Jens Fricke Sensei

We had the pleasure of hosting Jens Fricke from IMAF Germany in our dojo on Friday with thanks to IMAF Ireland. It was a wonderful experience to have karateka from seven different dojo and various organisations all come together to meet and train and learn.
Sensei Jens Fricke covered such a wide range of topics from kihon, kata and kumite , linking from one to the other seamlessly. However I felt that we where only scratching the surface of the class variety and knowledge that Sensei Fricke could offer. Hopefully we will get to train again with him soon.

Competitor of the Year

This week we have launched our 'Competitor of the Year' program. The program is designed to get students more involved, which is proven to result in a greater all-round experience of their karate journey.

The system is designed to reward effort and perseverance above all. However should the top succeeding competitor also be putting in the work they will come in first place.
There are 4 categories divided by belts and age.
There are also 4 club awards Tuam, Dunmore, Clonberne and Kilkerrin.

How do you participate in the challenge?

Participation is easy!

All you have to do is come to squad sessions and competitions to earn points.

Each squad session is worth 3 points.

Each competition entered is worth 5 points for every category entered.

At a competition you gain 5 points for each round you win.

At a competition you gain 5 points for each place you are awarded (example 3^rd or 2^nd) and 10 points for 1^st place.

National events are worth a bonus 5 points

International events are worth a bonus 10 points.

The selection criteria are designed so as the award will go to the most dedicated competitor, who may not be the highest achieving competitor.

NOTE YOU MUST HAND IN YOUR OWN RECORD POST COMPETITITION

Dunmore Student of the Month November

Dunmore Karate Club students who successfully won our student of the month in December. Well done guys.

Donnacha and Daniel

Connie and Phelam

Faolchu Grading

Galway Karate Club, Faolchú held our most successful grading to date .Sensei Alan Smith Sensei and Sensei Pat Murtagh Sensei

Simon O Dowd Sensei and James Mc Fadden Sensei Visit Tuam

A fantastic day's training with Sensei Simon O Dowd and Sensei James Mc Fadden.

Kilkerrin Student of the Month November

Kilkerrin sisters Jane and Eibhlins Collins win student of the Month in Kilkerrin Karate Club

Black Belt JKS Certs

Congratulations to our new Black Belts on receiving their JKS Black Belt certs.

Happy New Year 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our students their family and friends. I am very excited about this on coming year, loads planned to do and adventures for all.

Best Wishes, Live Long and Prosper from Marie & Malcolm

Friday Tuam Student of the Month

Tuam Karate Student of the Month Winners. Well done to Bartek and Lukas our hard working karateka.

Harrogate Dojo

Matt Price Sensei kindly welcomed myself and Jayden to Harrogate Karate Club in late November.
We travelled over on the Friday night, where Jayden participated and I observed the children's classes. A fantastic and buzzing group of children, a variety of ages and grades trained in a positive and fun filled class. All the while learning and practising high level skills that where basic principles to these eager students.
On Saturday Jayden and I joined a large Harrogate class which was in the majority adult black belts with decades of experience and training behind them, in what was one of their regular weekly classes.
Once again Sensei Matt taught in his unique positive, engaging yet challenging way. On this morning many of the drills where kumite related working on reaction, timing and fitness.
We consistently changed partners, which in a group of 30-40 gave me a great variety of partners. However unlike a karate seminar where we all have a tendency to be a little on edge as we are out of our normal space, these karateka had a buzz of friendliness and relaxation.
We finished off the session with Gojushiho Dai (at the request of Jayden) and some character building stamina exercises!!!

We where kindly invited to join the group in their Saturday post workout pub lunch and get together, in the local pub across the road. Ordering my dinner at the bar I couldn't help but feel that Malcolm would have had a difficult time choosing an ale (there was great selection of new beers on tap).

Three generations of friends met up and caught up on the week and made myself and Jayden very welcome, helping us out with advice of where to go in the lovely town of Harrogate.

Jayden and I really enjoyed ourselves and would very much like to return sometime soon. We are most grateful of the Harrogate Karate Club for making us welcome.

OSS