The Harmonizer. Visit our website Current Issue: On the Cover: Sensei Hironori Otsuka. Sensei Masaru Shintani

Transcription

1 Volume 23, Issue 2

2 The Harmonizer Current Issue: Message from the President National Master Shintani Clinic and Tournament National Tournament.A Student s Perspective 7 National Team Tryout 8 On the Cover: Sensei Hironori Otsuka Sensei Masaru Shintani National Team Selection Camp 2014 Results 9 National Team Training Kawartha Lakes Wado Kai 10 SWKKF Scholarship Recipients 11 Laszlo Jonathan Veszi 11 Quinton Brown 12 My First Year in Karate 13 The Glass of Water 13 Visit our website Kids and Karate Why do they do it???? 14 Alberta Shindo Grading April 19th The Kawartha Lakes Championships 16 Ontario Coaching Association Week 16 Wawa 40th Anniversary 17 The Super Clinics 19 Bill Superfoot Wallace 20 World Championships for Persons with Disabilities 21 34th Annual Delhi Karate Club Tournament 22 Nishimura Clinic 24 So how do things work in the SWKKF? 26 Delhi 34th Annual Tournament Collage 28 Upcoming Segments & From the Harmonizer Committee 29 In Wado Kai Karate, as skill and knowledge are acquired through training and concentrated effort, the student is expected to develop inner strength and calmness of character, in addition to the virtues of self-control, respect for others, and humility. Violent action may be understood as the way of martial arts, but the true meaning of martial arts is to seek and attain the way of peace and harmony - Sensei Otsuka

3 3 Message from the President In Memory of Master Shintani Sensei Denis Labbé I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone back this year! It is great to see so many old friends, and meet new people in my travels. We have a strong karate family which I am very proud of. A few business items first: Please get your registrations in for the 2015 year. Visit for a complete list of upcoming events. ALL sanctioned SWKKF events are posted here. If you have an upcoming event and would like it posted please contact me to be added to the "Calendar of events". On the website (along the top) there is a section called "Latest SWKKF News". Here you will find important information on the SWKKF, posting for committee members when needed, etc. Check back often. Twice a year the Senate meets to discuss ongoing committee work, projects, and address items which come from communication channels. Communication goes from: Club Representatives -> Regional representatives -> Provincial representatives -> Senate This chain of communication is a great asset for the SWKKF. I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and dedication. I have been talking with a lot of committee members, representatives and clubs lately and one common thread which keeps them all going is their devotion to Sensei, the SWKKF as a united family, and the continued effort to keep our organization strong. I truly do appreciate your support! Enjoy this latest edition of the Harmonizer. Sensei Denis Labbé

4 National Master Shintani Clinic and Tournament By: Sensei Shannon Kaye Delhi Wado Kai It s a day that we all look forward to at the beginning of the karate year, often planning our vacations and saving money accordingly. The culminating tournament of attended the clinic with almost 30 juniors and more than 35 black belts on the floor to learn from the very best on this evening. It was nice to see a large number of students at the clinic this year. Though not with the same support seen in years past, there were several students representing the western provinces (mostly Alberta) in attendance also, and as is customary, our National Team attended this last tournament before a new team is selected in late June. Bow-In at the Friday Clinic the year, near the end of May, and this year, the National Master Shintani Memorial Tournament had a new home. For the first time ever, Simcoe, by way of Holy Trinity High School, hosted the National Tournament. This year s event featured a Friday night clinic with plenty of guest instructors and followed with the tournament on the Saturday. Friday, was highlighted with a great Sensei Garcia demonstrates a deflecting technique with a junior student. group of instructors that, as per usual, come with instruction directly influenced by Sensei Shintani. This year the group included Sensei Denis Labbé and Sensei Ron Mattie, our president and chief instructor respectively, of course. They were joined by Sensei Bruce Perkins, Sensei Peter Ruch, Sensei Brad Cosby, Sensei Ray Poulin, Sensei Brian Chmay, Sensei Carlos Garcia, Sensei Tim McCullough, Sensei Rod Philip, Sensei Sanford DeWitt, and Sensei Michel Gosselin. Over 100 students I travelled around the dojo to watch all the instructors and get a taste of what each of them was trying to deliver throughout the evening. Sensei Denis started the evening with a warm-up and emphasized basic technique. He advised all the students to keep the basics in mind as they worked throughout the evening and that the basics will lead to strong advanced techniques. Sensei Sanford and Sensei Rod worked a number of circle drills, developing core strength and working timing of counter attacks with the group members going around the circle to ensure each student worked with all of the other students in the group. Sensei Peter worked some hip action to start, and Sensei Ray watches these ladies practice a block and counter technique. incorporated the lesson into kata, developing the ability to block with your knees and lower body, and finally some bunkai applications, finishing with some self-defense work. Sensei Ron also worked hip actions, particularly in zenkutsu dachi, the bunkai applications of this stance, and with the higher ranks worked the concept of timing and efficient movement in karate. Much of Shintani Wado Kai is about deflecting attacks rather than meeting them with force, and Sensei Carlos worked this all night with his various groups. Sensei Brian and Sensei Brad worked an awful

