NEWS & EVENTS 2018
The end of an era.
It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that our Kashi Besso Hombu dojo Plymouth has been forced to close, due to low and irregular attendance.
During the clubs existence, since September 2002, many people have trained with us, with five of these obtaining varying Dan grades.
However training will continue at our Minami Oka dojo in South Brent which has been the home of Adel Gibson Sensei's club for a year now.
Full details of our new Hombu dojo are on our Dojo & fees page.
Graham Chuck.
It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that our Kashi Besso Hombu dojo Plymouth has been forced to close, due to low and irregular attendance.
During the clubs existence, since September 2002, many people have trained with us, with five of these obtaining varying Dan grades.
However training will continue at our Minami Oka dojo in South Brent which has been the home of Adel Gibson Sensei's club for a year now.
Full details of our new Hombu dojo are on our Dojo & fees page.
Graham Chuck.
George Grimes Kyoshi with the course students.
Niseishi course Bristol, April 8th.
Adel Gibson and myself attended our first course this year with George Grimes Kyoshi, the theme of which was kata Niseishi. We were shown both versions of the kata as practised within the Wadoryu Renmei.
We then went on to practise some applications from the kata, but sadly as usual the time went all too quickly.
Lots of knowledge gained, and a nice insight into how the other Wado groups kata are practised.
G. Chuck.
Adel Gibson and myself attended our first course this year with George Grimes Kyoshi, the theme of which was kata Niseishi. We were shown both versions of the kata as practised within the Wadoryu Renmei.
We then went on to practise some applications from the kata, but sadly as usual the time went all too quickly.
Lots of knowledge gained, and a nice insight into how the other Wado groups kata are practised.
G. Chuck.
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Minami Oka Dojo Kyu shinsa April 3rd 2018. Congratulations to Jack Ford on his promotion to 8th Kyu and to Georgia Hallett-Archer on her promotion to 7th Kyu. Jack recently joined the Dojo having trained in Shotokan many years ago and starting from beginner once more. The grading panel consisted of Minami Oka club instructor Adel Gibson 3rd Dan & Graham Chuck 7th Dan. Congratulations to you both! |
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Pete Whitney's retirement.
My good friend Pete Whitney 7th Dan and chief instructor of the Swindon Oasis Higashi Karate Kai has announced his retirement from teaching Karate, aged 81! Pete began training in 1966, originally in Kempo Karate before joining the Higashi Karate Kai and changing to Wado. He had an extensive competition career before retiring from competition aged 40. I have had the pleasure of knowing Pete since the 11th of March 1983. The reason I remember the date so well? A friend, and fellow Karateka, and myself were visiting the Wiltshire town of Swindon for the weekend and I'd phoned Pete beforehand to ask if we could visit his club whilst we were there. No problem he said. Come Friday night we turned up at the Oasis sports centre and walked into a hall packed full of Karateka. We found Pete and introduced ourselves, he stood up and immediately made us welcome. After one of the best training sessions we'd had he invited us to join him and the club members for a drink. In that short time I knew I had to train at this club again, and we visited a few times after. A year later I had written to Pete for some addresses of clubs within Higashi. This led to me spening 13 happy years as a member of Higashi and during that time our friendship developed. My appreciation of him as an instructor involved making return journeys from Romford in Essex to Swindon and back just for a training session, and since relocating to Devon I've continued to make those visits accompanied by my students. After I left HKK we lost touch for a while, but fate brought us back together. I would visit his club whenever I could, sometimes taking some of my students along to train as well. One time that springs to mind was in 2000 when four Kenkyukai members and myself were going to visit pete's club for a session, en route to South Wales as I was teaching a course there that weekend. I'd left a message on Pete's answering machine to say we'd be visiting. When we walked into the Dojo Pete was nowhere to be seen, and upon asking I was told he was away for a week. However about 15 minutes into the session Pete walked in saying he'd just got back, heard my message and couldn't miss being there as we'd come all the way down. That's the type of man he is, loyal and dedicated. It's that loyalty and dedication to Karate in this country that saw him qualifying as a top class referee, travelling all over the country to help with the officiating at countless events, all for his love of Karate. He transferred that knowledge to others as chief referee for the HKK and I am proud, and honoured, to say that he was the person that taught me everything about being a Kumite referee. Pete I just want to say thank you for your valued friendship, the training, the knowledge and the inspiration that you have given me these last 35 years. Enjoy your retirement my good friend. Graham Chuck. Footnote: Pete contacted me and added that he has given up the running of the club regarding bookings, accounts etc but is still teaching on a Tuesday night! For more information visit http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/15924824.Karate_coach_Pete__81__gives_fighting_the_chop/ |
Pete Whitney and myself in July 2000.
L-R: Adel Gibson, myself, Pete Whitney, Luke Stinchcomb & Tom Green 2009.
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