NOVEMBER 2014

For more information on clubs, training times, news plus up & coming events visit the SEKU WebSitewww.seku-karate.co.uk - SHOTOKAN OF ENGLAND KARATE UNION (1982 - 2014)

The Offi cial SEKU News Letterin association with

Zanshin Press

LOVEDEANON THE ROCK

As if the class on Monday 3rd November wasn not hard enough, four students of Lovedean Karate Club left at 4:00 am on Tuesday and travelled to Gibraltar for karate training. They were met at the airport by their friend and host Frank Hatton. After a quick whistle stop tour of ‘The Rock’ it was back to the apartment to unwind and prepare for class. Training began at 9:00 pm with Sensei Brian Smith concentrating on kata Jion with street fi ght application. Spirit and training was fantastic with every student giving 100%.

Wednesday was another busy day. Steve Pereira (originally from Gibraltar) took the opportunity to visit friends and relatives whilst Sensei Smith, Elliott Smith and Frog Thornton spent the afternoon with Frank celebrating his birthday, dining across the border in Spain. On Thursday they took the time to visit the Second World War tunnel system for a historical tour and meeting several local primate inhabitants. In the evening it was back to business in the dojo for another hard training session where the class consisted of kime training, combination work and kata work.

LKC were up early on Friday for breakfast before making their way to the airport for the return fl ight to England in time for the usual Friday night class. Sensei Smith conveyed his thanks to Frankie and his students for making their time and class so enjoyable.

Sensie Brian Smith prepairs for Yoko Geri Kekomi at the recent Gibratar Sessions

“LINE UP!”CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

Sensei Brian Smith and members of Lovedeane line up withSensei Frank Hatton and Gibraltar club members

LKC member are 2nd left Frog Thornton, Frank Hatton and Sensei Brian Smith in the centre Steve Pereira 4th from right and Elliott Smith 2nd from right.

PORTCHESTER CLUB LOOSES A MEMBER TO CANADA

Lou receiving her Shodan Diploma and parting gift at the Portchster Saturday Class

Lou Ferrant joined the Portchester Club in early 2010 and after the usual ups and downs of training attained her Shodan grade in October of this year. As a member of the Police force, on shift work, it was diffi cult maintaining a twice week dojo training schedule. However with dojo classes on Wednesday, Friday

and Saturday Lou was able to more than make up for lost lessons.Lou left on 30th October to emigrate to Canada. She has been a very popular member of the club, with an excellent work attitude and Lou’s spirited training will be greatly missed.

JAPANESE EXCURSIONInstructors Glen Frame and Marcela Harris from Bognor Karate Club have recently departed for Japan to train with the masters. This sounds like a fantastic adventurte so watch this space for more information on what they got up to.

TRAINING IN THE SUNSensei Dewey will be returning to Gibraltar with Sense Hatton and his team the day after the Portsmouth Championships to instruct at the club for the week and to conduct their next club Kyu Grading. I hear the weather is good this time of year and all you need is a tooth brush, a towel, a change of socks and your Gi. It is just a thought.

OUT OF THE FRYING PANAfter 6 years training at the Uxbridge Katate Club and representing the club in competitions, 1st Kyu Joanna Boyd and kohai fi ance Warren Longshaw have moved down south and joined the Petersfi eld Karate Club. The couple are making plans to get married next year, injuries permitting.

FIRST AID COURSEA reminder to club instructors that you and one other can take the opportunity to do the SEKU run fi rst aid course. It is important to know how to respond quickly to an incident or accident. If you are not confi dent about your own knowledge and abilities to deal with an emergency then contact Sensei Dewey and book yourself and maybe your assistant a place on the up and coming course.

CHILDRENS CHAMPIONSHIPSDon not forget the annual Children’s Championships to be held at Fratton Community Centre on Saturday 13th December. The event has been running for 17 years and is organised by Keith Williams. It begins at noon, fi nishes at 4pm and is open to school children aged 6-15. All SEKU Clubs are invited. It is a round Robbin event so competitors don not get knocked out at fi rst chance, they get a second opportunity to progress. The disciplines are ‘Three Step Kumite’ and ‘Kata’ where the judges look for technique and martial spirit rather than strength or size. This is a very popular competition with almost 50 children taking part last year.

NEW MANAGEMNET AT DOBWALLS KC

Danny Walton 3rd Dan has taken over the running of Dobwalls Karate Club. After successfully running the club for 3 years, Jason Hollister has decided to step aside.