5 5 Sensei Rod and Sensei Tim have the complete attention of their junior students. great deal on explosiveness (together at some points and separately at other points) in various ways depending on the group they had also. Sometimes it was counter attacking an opponent, sometimes it was work within a kata, and sometimes explosive power was developed without gaining any ground at all! Sensei Bruce worked on making various moves efficient and eliminating the time between a block and subsequent moves (be they further blocks or counter attacks). He also worked balance and posture which leads very nicely into efficient techniques and rapid (not telegraphed) delivery of all techniques. Sensei Ray did some unorthodox techniques that looked very much how I have heard Sensei Shintani described did (even in that little detail) is a little long-winded, but it serves a point: that clinics such as these don t occur more than once or sometimes twice in a year, and the instruction offered has something for everyone no matter your body type, rank, or ability. All of the instruction is top-notch, and has one thing in common. Each lesson takes a part of Sensei Shintani and passes it on to new students. And in each of us, his spirit and knowledge live on. Saturday brought with it a great tournament. Moving to a new home (hopefully to stay for a while!) wasn t completely without its glitches, but in the end it ran quite well. This novel experience will be taken and improved upon to be better yet in the years to come. The day started with the National Anthem, introductions, and words from the local MP and mayor. This was followed by a shindo demonstration incorporating junior students and senior belts and demonstrating a Some black belts work under close observation of Sensei Brad Sensei Peter addresses these junior kyu belts. and applied some of the concepts to kata work. Sensei Michel worked timing and distancing and some ballistic exercises that help to develop explosive movement. Anyone who has seen Sensei Michel compete knows that he is a foremost authority on this concept within the organization. Sensei Tim worked some kicks with partners, both attacking and defending them, as well as some hip work and application of it to kata. I realize that describing what each of the instructors wide variety of concepts. The first group to go was from the Simcoe area, and they performed the newer kata Chonan no Shindo. It is a wonderful kata that allows new shindo students a chance to work basic technique in a kata format that is already familiar to them, as it is based on the kata Chonan that most every student in the organization knows (or should know!). This was followed by a synchronized version of Kushanku and Kushanku no Shindo by some junior students from Lindsay under the direction of Sensei Craig McCleary. Showing these two katas side by side shows the parallel that exists between shindo and karate. Almost every single guiding principle that exists in the practice of karate without a shindo exists in the practice of karate

6 with a shindo as well, and it was very evident from this portion of the demonstration. Sensei Kris, Sensei Sanford, and I followed with some bunkai applications with partners to show some of the reality to the practice of shindo. Some of these applications are from the shindo curriculum and some are of our own design. All of them are without a doubt effective in defending yourself from oncoming attacks. Sensei Sanford worked some deflecting techniques showing defense against both punches and kicks, and finished with a simultaneous block and counter technique that led into an arm lock and takedown. Sensei Kris did three techniques, each increasing in how much damage was dealt to the opponent and involved some arm locks, a throw and a choke that was audible throughout the room! I worked a sidestepping technique to open up the back of the opponent and deliver a strike to the lower body supporting the attacker. I followed with a double block and a takedown counter, effectively dealing with multiple attackers at once. The shindo demonstration seemed well-received by all, which is a good thing, since it was a dream of Sensei Shintani to have it incorporated into all karate across the country on a regular (class-time) basis. The tournament commenced, with over 75 black belts attending. With so many attending, many rings were used and the competition ran smoothly all day. The competition started with the Master s Cup, and though there was only one competitor, Sensei Kris did a fine job of displaying bunkai application of the kata. He did a great job, but will have his work cut out for him next year (SPOILER ALERT) as more participants are expected to vie for the trophy next year! At the same time, the shindo divisions were carrying on, and with no additional cost to compete in this division this year, there was a great number of students putting their ability on display! Three full divisions took place, with junior kyu belts, adult kyu belts, and black belts all showing their shindo prowess. Everyone did a great job and a new level of shindo excellence was set at this tournament in all three divisions which I am sure will continue to be met in future tournaments. Sensei Bruce works with the high level black belts. From there the tournament continued fairly seamlessly, with a great deal 6 of high-level competition, right from the Godan and up division down to the tiny white belts. Everyone should be proud of the way they competed. I saw a number of good katas and great fighting in my ring. All those who participated should take something that they learned from the tournament back to their club and work to become a stronger karatéka, and improve for next time! The tournament ended on a high note with the fast and furious king of the ring team competition. Despite an unfortunate and avoidable injury, the competition was very exciting and tightly contested, with Sensei Kris red team coming out victorious. All in all, the tournament was a great success and all I could see throughout the day were people having a great time with smiles all over their faces (except of course when competing!). A special thank you goes out to all those who helped with the tournament in some fashion, whether it was helping to judging, score keeping, providing food, organizing, and of course to those who work in the background like the janitors that do such a great job also. I congratulate the Simcoe area on how efficient the members of your area are, and I look forward to future National Tournaments in the area! See you all next year, near the end of May!

7 National Tournament A Student s Perspective By: Taylor Myke Port Dover Wado Kai The morning of Saturday May 24th, 2014 I arrived at Holy Trinity at 8am. Many volunteers, Sensei s, parents and competitors had already arrived. Approximately 8:45 everyone else had arrived. I looked around greeting spectators, Sensei s, my fellow competitors and karatéka I had competed with in the past. As people began to arrive, spectators kindly donated money to Annaleise Carr s booth for her second swim across Lake Ontario to raise money for Camp Trillium. (As the spectator fee was a donation to her cause) Finally the opening ceremony began at 9:30am. We began with our traditional bow in, followed by the national anthem sung by Càlen Whitehead. Then Sensei Denis passed the microphone to Diane Finley and Dennis Travale who each gave us a small speech about our organization and how Master Shintani was a great man and his teachings helped each and every one of us become positive role models in our community, and that what we do for our community is truly amazing. Master Shintani, but it also acts like a family reunion as we all come together for this occasion. The tournament was very well run as all of the kids divisions had been finished by lunch. Every ring was ran quite well due to the amazing Sensei s running the rings and the trained score keepers who National Tournament Medals Stand dedicated the time to go to the score keeping clinics to learn about score keeping and learn further information about how the tables were to be run for the national tournament. My division consisted of boys and girls, ages 14-15, blue and up. The group was big enough that they did not only separate girls and boys in kumite, but kata as well. With stiff competition it was difficult to walk out wearing a medal, yet nearly everyone placed! Once we finished competing and Sensei Jim (whom was our center judge) and our corner judges lined us up, they gave us constructive criticism and feedback Sensei Sanford Dewitt and Sensei Brodie Hicks We were then asked to clear the floor for the shindo demonstrations done by Sensei Sanford DeWitt and his students who ranked from green to black belt. Both he and his students demonstrated shindo kata s and takedowns using shindo (at various speeds). This was then followed by the Principle of the school, Mrs. Evans, whom was awarded with an honorary Shodan (first degree black belt), then the senate members were presented with they re next degree. Throughout the opening ceremony I admired the large number of competitors and number of black belts present. Not only is the national tournament a memorial tournament for National Tournament Bow-in on our performance, prior to giving out medals. One thing I will never forget is when Sensei Jim looked at the karateka in our division and said You are the future of our organization, and our future looks good.

