Squad Training March

Dermot O Keeffe Sensei will be instructing our March 22nd squad training session. Dermot O Keeffe Sensei is head of JKS Ireland and an excellent instructor, training with him is highly recommended for all members.
10:00 Little Wolves
11:00 Children 8+ below
12:00 Adults and above brown belt
13:30 Grading

A Few Reminders for your diary

Things are really buzzing in Tuam for the next few weeks beginning with Faolchú squad training on Sunday in Total Fitness Solutions.
10:00 - 11:00 Under 8's
11:00 - 12:00 Age 8+ children
12:00 - 13:00 Adults.

November 4th: Sensei Dermot O Keeffe in Tuam
November 18th: Final squad training for 2012
November 24th: Faolchú grading with Sensei Scott Langley

So serious training for a few weeks and then we'll all take it a little easier and have some free time to write up all the things we want for Christmas!!!

Kickathon

Tuam karate students where really up and kicking on Saturday morning with many of our students coming out at 09:30 to endure the 100's of kicks and punches for the sponsored kickathon in aid of Hand in Hand West, the children's' cancer charity.
There was a great buzz on the day and the spirit and determination of the Children was out standing.
All money has not yet been returned but there is currently €1600 been raised, 80% of which will go directly to the charity and the other 20% is the beginning of our squad fund. The squad fund will be used to fund the Faolchú students who would like to enter tournaments.
A huge thanks to all parents and children donations have been exceptionally generous.

Sensei Malcolm takes 2nd Dan

Well done to Faolchú Tuam Karate Sensei Malcolm on passing his 2nd Dan at the JKS World Championships in Scotland. Kagawa Sensei and Yamaguchi Sensei held classes in Scotland before the JKS World Championships as part of a long weekend of karate.
Tweleve students where trying for 1st and 2nd Dan at the same session as Sensei Malcolm's grading. From early reports the required standard was very high as is to be expected from such distigushed Instructors. Nine karateka tested for 1st Dan with 2 achieving the grade and Sensei Malcolm was the only of the 3 testing for 2nd Dan to pass. A huge achivement and well deserved.

Sensei Dernott O Keeffe seminar in Tuam

Sensei Dermott O Keeffe will be teaching a course in Tuam on Saturday the 17th of September. This course is highly recommended and all Faolchú karate students should attend. Sensei O Keeffe has a wealth of experiance and while running a full time dojo, still has time to compete and win on an Internation and World level. All karateka are welcome to attend and can call Marie for further details.Sensei O’Keeffe has been studying Shotokan Karate-Do since 1979, just two months before his sixteenth birthday, and it was then that he saw the man that would impress on him the true secrets of success and achievement in Shotokan Karate… Good attitude and hard work. This man is Sensei Andy Sherry, 8th Dan.
Sensei O’Keeffe started training in Shotokan in 1979 under KUGB, graded to 1st Kyu under various KUGB Instructors including Sensei Eneoda.
Teaching from 1982 until 1993 and then again in 1997 to present. Sensei’s career to date has brought him to train with some of the worlds best Instructors and has gained great experience from them. Sensei O’Keeffe has been described as having a unique method of teaching, using traditional training methods as well as modern, to ensure that everyone who trains with him gets the best of old and new.
Sensei is a qualified fitness instructor/Personal trainer (NCEHS) and Neuromuscular therapist (NMT). He is also a certified Level 2 Coach with the NCTC. With this experience and knowledge of anatomy and physiology, it means those who train with him learn how to practice karate techniques properly, thus reducing the risk of injury due to bad practice. His only regret is that all too often, politics in Karate prevent Shotokan Karateka from training together as friends,regardless of affiliation.
If this was possible we could improve the development of Shotokan Karate in Ireland make us one of the best nations competing on the International stage.
Bio:
1982 My instructor broke away from the KUI. Took over as Chief Instructor of the Red Dragon Karate Club.
1982-87 Trained and competed with various instructors from different styles, Wado, Goju Ryu, Tae Kwon Do, Kick-boxing. During this time won many All Styles tournaments.
1987 Won the WAKO World All Styles and Kickboxing Championships.
1988 Approached Sensei Tommy McGrane with the view to returning to a recognised Shotokan Karate Organisation JKA.
1990 Received Shodan under Sensei Andy Sherry.
1990 Competed in the World Shoto Cup in Sunderland. Also competed in the ESKA Europeans Championships in Italy.
1992 Graded Nidan under Sensei Andy Sherry.
1993, August Tore medial collateral and damaged Anterior cruciate knee ligaments.
1994 Returned training and ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
1997 Returned training. At this time there had been a split in the KUI.
1999 Graded Sandan under Sensei Andy Sherry.
2001 Re-opened the Red Dragon Shotokan Karate Club.
2004 Graded Yondan under KUGB panel: Sensei Sherry, Sensei Poynton & Sensei Naylor.
2006 Joined Japan Karate Shotorenmei.
2007 Won JKS World Kata Championships.
2008 Graded Godan under JKS panel: Masao Kagawa Sensei JKS World Technical Director
2009 Won Veteran Kata in 10th All-Japan National Championships.
Over the years Sensei O’Keeffe has trained with visiting instructors like Enoeda Sensei (Chief instructor for JKA Europe), Ohta Sensei, Kawasoe Sensei, Kagawa Sensei, Kanazawa Sensei and Sensei Andy Sherry and Sensei Frank Brennan and many more. He travels regularly to Japan, to train in the JKS Hombu dojo under Sensei's Kagawa, Yamaguchi,Kanyama,Ishimine & Inada to name a few.Sensei O’Keeffe hopes to pass on as much of this experience to his students for many years to come.