WEDDING BELLSMike Smallpage, club captain of Petersfi eld, has recently married his girlfriend Beth. Congratulations and best wishes from all in SEKU.

NEWS IN SHORT

INTER CLUB JUNIOR COMPETITION

INTER CLUB JUNIOR COMPETITION

In August Petersfi eld Karate hosted a Summer Junior Comp along with Southdowns and Kokoro Karate Clubs.

Conceived as a confi dence builder for those members wishing to compete in November, the tournament was organised in little over 2 weeks and saw an attendance of over 30 competitors.

Everyone left with a medal and a smile and those with trophies showed fantastic potential.

Who knows, some of these new junior champs could aspire to be the SEKU squad of the future.

Amy Harrod achieved 3rd place in Kata

Offi cials line up with competitors and it was smiles all

around and a great day had by all.

2014 has seen exciting developments and progression at Petersfi eld and Villages Shotokan.

Matt Powell took over the club in October 2009 at the bequest of Sensei Dewey when the existing instructor retired for personal reasons. At that time the club consisted of 1 junior and 1 adult member.

On the 4th and 5th of October Matt and the club celebrated its 5 year anniversary by hosting a special course with Sensei Dave Hazard 7th Dan. The course was well attended by the club’s loyal and growing membership and was also supported by guests from SEKU, JKA England and The Academy of Shotokan Karate. After 2 days of fantastic and insightful training Sensei Powell was presented with a 6ft hand made Japanese banner complete with unique calligraphy for his home dojo. Unusually - this rendered him

speechless but there is always a fi rst time for everything.

Training is now back at the original venue of The Petersfi eld School as it was at the point of SEKU’s inception in 1982. Additionally classes are run in East Meon and Matt regularly teaches for a local charity ‘The Kings Arms’ who cater for young adults with additional needs.

In January of 2014 Matt invited his close friend and Senior in Karate Keith Williams to assist with teaching as the classes now boast every grade from 10th kyu to Sandan. As a consequence this alliance has seen class numbers continue to grow and the pair have developed an exciting a complementary teaching rapport.

With kyu gradings, Weapons-courses and competitions in the immediacy, the growth towards the next fi ve years looks certain.

September 2014 training session at Petersfi eld KC under Sensie Hazard’s instruction

5 YEARS SINCE PETERSFIELD REBOOT

This year is the 50th Anniversary of “The Portsmouth Karate Club”. (Yes we have documented evidence of the club’s inception). Sensei Mick Dewey has successfully run this club since 1974.

In June 1974 the Portsmouth Karate club moved from the Southsea Community Centre and Napier Road School to its current location – Portsmouth Academy for Girls. It has been a long journey for Sensei Dewey who began his training in 1967.

In addition to doing a full time job instructing at the club, he was also teaching Karate for the Portsmouth City Council Further Education programme. With the emergence of Bruce Lee’s fi lm “Fists of Fury” it seemed as if the whole world wanted to be karate experts and before long Sensei Dewey had 70 plus from the F.E. Programme with a further waiting list.

The Further Education members were persuaded to join the Portsmouth Club, doubling its membership and also at that time Sensei Dewey and Phil Elliott (another Instructor) opened clubs in

Brighton and Portsmouth Polytechnic (now Portsmouth University) They also travelled to Carisbrooke Karate Club (now Newport) on the Isle of Wight twice weekly, Eastleigh Karate Club came a little later. In June 1974 Mick, with my encouragement, turned Professional and persuaded Phil Elliott to do the same.

Phil Elliott left Karate around 1978 and Mick was unable to cope with the heavy workload due to his departure. As a consequence the management of both Carisbrooke and Brighton clubs were handed over to its senior members.

From the early days Sensei Dewey positively encouraged Dan Grades to go out and open their own clubs to “spread good Shotokan Karate”.

As a direct result of the Portsmouth Club Sensei Dewey and has been responsible for the instigation of

ar is the 50th Anniversa

approximately 21 clubs, supplying the Instructors. Sadly, some of these clubs are no longer in existence.In those days the club trained 5 nights a week, and it was nothing to have 30 + Dan grades/ 20 + brown belts training each night.

In this period and up to the present time The Portsmouth Karate Club alone has produced well over 160 Shodan/Nidan/Sandan/Yondan/and Godan grades - no mean feat.

I am naturally biased but I believe that Sensei Dewey is what I would call a true karateka. He is not egotistical, quite humble, and does not “blow his own trumpet” over his achievements in Karate, and he will always listen to others’ points of view (even if not always agreeing with them though!).