8 8 National Team Tryouts Two years after ACL reconstruction surgery, I made the decision while hiking in Revelstoke BC to attempt the National Team Tryouts again. I had tried out in 2009, but after a grueling weekend, I came up short on the final day at the tournament. I was so tired and sore by the final day that my body didn t have much left to give. This time around I had a better idea of what the tryout weekend was going to be like and I set out to make a training plan that would hopefully lead to my success. The first step for me was setting that goal. Following through with the work to attain that goal was the hard part. You can`t cram for karate or fitness. Skill development and physical fitness take time and effort. Karate requires an athlete to have a very well rounded set of skills and physical abilities: strength, endurance, explosiveness, balance, flexibility. Trying to focus on developing all of those attributes at once can be very overwhelming. I knew it wasn`t going to be attainable for myself so I broke my training down into three month phases. By: Sensei Lindsay Oulton Stony Plain Wado Kai My first goal was to build a good strength base to work off of. I began my training in the summer and spent three months in the gym weight training to bring up my maximal strength levels. I focused on compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press and overhead press. I also made sure to throw in one explosive movement on each training day (low weight, low reps focusing entirely on moving the weight as fast as possible with lots of rest between sets). My schedule was four nights a week in the gym and one 3 km run a week. Throughout the year also I worked on flexibility and balance by running through a series of yoga exercises during my lunch break. Once the karate season started back up in September, I began the second phase. I cut down my strength training to two nights a week to make room for my regular karate training nights with the Stony Plain club. My goal was to try and maintain the strength that I gained over the summer and shift my focus to my karate skills. During the next three months, I added in kata practice two days a week in the morning and started to work on my conditioning by including heavy bag work at the end of my weight training nights. I also tried to make it out to as many clinics, and tournaments as possible throughout the year. The next three months I increased my intensity and training volume by adding more kata work in the mornings and an explosive conditioning sandbag circuit once a week. The goal of this training was to be able to maintain explosiveness while fatigued. I would try to complete the circuit as fast as possible, rest for 30 seconds then repeat. When I started getting faster, I added more reps into the circuit so I would keep challenging myself. Throughout my training, I was diligent about logging all of my workouts. This way I could make sure that I was improving by looking at the numbers on the paper instead of relying on memory. During the last three months, I cut down the weight training to one night a week and started running sprints outside to help with explosiveness and conditioning. I also continued to focus on a lot of skill work - both kata and kumite techniques. Two and a half weeks before tryouts, I started to taper. The goal of the taper was to ensure that my body had time to heal and be fresh as possible. I stopped all weight training and did light karate training a couple nights a week to keep my body active. By the time tryout weekend rolled around, I was itching to go. All in all, I think my training was pretty successful. While the weekend was very challenging, I found that I had much more endurance than I did the first time I tried out in If I were to change any aspect of my training looking back, I would focus specifically more on developing better endurance in my quadriceps and calves. Muscularly, those were definitely my areas of weakness. While this was my approach, I m sure there are many other ways to work towards completing a large event, whether it is a tournament, a grading, or tryouts. Whatever your approach may be, the most important aspect is setting attainable goals. You aren t going to be able to develop everything at once. It was very important for me to set smaller attainable goals to achieve my larger goal. And now that I have achieved my goal, I m continually setting new goals to work towards - always moving forward.

9 9 National Team Selection Camp 2014 Results By: Sensei Kelsey Mramor Edmonton Wado Kai On June 27-29, 2014 the Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation held the biannual try outs for the National Team. The weekend was a huge, and very hot, successful event. There was a full dojo of karatéka training, some vying for a team spot, some there to prepare for 2016 team, and others there just to sweat it out. In the end eleven SWKKF members were selected to represent Sensei Shintani s legacy of a National Team. Congratulations to Head Coach Sensei Ron Mattie, Kata Coach Sensei Sanford DeWitt, Kumite Coach Sensei Michel Gosselin and their staff, and all the best with the new team! LW Zachary Raymond, Calgary, AB MW LJ Veszi, Saskatoon, SK MW Brodie Hicks, Peterborough, ON The National Team Men's Kata Zachary Raymond, Calgary, AB Nicolas Gosselin, Thunder Bay, ON Brodie Hicks, Peterborough, ON (alternate) Women's Kata Lindsay Oulton, Edmonton, AB Lauren Pankratz, St. Catharines, ON (currently injured) Mackenzie Bruins, Calgary, AB Elene Otte, Calgary, AB (alternate) Men's Kumite HW Joshua Stricker, Calgary, AB MW Nicolas Gosselin, Thunder Bay, ON MW Owen MacKeigan, Minden, ON (alternate) Woman's Kumite HW Lindsay Oulton, Edmonton, AB LW Elene Otte, Calgary, AB LW Geraldine Young, Calgary, AB (alternate) Many thanks to the evaluators, judges, volunteers and participants who did an amazing job the last weekend of June! SWKKF National Team Managers Sensei Heather Fidyk, South Calgary Wado Kai, Sensei Kelsey Mramor, Edmonton Wado Kai. Your National Team Members

