News
2011 Karate Summer School
Monday 1st August to Friday 5th August
The 31st Summer School took place from Monday 1st to Friday 5th of August. This year training took place at the University’s new £22m Sports Centre which has just been completed. The Centre actually opened on the 1st of August and the course students were the very first users of the facility, which has tremendous amenities and a very friendly and professional team of staff.
Sensei’s Andy Sherry, Terry O’Neill, Bob Poynton, Bob Rhodes, Billy Higgins and Frank Brennan started the course at 8am with calisthenics conducted by Sensei Brennan before the students were separated into various groups depending on grade. Two classes per day were held throughout the week and also extra sessions taken by Senseis Sherry and Brennan for those students taking Dan Gradings in the near future. Sensei Ian MacLaren taught a series of Bo classes and conducted a very interesting seminar on matters of significant historical interest to Karate. Sensei Ivan Birch, recently appointed as Professor of Life Sciences at Thames Valley University, conducted an equally interesting seminar on physiology as related to Karate.
An Instructor qualification class was held on the Tuesday and five students achieved Instructor or Assistant Instructor status.
A social evening was held on the Tuesday, which allowed the opportunity for students from all parts of the British Isles and from abroad to meet and become acquainted or renew old friendships.
A friendly Superstars competition between the Dan and Kyu grades took place on the Thursday; games included basketball, goal scoring, sprints, sumo and tug of war. The Dan grades were victorious, adding another win to their almost unblemished record, having lost only once in 31 years.
Many congratulations to those listed below on passing their Dan Grading at the end of the course:
Passed Shodan
Brian Bickerstaffe
Charly Billington
Anthony Canavan
Todd Davies
Niamh Duddridge
Ryan Findlay
James Flynn
Stephen Garrett
Zosia Johnson
Connor Jones
Thomas Kyle
Stephen McDermott
Paige O’Donnell
Robert Tambourini
Passed Nidan
Kevin Christopher
Ryan Spencer
Course Instructors Sensei’s Frank Brennan, Billy Higgins, Bob Poynton, Andy Sherry, Terry O’Neill, Bob Rhodes.
The First Session.
Calisthenics.
Sensei Andy Sherry, 8th Dan.
Sensei Terry O’Neill, 7th Dan.
Sensei Bob Poynton, 7th Dan.
Sensei Bob Rhodes, 7th Dan.
Sensei Billy Higgins, 7th Dan.
Sensei Frank Brennan, 7th Dan.
Senior Dan grades practising Kata Goju Shiho Sho.
Ushiro Geri Practice.
Senior Dan grades practising Kata Meikyo.
Dan grades practising Kata Jion.
Special Dan Grading Class.
Lancaster University’s New Sports Centre.
