May 2015 – Announcements | a Jazz night | dojo news | please read everything

Dear all –

After all the recent changes, it feels like Napier karate hit it’s stride. The new schedule seems to be working well. We have a bunch of new, keen, beginner kids, and a few new adult students. And the new dojo really has a nice feel for training.

Please read all the announcements below.

First – We finally got back to our monthly intra-dojo competitions. The kids did great – and, yes, I totally forgot to do the teen and adult competition – so we’ll start that up this month. Congratulations to our youth sparring winners!

Kids
– Lydia Carson: Beg/Intermediate Sparring Champion
– Ashlinn Stevenson: Advanced Sparring Kata Champion

Second – Heartfelt thanks to Glen Stevenson (Ashlinn’s dad) and Alexander Construction for donating the time, energy, supplies, equipment, and man hours to build the dojo new bollards for the inside AND putting up our new sign outside. That was a big job!

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Important Karate announcements and dates for May…

1 to 8 May: Club fees are due the first week of the month. If you are using on-line direct deposit, please be sure to note, “Karate”, and the student’s name on the payment. Deposit to ANZ – 01 0685 0189 562 00

8 May, Friday: Jazz Fundraiser! Our friends at Jazz Joe’s Piano Bar have Hanna Harper, from Wellington, singing and playing piano from 9:00. Part of the evening is a fundraiser for our club. It should be a fun night – Hanna’s great! And I have some free tickets for anybody who would like to join me. Get them from me at training.

13 May, Wednesday: adults intra-dojo competition – I’ll remember this time.

18 May, Monday: Kids Competition Day: Beginner kids will be staying until 5:30 – Remember! If you have a championship belt at home – PLEASE BRING IT IN!

Look! COMING EVENTS –

2 June: No Karate – Happy Birthday Your Majesty!

8 June – Monday: Youth and Adult belt exam – GET READY!

– Please remember that karate progress is individually paced. We will send home evaluations with students to announce whether students are ready or not at the end of May – Beginning of June. Parents, please help your child understand that it is OK if they are not selected to test every time an exam is held.

– The examination fee is $30.00, due the day of the test, or before. This fee includes a new color belt, AJKA-International Certificate of Rank, and a grading passport (for all adults and green belt kids). If a student does not pass, they will be allowed to test again at no charge.

– Note: All students please try to get to the dojo by 4:30 on the day of the exam.

16 June to 3 July: Karate on the Road – Let me know if you want to travel with me and Gabriel to train in the US, Hungary, and Germany!

Special things to remember –

Remember – BRING A FRIEND… We’ve reinstating our original “bring a friend” program. It’s simple, you get a free month of training for every friend (non-family) of yours that joins our club!

Useful kata videos: are always attached to the bottom of these newsletters – really useful for learning your new katas!

Heavy Weight 100% Cotton Gis: You’ll notice some new gis around the dojo – our friend Scott MacKenzie from Wellington is a great source for high-quality heavy weight gis. Please let me know if you are interested.

If you’re on Facebook! Go here www.facebook.com/ShotokanKarateHawkesBay and like us!!

Winter Gasshuku: Our 6th Special Winter training weekend (Gasshuku) will be moved to August/September. We’re getting the details on a new location.

Private 1 on 1 coaching: I’m glad this has been helpful for a lot of our students. Gabriel will be available for these on the weekends. Tutoring for youth and adult students, sessions can focus on general karate and kata. Rates for Napier Club Students are $10.00 for a half hour, or $15 for 45 minutes. You can contact me, or Gabriel directly at: gwcotis@gmail.com or call 021.275.0331.

Please be sure to write or call with any questions or comments!
Yours in shotokan – elo