10 10 National Team Training Kawartha Lakes Wado Kai September 5th - 6th was the first Shintani National Team training for the team. Kawartha Lakes Wado-Kai in Lindsay Ontario hosted the training and the team had the chance to finally train together after a long summer. We arrived in Lindsay on Friday and worked on various techniques geared towards improving Kata performance and scoring in Kumité. Saturday the group was divided into Kata and Kumité groups, with some moving back and forth throughout the day and an informative nutrition seminar taught by Mramor Sensei during the lunch break. Our Kata coach, DeWitt Sensei, taught us three Kata commonly seen in the WKF Kata competition circuit, emphasizing the expectations of the detail oriented judging panels that work at these events; the importance of stance accuracy and consistency in all Kata techniques; and the overall expectations in the presentation of Kata. In the Kumité training, Gosselin Sensei pushed his athletes to break down their techniques in order to By: Nicolas Gosselin Thunder Bay Wado Kai establish a new foundation and standard for scoring techniques in WKF competition. Sunday was a continuation and a wrap up of Saturday s training, which helped team members revisit key points learned and focused on throughout the weekend. Our Head Coach, Mattie Sensei, was active in both Kata and Kumité trainings helping us solidify what we were learning, focus on the key elements presented by his coaching staff, and kept us on our toes throughout the weekend. The weekend was not restricted to team members, but all members of the SWKKF who were available to join us were invited. We welcomed a variety of karatéka of all ranks from as near by as the Lindsay area to karatéka from Hamilton, Welland, Hearst and Thunder Bay. Throughout the weekend, I had the opportunity to get to know my teammates in and out of the dojo and felt that I left with a sense of camaraderie with them, even after having met most of the team for the first time at the tryouts in July. Group Picture of the National Team Workout I would like to thank, on behalf of the members of the Shintani National Team, our coaches, Head Coach Mattie Sensei, Kata Coach DeWitt Sensei and Kumité Coach Gosselin Sensei for sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with everyone, Team Manager Fidyk Sensei and Assistant Manager Mramor (formerly Ross) Sensei for planning and organizing such an exhilarating weekend, McCleary Sensei and Beverly Beuermann-King for housing the team members and all visiting karatéka, Reynolds Sensei along with his Kawartha Lakes clan for welcoming us into their club, supporting the team, working out with us, and showing us how they live Shintani Sensei s values inside and out of the dojo, and finally, thank you to all karatéka who took the time to come train with us. I look forward to my next opportunity to train with the Shintani National Team and all members of the SWKKF.

11 11 SWKKF Scholarship Recipients Please assist us in congratulating the 2014 SWKKF Scholarship recipients: Laszlo Veszi of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Quinton Brown of Arcola, Saskatchewan! This year s selection process was particularly difficult as we received a record number of submissions (15) and applicants were extremely talented. A tremendous thank you to the selection committee and SWKKF for their support of education pursuits. Laszlo Jonathan Veszi aka L.J. L.J My name is Laszlo Jonathan Veszi. (AKA L.J.) I'm a Shodan from Saskatoon, SK. For most of my life I have been involved in many sports and clubs, particularly clubs devoted to social justice and helping the community. Among these activities comes one that is second to none in my opinion: Shintani Wado-Kai Karate. I have been involved in Karate for nearly 12 years now and never have I dreamed of being where I am today. I am an assistant karate and shindo instructor at the Saskatoon dojo and am currently on the national team for my second season. scholarship. I very much consider the SWKKF my family and am looking forward to having the chance to contribute back to my karate family as much as possible using the money earned to continue my studies in Kinesiology and Education. Hopefully this will strengthen my knowledge of the human body, sharpen my teaching skills, and in turn help me become a better Karate Instructor. I am very grateful for being awarded this year's SWKKF

12 12 SWKKF Scholarship Recipients I rose through the belts at the Carlyle dojo (Moose Mountain Wado Kai) under Sensei's Jason Humphries and Joan Adams. On May 3 rd in Edson Alberta I successfully attained my black belt and will be looking to continue my karate at the Regina club and Saskatoon later on. Karate has been a huge part of my life and it has influenced who I have become today. I feel that we are all a part of a huge family and am truly thankful of everyone in the organization. Quinton Brown I would like to thank you for considering my application and selecting me as one of the two recipients for the SWKKF Scholarship. It is a great honor for me to have received it and I am very thankful as it will help me in my academic studies. My name is Quinn Brown and I am a recent graduate of Arcola High School. I am beginning my pre-medicine studies at the University of Regina come September and look to further my academia at the College of Medicine. I began studying karate 6 years ago after seeing a demonstration by two of my classmates and have been in love with it ever since. Sensei Quinton Brown Moose Mountain Wado Kai Carlyle Sk.

13 13 My First Year in Karate By: Trista Schweyer Jarvis Wado Kai My first year in karate was awesome. My teacher at school handed out a paper and it said karate in Jarvis. I was super excited as soon as I got home I asked my mom if I could do karate. Is it in Jarvis she said I will have to see what time it s at and what day it is. I ripped the paper out of my bag and said it is on Thursday 6:00 to 7:30 and she said we will see. It eventually came to that night so my brother and me went. I loved it but my brother was not so sure but that s ok. It came to next week and I loved it once again. Two weeks went by and I finally got a Gi. After everyone got Gi s, everyone got mouth guards and hand pads so we could spar. Then we learnt Power Kata and not long after that, I went to my first tournament. It went really well and I got first in sparring and second in Kata. For my tournament, I did Power Kata. down but I still had the National Tournament. So it came to the day of the National tournament and I was really nervous but in the end, it turned out pretty well. I got first in sparring and third in kata and I did Pinan Shodan for that tournament. Now I am a yellow belt hoping to get my orange this year. Thank you to my Sensei s for helping me achieve my goals. This is a great organization to put your child in. Then we started learning Pinan Shodan and three weeks after that, I had another tournament. I got first in sparring but did not place in Kata but that is ok. Karate was slowly winding Trista Schweyer The Glass of Water By: Sensei LaPlante A Buddhist monk walked around a room while teaching many novice monks about letting go of their burdens. As he raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on his face, he asked them: "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. He continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. He replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed incapable of doing anything." Remember to put the glass down.