From the early days Sensei Dewey positively encouraged Portsmouth KC Dan Grades to go out and spread good Shotokan Karate. These include the likes of Sensei’s Brian Smith, Terry Oliver, Keith Williams, Emma Williams, Keith Lucas, Dave Galloway, Frankie Hatton, Jim Sutherland, Phil Bryant, Roger Stephens and the late Jim Hele.

The Portsmouth Karate Club was at that time affi liated to the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB). The Shotokan of England Karate Union (SEKU) was formed in 1982 and the Club became its Hombu Dojo (Central Dojo, Headquarters). Sensei Dewey, together with Sensei O’Donnell and the Technical Committee, have also run SEKU very successfully for the last 32 years.

Maureen DeweyAbove: Sensie Mick Dewey in the late 80’s

Top Left: The current Portsmouth KC Badge

Sensie Mick Dewey performing Mae Geri on Sensie Terry Oliver at the Portsmouth Club

Brighton and Portsmouth Polytechnic(now Portsmouth University) Theyalso travelled to Carisbrooke Karate

PORTSMOUTH KARATE CLUBhalf a century and still going strong

Hello to all and, for those who may not know me, my name is Andrew Martin 2nd Dan and Assistant Club Instructor at Crookhorn Shotokan Karate Club. Some of you may even have seen me helping out with the Time-Keeping/Scoring at the SEKU Championships and the Portsmouth Open Invitation over the last 14 years.

Well, they say time fl ies by, and I can certainly say it does, and I would like to say that I want to share with you the best 10 years of my life. I have been training in the art of Shotokan Karate for nearly 26 years with the odd big gap in between, but have been training back with SEKU @ C.S.K.C under the instruction of a very good friend of mine for nearly 35 years, Sensei Craig Ford 3rd Dan who under his teaching over the years along with Sensei Mervyn O’Donnell, I reached my Nidan Diploma in October 2012.

Andreww Martin with his wife, Maria

Now I rewind myself back 10 years to August 2004 and was gearing myself up towards taking my Shodan Grading but unfortunately I was struck with what I would call, for most men, a hammer blow to the head, as I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer(which is a common form of cancer in men aged from 15 – 35 years old). I felt my world come crashing down on me. Now they say lightning does not strike twice but you know that it does, because I had already been through this ordeal in December 1996 when luckily for me the prognosis was a benign tumour, so no further treatment was needed.

Now 3 years prior in January 2001 I met my beautiful wife Maria. I was working as a car salesman and guess what, not only did she buy the car, but I came part of the package as well. Yes I know you are all saying “poor her”. We married in February 2003 and later

has it really been 10 years..?

in September 2003 our son Jack was born. As you all know starting a family is very important and we were looking forward to hopefully having more children but as I said in August 2004 I was diagnosed with T.C. and unfortunately this time it was malignant so I had to undergo over 3 months of Chemotherapy as the cancer had spread further in my body and my fate was left in the hands of the doctors at Southampton General Hospital and the rest of the staff who helped me through the highs and lows of my treatment. I can tell you there were some highs and lows and I wanted to stop the treatment halfway through because it was killing me inside………

I would always be the joker in the pack but I can tell you at this point all my jokes and humour were only on the outside and not on the inside. I looked across the waiting room whilst going in for another blast of Chemotherapy and saw my son Jack

walk for the very fi rst time. He was crawling and then all of a sudden he was standing against a chair and just walked towards my wife and at that point my life changed and I was determined to move on and get a hold of myself as nothing was holding me back. So I returned back to C.S.K.C in April 2005 and pushed myself hard and attempted my Shodan in February 2007 but, unfortunately, it was not to be but that was not going to stop me one bit so, I achieved my Shodan in June 2007 and have been pushing myself since. As I was told when you get your Black Belt you will start to learn Karate, which many of us have heard throughout our Karateka years.So the moral of my story is: ‘DO NOT GIVE UP!’Keep going and whatever your goals are in life,whatever gets in your way, just keep going because it is only you that can achieve your goals. Osu!

Andrew Martin 2nd Dan

BLOCK BUSTER B&B COURSEOnce again the turn-up was very good with 80 plus karateka in attendance. The Priory Community Centre, South Sea was the Venue, Sunday 12th October was the date and the SEKU Black & Brown Belt Course was the event and it was great that so many had turned up to what turned out to be another great SEKU event. Grades ranged from 3rd Kyu to 5th Dan, and classes were split between two Dojos with varied content: Basic Technique & Kumite with Sensei Dewey; Kata Tekki Sho-dan with Stacey Crowe; Jion with Brian Smith; Grading syllabus for those thinking of entering a grading exam with Paul Uren; and with the upcoming Portsmouth Open Championships in mind, Point Scoring techniques with Squad Coach Steve Hollister.

