulations Julie on your Nidan grade and new position as Senior Instructor. Amazing work all round and thoroughly deserved, well done!