14 14 Kids and Karate - Why do they do it?? One of the joys in karate classes is seeing kids develop and enjoy themselves. I thought it would be interesting to hear why kids take karate. The two questions I asked the kids are: Why do you take karate? What do you like best about karate? Here are the responses we received. Hope you enjoy them (some spelling corrected, but not what they actually wrote!!). I do karate for fun and for exercise and for confidence. My favorite part of karate is sparring. What I like about karate is that it helps you if you ever need to defend yourself. I also like that you learn discipline, get to play games and a treat on a special day. The games are usually games with karate added in. The sparring makes karate all come together. The sparring helps me make a connection from kata I ve learned, how would it/should be used in self-defense. Karate is a self-defense and self-discipline. My goal is to be a black belt and be a sensei and teach a class. What I like about karate is being around friends and learning defense and katas it s fun and I like it. What I like about karate is sparring. I like karate because I learn new things each time. My favorite thing to do in karate is spar because it is really fun. By: Sensei Marco Reyes Jarvis Wado Kai I like karate because it lets me learn how to punch and kick and defend myself. Sparring is fun, but so is learning pinan shodan. I take karate for some defense if someone tries to hurt me. The thing I like best about karate is that my parents give me a chance to go in it. I started karate because in the past I use to get bullied about anything really those people would fine something you hate or they hate and say something and tease you about it, that happed to me last and the beginning of this year. I use to get my head grabbed by a girl and yanked down to the ground at least 10 times now I know to defend myself and I want it to stop now I came along way thank you AS A NOTE ON THIS ONE THE PARENTS WERE AWARE THIS YOUNG LADY HAS A LOT OF COURAGE SUBMIT- ING THIS ONE. Karate to me is self-defense. Karate teaches me how to protect myself. Its also a full workout after a night of karate I feel refreshed and stretched. I take Karate to protect myself. I like a lot about Karate. For example, meeting new people, and learning every Saturday. I take Karate to learn how to defend myself. I like learning Karate with my friends the best. The reason I started to take karate is because I wan to learn how to defend myself so when someone tries to hurt me I know how to fight back Thanks for showing me everything so far, I ve come a long way so far. My favorite karate move is kicking because I am good at it And I have long legs. To defend myself. Katas sparring. Shindo. I like to be with my sensei and push-ups. PUSHUPS??? Doesn t everyone love pushups??? I go to karate class to learn how to stay focused on something which will help me in the future. I like karate because I love doing power kata because it s fun! I come to karate class to get lots of exercise. I like karate because its fun my fav is sparring.

15 15 Alberta Shindo Grading April 19 th, 2014 By: Sensei Walter Greening only fun until someone gets hurt then it s hilarious. Rocky Mountain House Wado Kai Like most grading s, there was a clinic the evening prior. Sensei Denis and Sensei Jim began the clinic working blocks and then tested our ability to catch flying shindos there were a few push-ups that followed. As always, everyone took away a new understanding of hip action & don t drop your shindo not to mention steering clear of Sensei Jim s jar of pickles. It was a great day with lots of work from the Karateka on the floor and an excellent day of Shindo. Congratulations go out to the following: Tom Elford, graded to Nidan Brent Miyagishima, graded to Nidan January of 2005 was the beginning of many people s journey on the floor being graded. Another step forward, another milestone met. Six Black Belts were grading for various levels of shindo (Shodan to Sandan) not to mention the many students looking to be graded the next rank. Clint McCrea graded to Shodan Cheryl Boivin, graded to Nidan Frank Hagenaars, graded to Sandan Ray Muller, graded to Sandan With my own Shindo grading behind me, I had the opportunity to sit back and watch the Black Belts that were being graded. It was a solid group presenting solid Shindo techniques. As a Black Belt teaching Shindo to new students, we talk about the danger in Shindo use and always use a soft Shindo when working with a partner. We talk about the hard Shindo and what damage it can do so it s important to have rounded edges in the event of accidental contact. During this grading, there was a demonstration how a rounded edge can open up skin no names will be mentioned but if you look on Facebook, I m sure there are pictures floating around. As the old saying goes, it s A special thank you to Sensei Denis Labbé, Sensei Jim Atkinson and Sensei Jeremy Johnson for their support in this grading. PS if Shindo is of interest to you or your club, please visit the Shintani website for more information. There are lots of Sensei s out there willing to work with you to make it part of your karate.

16 16 By: Sophie Sutherland The Kawartha Lakes Championships We were invited to the Kawartha Lakes Karate Championships by Sensei Kris Reynolds. I traveled from Thunder Bay Wado Kai Thunder Bay to Lindsay, Ontario with Sensei Denise, Sensei Nicolas, Sensei Gary, and Sensei David. We left Thunder Bay at 6am and we got to Lindsay at 12:00pm. We had a weekend filled with karate training, competition and a fun time meeting new friends and seeing old friends. I was really excited for the workshop to begin. At the work shop, my favorite part was doing my kata. I was doing Pinan Nidan. I got some good tips from Sensei Labbé which will help with all my katas. Sensei Garcia showed us some karate drills. In one of them, we had to squat and bounce while trying to push our opponent off balance. It was VERY fun! I met some new friends from the area named Brooke, Miranda and Anastasia. I hope to see them next year! Sophie Sutherland (left) sparring against Brooke McCleary (right) with Sensei Brian Chmay as a center Referee. The next day was the tournament. I liked that my group was one of the first because then I wouldn t be as tired. First, we did Kata and there were 11 kids in the category including me. I thought I During the Ontario Coaching Week of September 20th to the 27th 2014, the Coach Association of Ontario (CAO) held various free NCCP Level 1 workshops across Ontario. One of them was held in Thunder bay with the help of Karate Ontario and the Investors Group. Seventeen people participated from Rainy River, Geraldton, Hearst and Thunder Bay. Ontario Coaching Association Week By: Yvon Lebel Nordik Wado Kai Some members of the SWKKF took this opportunity to enhance their coaching abilities. These included Sensei Denise Baxter, Sensei Nicolas Gosselin and Sensei Gary Nichols from Thunder Bay Wado Kai, Sensei Lew Kempf from Rainy River, did very well at my Kata. Then it was time for Kumite. I was sparring against the girls in the group and they were really good competitors. After I got to see all the Senseis do their Kata and do Kumite. I liked seeing the Senseis from the club compete against the other Senseis. I enjoyed seeing Sensei Michelle Chmay from St.Catharines sparring against all the other competitors. After the workshop, we went to Boston Pizza and it was all decorated for Halloween! I sat with Brooke and I ordered pepperoni pizza. It was very cheesy and I really enjoyed it. After the tournament, I went to the Legion Hall with about 50 people. I sat beside Anastasia and the roast beef was very, very tasty. I looked at the armed forces hats and also looked at some of the old chocolate bars which looked really small. I stayed at Beverly Beuermann- King s house. Her family were great hosts and I really liked their dog Misty. I really liked throwing her Frisbee and playing fetch with her. That s what I did at the Kawartha Lakes Championship and I had lots of fun! Thanks to Sensei Kris Reynolds and all the members of his club for a great weekend! Sensei Michel Gosselin and myself from Nordik Wado Kai. This weekend was an enriching experience to work with Ken Benson (NCCP Level 4) and other organizations. Had a great time, met new people and will be applying what I have learned.