With the forthcoming Championships in mind and in a classroom environment, Sue O’Donnell ran though the requirements for Desk Control Offi cials. This went down very well and hopefully we will not be struggling for Timekeepers and Scorers at championships.

Sensei Brian Smith appeared to have recovered well from his hip operation, just over a year ago and took the brown belts in the lower gymnasium and Sensei Mick Dewey instructed the Black Belts

Grading results were good with 5 individuals making the grade to Shodan. These were:

Tony Cappola – Petersfi eld KCNick Weeks – Petersfi eld KC

Louise Farrant – Portchester KCRichard Turpie – Saltash KCClaire Lacey – Lovedean KC

Dave Stares – Chichester SKC

Sun 18th JanuaryInstructor Class - Priory School, Portsmouth

Sun 8th FebruaryB&B Course/Dan Grading - Medina Centre, Newport, IOW

Sat 7th MarchLegends Champs - Bracknell Leisure Centre, Berks

Sat 21st MarchSEKU Annual Champs - Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth

Fri 3rd/Sat 4th/Sun 5th/Mon 6th AprilEaster

Sat 2nd/Sun 3rd/Mon 4th MayBridport Training Course - Bridport Leisure Centre, Dorset

Sun 3rd MayB&B Course - No Grading - Bridport Leisure Centre, Dorset

23/24/25 MaySpring Bank Holiday

Sun 14th JuneInstructor Class - Priory School, Portsmouth

Sun 12th JulyB&B Course/Dan Grading - Plymouth, Venue - TBA

29/30/31 AugustAugust Bank Holiday

Sun 13th September

Instructor Class - Priory School, Portsmouth

Sun 11th OctoberB&B Course/Dan Grading - Priory School, Portsmouth

Sat 14th NovemberPortsmouth Open Karate Tournament - Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth

In addition to the SEKU website at www.seku-karate.co.uk many clubs are takingadvantage of the world wide web and creating their own window to the world

Chichester Shotokan KC - Terry Oliver (5th Dan) - www.chichestershotokankc.comCrofton KC - Alan Lewis (5th Dan) - www.croftonshotokan.co.uk

Eastleigh & Winchester KC - Nigel Hosking (3rd Dan) - www.karatelessonseastleigh.co.ukFitness Factory KC - Mark Elliott (5th Dan) - www.isleofwightkarate.co.uk

Locksheath KC - Nicky Daniels (4th Dan) - www.locksheathskc.comLovedean KC - Brian Smith (7th Dan) - www.lovedeankc.co.uk

Mid-West Shotokan KC - Dave Guy (2nd Dan) - www.midwestshotokan.co.ukNeville Lovett KC - Jim Sutherland (3rd Dan) - www.nevillelovettkarate.talktalk.net

Newport KC - Malc Bradley (4th Dan) & Mick Lambert (3rd Dan) - www.newportiowkarate.co.ukPetersfield Shotokan KC - Matt Powell (4th Dan)

http://web.me.com/mattyp78/Petersfield_Karate_Club/Home.htmlPlymouth Karate-Do - Paul Uren (5th Dan) - www.plymouthkaratedo.co.uk

Portsmouth KC - Mick Dewey (8th Dan) - www.portsmouthkarateclub.co.ukPortsmouth University KC - Phil Bryant (3rd Dan) - Portsmouth University website

Portchester KC - Mervyn O’Donnell (7th Dan) - www.portchesterkarate.co.ukSaltash KC - Steve Hollister (5th Dan) - www.saltashkarateclub.com

SouthDowns KC - Matt Smith & Dave Galloway (4th Dan)- www.southdownskarateclub.co.uk

There are also 30 registered clubs advertsised of the SEKU Website

SEKU KARATE CLUB WEBSITESSEKU KARATE CLUB WEBSITES

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue of SEKU Update but don not forget the next publication is in March

2015 so there is plenty of time to write a short article about your karate experiences, or your club, or in fact anything that you feel other members

of SEKU might want to know about. If you have got an article or just an idea, I’ would love to hear from you so get thinking and give me a call.

Ken Lyons 07885 115432 or kenlyons1@sky.com