17 Wawa 40th Anniversary By: Sensei Duane Wenman Wawa Wado Kai During the Early to Mid 70 s Sensei Shintani was actively seeding Otsuka Sensei s Wado Kai throughout Ontario including some northern destinations that he became fond of later in his life. The time was conducive to martial arts and theatre goers flocked in record numbers to movies like the Chinese Connection, Billy Jack and Enter the Dragon. The television series, KungFu was also very popular at the time and offered fans a deeper look into the philosophical side of the main character as he always walked the passive and non-violent path and would only use his martial arts skills as a last resort and only when in danger. 17 from Sensei Girard and then return to Wawa and teach the remaining students what they had learned. After explaining their plan to the group at the beginning of the following class, all but a handful of students walked off the dojo floor and went home. And so with Sensei's Richard Leveille, Danial McCoy, Luigi Trovarello, Claude Denomme and a few other dedicated students who made the weekly trek to Timmins, the Wawa club started with two workouts per week. Everything was not perfect, the instructors were originally yellow and orange belts themselves and workouts often continued at a grueling pace. Kumite was hard. Bumps and bruises were not uncommon for the dedicated few, and considered all just part of the learning process. Not long afterward and with Sensei Shintani's insistence, stricter rules were gradually implemented and full-contact kumite was disallowed. Injuries in or during class subsided and the young instructors soon earned their black belts under the guidance of Sensei Shintani. Wawa Goose Then sometimes during 1973, a packed high school gymnasium welcomed a young man from Timmins named Don Girard. Sensei Girard, an early and direct student of Sensei Masaru Shintani put on a karate demonstration in Wawa s High School gymnasium. He was opening a karate club and was looking for students. Sensei Perkins, Leveille and McCoy Wawa Ontario Clubs Celebrate 40 Years of Wado Kai Karate Following the demonstration, more than one hundred people of all ages signed up for weekly karate lessons. The workouts were intense and kumite gear was absent or very limited at best. Quickly the numbers dropped to less than 1/2 of the original registration. A couple weeks later Sensei Girard had an accident while enroute to Wawa and wrecked his car. He regretfully informed the students of the Wawa club that he could no longer travel to Wawa to teach anymore. A handful of students devised a solution where they would travel to Timmins two or three times a month where they would receive lessons Karate, Tai Kwon Do, and martial arts of all types continued to grow throughout Ontario and Canada and moving into the 80's soon the instructors from the Wawa club were now moving on to new locations far and wide where they again started new clubs and introduced new students to the art of Wado Kai. Between Sensei's Leveille, McCoy, and Perkins, and Trovarello (whom is no longer active within the SWKKF but must be mentioned here) they now have several dozen direct black belt students teaching Wado Kai in numerous locations and provinces right across Canada.

18 18 Having said that, some of the original and second generation members of the Wawa club are still involved and actively training after nearly 40 years. Wawa currently has two clubs "Wawa" and "Michipicoten" with a combined average annual with hachidans; Sensei Labbé, Sensei's Bruce Perkins, Danny McCoy, and Richard Leveille, the attendees received top-level instruction on a variety of topics throughout the weekend and helped celebrate this important milestone. Following Saturday's clinic, attendees were invited to a steak Bar-B-Q at the local arena where following dinner a Power- Point presentation featuring photos from the last 40 years was shown. The senior yudansha then took turns telling stories about their karate experiences during the early days. It was clear to everyone that although our instructors are at the top of martial Sensei McCoy Explaining the theory of Positive spirit and Ki membership of 40 students and more recently under Sensei Spike Mills, a third club started up last September in the neighboring community of Dubreuilville with an additional 20 students. Since before 1990, Wawa has hosted an annual tournament every spring however partially due to dwindling attendance, has become a weekend of clinics and as one "black belt" member from the south puts it, their annual pilgrimage to the north. This year, the clinic/reunion was scheduled for the first week of June partly to allow for more outdoor activities and vacationing for the southern clubs, and partly due to the late winter weather that so often greets the attendees upon their stay in Sensei Leveille demonstrating a Shuto technique to the black belt group arts ladder, they were not always without faults. Karate and all martial arts were definitely a little rougher back in the 70's but it molded some of us into the determined persons we are today. People who respect their lineage and those few hearty individuals who in spite of the odds, believed in one man's dream for karate excellence in Canada and committed themselves to paving the way for generations of Wado students to come. Sensei Bruce Perkins Judging Kumite Wawa during the late April and early May dates. This year, although recognized as the 40th Anniversary, was actually 41 years since karate arrived in Wawa. Together Fist pump in front of the Wawa Goose monument

19 By: Sensei Neil Prime St.Catharines Wado Kai The Super Clinics 19 After that it was a jaunt up Clifton Hill then a drive along the Niagara Parkway for lunch in Niagara on the Lake (also known as Nagaondalake to the locals). After a carriage ride in the Olde Town, a quick visit to the Irish Harp, a window shopping extravaganza in downtown NOTL and a tour of Peller Estates Winery, it was off to the Bergen household where Henry's wife Andrea prepared a feast fit for Kings and of course Queens. After all, it was Jayne's birthday! Saturday morning was the first of 4 clinics (2 jr & 2 sr). Some of the kids had no real idea of who Mr. Wallace is and what he has accomplished in the martial arts, but they do now. I Practicing the Superfoot Kick On the weekend of September 13 th / 14 th, the St. Catharines and Kawartha Lakes Wado Kai Karate clubs hosted seminars featuring Bill Superfoot Wallace. The feedback from those who attended has been nothing short of outstanding. Sensei Neil Prime (right) with Bill Superfoot Wallace It was a special weekend for Mr. Wallace, as he brought his wife Jayne who was celebrating her birthday. We started out her birthday weekend with a visit to Niagara Falls where we made our first stop with a voyage on the Maid of the Mist. What a spectacular trip that was. I highly recommend that if you have not done so, you should. Once outside we ran into an Elvis impersonator who was just starting his act. When the would-be Elvis found out that Mr. Wallace worked for the real Elvis he made a point of having a short interview with him and dedicating a song of Mr. Wallace's choice, a Trilogy. Stretching after the Clinic have spoken to some of the juniors since and they have done their homework on the internet. More importantly, Mr. Wallace put on a wonderful seminar for the kids and they all had a blast! The adult seminars were certainly just as much fun. We worked kicking drills (oddly enough) but what I found most intriguing about Mr. Wallace's seminars is how he conveys his message. Not everyone is going to have the kicking range to replicate his undefeated form, but he has a way to inspire you to try. He is technical, but practical. He has a way of making what can seem very difficult, very achievable. And most of all, you can tell he has fun and loves what he does and you'll have a lot of fun doing it with him! On behalf of the St. Catharines and Kawartha Lakes Wado Kai Karate clubs, thanks to those who supported these seminars. If there is enough interest, I would bring Mr. Wallace up again so that those who missed this opportunity might be able to take advantage of his teachings next time.

20 By: Sensei Randy Mullin Welland Wado Kai So what does it take to get an old karate guy to kick above his waist consistently for 3 hours straight? Other than new hips and knees the answer is Bill Superfoot Wallace. The date was September 13 th and the place was St. Catherine s Ontario the following day the same thing happened all over again in Lindsay Ontario. All this was made possible through Sensei Neil Prime s close friendship with the legendary Karate and Kick Boxing Champion Sensei Bill Wallace. What an INCREDIBLE opportunity to train and just be in the room with such an accomplished martial artist and outstanding teacher. Bill Superfoot Wallace Throughout the session if you were caught sleeping at the switch or asked what was thought to be a silly question get ready cause the Superfoot Slap to the top of your head was coming your way Sensei Peter Avino, I still don t know why you got Superfoot Slapped Sensei Prime EVERYONE knew why you got the Slap. There was such a sense of fun and focus in this seminar that everyone in the room was disappointed when our time was up. We learned so much in such a short time that we all felt that we could learn so much more if only we had more time with this humble, patient, fun life loving gentleman. If you missed this seminar, it s safe to say you missed out on one of the greatest opportunities to come the way of our great organization in a long time. Do yourselves a favor and look up Bill Superfoot Wallace on YouTube and check out this living Martial Artist legend. Until next time keep on Kicking! 20 Sensei Jenn Topp, Bill Superfoot Wallace and Sensei Nancy Myck Sensei Peter Avino and Bill Superfoot Wallace We started the workout with some progressive stretching and warming up the legs for what was to come. Sensei Wallace took a top to bottom approach and got us sweating with just the stretching warm up! After that we worked a variety of kicking techniques and with each one he shared with us how to use each technique in a sparring situation (more importantly how to score with the kick and make it count!) I paired up with one of my favorite sparring partners, Sensei Brian Chmay the bruises on my ribs are testament to the fact when you train with Sensei Chmay you train old school no light touchy stuff. WHAT A BLAST. I think I tagged him a couple times also but he wouldn t let on that I did (insert cuss word here!). Lol Bill Superfoot Wallace and Sensei Lauren Pankratz

21 21 World Championships for Persons with Disabilities By: Sensei Heather Fidyk South Calgary Wado Kai streets, team dinners, riding the tram, eating all the various German foods and of course spending time with her most amazing coach (cough, cough) Sensei Heather. November 14, 2014 Sensei Natalie Olson represented the South Calgary Wado Kai Karate Club, Karate Alberta, and the Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation at the 1 st World Championships for persons with disabilities in Bremen, Germany from November 5 th to 9 th, Sensei Natalie secured an 8 th place finish!! Woo Hoo CONGRATULATIONS SENSEI NATALIE AWESOME JOB!! Sensei Natalie with some Team Members What s next for Sensei Natalie? She has a few new goals after this event including: bringing the AWAD event to Canada, continuing to train and learn new Katas in preparation for the World Championships in Austria in Sensei Natalie at the Complex Highlights of the competition included: Training with coach Heather, kata coach Katarina, and the rest of the Canadian Team. The pre-competition warm up area where she met many new karate friends from various countries worldwide. The tournament itself where she performed Kushanku in front of approximately 500 to 800 spectators. Carrying the Canadian Flag during the opening ceremonies alongside her team mates. Signing autographs & posing for photographs with fans. Receiving a new Kata Gi and belts from Arawaza. Hanging out with Gary, Gus and coach Denis. Cheering on her Canadian Team mates and of course watching the final events for medals. Sensei Natalie at the Arawaza Booth Sensei Natalie and I would like to thank all of our sponsors for their kind donations and support. Included in the adventure was a trip to the Mercedes factory, taking in the sights of Bremen s historical buildings and Sensei Heather Fidyk with Sensei Natalie Olson

22 34 th Annual Delhi Karate Club Tournament 22 By: Sensei Jim Atkinson Delhi Wado Kai The adult class attracted 50 students and many black belts and as always, Sensei Denis and Sensei Bruce instructed a great class. Delhi Karate Club Clinics & Tournament 2014: On November 13 th to November 15 th, the 34 th annual clinics and tournament were held in Simcoe & Delhi Ontario. The Delhi tournament has been on the third weekend of November for 34 years and was the first tournament held within the SWKKF for the season until resent years. Sensei Peter Ruch Warm-up The weekend kicked off with the first of two clinics on Friday evening Sensei Bruce and Sensei Neil Prime took to the floor. Another great showing and experience for all of us. I have always looked forward to this weekend so I can be the student and I am always amazed at how much I learn and how lucky we are to have instructors like Sensei Perkins, Sensei Labbé and Sensei Prime always making them selves available to share their time & knowledge. The Delhi club thanks them very much! Kids Green Belt Kumite the Thursday evening. Sensei Bruce Perkins, who has been instructing the clinic for many years and Sensei Denis Labbé were the instructors for the evening. In the junior section there were 60 students in attendance with a great number of black belts to assist in the instruction. The atmosphere was high energy and all the juniors had a great learning experience and a lot of fun. On Saturday the atmosphere once again was full of energy. The support from local clubs as far away as Lindsey and Peterborough helped make this a great day. Many students of all ages attended, ready to put their skills to the test, some nervous about competing for the first time others were there reconnecting with a friend that they haven t seen since the last tournament. Hunter Peeters performing a Shindo Kata

23 23 It was great to hear comments about how much they enjoy coming each year and how well it is run. This is due to great team work as well we try to create a family atmosphere. Our motto for the day is to try your best, have fun and make a friend! There were 130 students and 31 black belts in attendance. Just as any other event within the SWKKF, there were many great people in attendance. I thank all who have supported the Delhi event over the years, students, black belts & parents and hope to see you next year. Sensei Bruce Perkins Center Judge

24 Nishimura Clinic 24 By: Sensei Jasen Pratt South Calgary Wado Kai Wow! I don t know what to say about the recent Sensei Nishimura (7 th dan Wado-ryu) clinic other than wow, what a great weekend! I don t know much about Karate either but I can tell you that myself and everyone else who were fortunate enough to participate in the recent Nishimura clinic hosted by the Okotoks Wado Kai Karate Club (sister club to the South Calgary Wado Kai Karate Club, head instructor Sensei Christian Boivin) were treated to a fantastic and world class clinic. The event exposed both our novice and most experienced karateka to some great techniques led by Sensei Seiji Nishimura. The clinic karateka were exposed to a number of dynamic techniques as well as training exercises that included hand-eye coordination drills as well as footwork drills that saw us all hopping, twisting, turning, skipping and occasionally falling over ourselves throughout the dojo over the course of weekend. All of the drills and exercises used very simple pieces of equipment that you can easily come by wherever you are based out of: tennis balls, plastic pylons, rope ladders, focus pads, target mitts most of the contents already in your club s equipment bags. Sensei Seiji Nishimura, who won the World Karate Championship title in 1982 (kumite -70kg), holds clinics around the world all-year long and was brought out to Calgary after an invitation from Sensei Heather Fidyk (South Calgary Wado Kai). The Okotoks Wado Kai Karate Club were the official hosts for the event that brought Sensei over from Fukuoka, Japan to our neck of the woods. Long known in his native Japan as one of the best kumite fighters of his era, Sensei Nishimura was also the Japanese national team coach for a number of years in the early 1990 s after retiring from competition. What struck me was how incredibly fast and limber Sensei was, despite the quick turnaround from landing the day before the clinic. The time change is sixteen hours for those coming from Japan so he had that to contend with as well as having to adapt to the North American style mattresses that he thought were too soft. Despite all that I have to say I was floored, figuratively, by the speed, accuracy and power that he showed with a little flick of his outside-inside swing kick. It was Sensei Zac Raymond, SWKKF National team, holding the target mitts who got floored literally. Having been on the receiving end of a number of Sensei Zac s kicks over the course of the last few years I enjoyed, and I could have been alone on this, seeing him absorb a few of Sensei Nishimura s kicks. One of the best characteristics that seems to be common across all the Shintani Wado Kai clubs that I have come across is the ability of our most senior instructors to simplify and modify their techniques and instruction in a way that the youngest and most novice of karateka can understand. Sensei Nishimura fit that mold perfectly and whether it was dealing with a novice white-stripe 7 year-old, adult white belt or high ranking sensei from an outside organization he was able to deliver and teach an important message on the technique as well as passing along how important it is to be having fun and enjoying yourself while furthering your own development as a karateka. That s a message I would hope all the clinic s karateka, if nothing else, were able to take away from the clinic.

25 25 Thank you to all of the karateka who came out from across the Shintani Federation. We had participation from all over Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the North West Territories. Not only were there Shintani clubs but also a number of WKF clubs including Shotokan groups from Calgary and Edmonton making it a very unique clinic experience for all of us. As a footnote: there is a huge amount of video material out there as a resource for those looking to see Sensei Nishimura in action. You can watch full videos of his clinics from around the world and even catch some archival footage of some of his matches from the early 1980 s. Go to youtube and type in Sensei s full name for access to dozens of videos. Outside In Swing Kick 1 Outside In Swing Kick 2 Outside In Swing Kick 3 Group Photo from one of the younger karateka sessions

26 26 So how do things work in the SWKKF? By: Sensei Marco Reyes Jarvis Wado Kai I have been fortunate to work with a great many people in the SWKKF over the years. One question that comes up from time to time is how the SWKKF works in terms of communication. Communication within an organization of over 3000 students and 400+ active black belts does not come without its challenges! We are fortunate to have tools such as a website and communication between people is important as well. So as a student in a club, where does it all start? Below is a diagram to illustrate: SENATE INFORMATION? QUESTIONS? PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES CONCERNS? This goes both ways! REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES CLUB REPRESENTATIVE In your club if you had a question take it to your club representative, who will take it to your regional representative, and so on. CLUB REPRESENTATIVE each club has a representative. Sometimes the representative of the club is the Head Instructor, sometimes the representative is someone appointed/elected in the club. In the charter it states that the role of the club representative: To voice the interests and concerns of the club members they represent at these meetings. To exchange information between the club members and the Regional Council (i.e. upcoming events, clinics, registration dues, and all matters pertaining to established rules of communication between the membership and the Federation.) To attend sanctioned Federation clinics or designate an assistant to represent the club representative in order to pass the information to the club. A lot of responsibility for a club representative in your club do you know who your representative is? If not, ask!

27 27 REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE This is the next level. In the SWKKF there are a total of 17 regional representatives. These are the people who facilitate information between the clubs and the Provincial representatives. In the charter it states: The purpose of the Regional Council is to provide a means of information exchange between the Clubs and the Provincial Council. (i.e. upcoming events, clinics, registration dues, and all matters pertaining to established rules of communication between the membership and the Federation). PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVE There are a total of 7 provincial representatives a representative for each province in which a SWKKF club exists. This is now the level closest to the Senate. The Provincial Representative shall be responsible to their Regional Council from which they have been elected. SENATE The Senate is the governing body of the SWKKF. In the constitution it states: From the obvious item of running a karate federation, the job of the Senate is to ensure we follow in the teachings and ideology of Sensei Shintani. This is what the federation was based on and must be upheld. It takes a lot of hard work from a great many people to make this federation great! And all these individuals volunteer their time.

28 Delhi 34th Annual Tournament Memories 28