What’s the plan?
I went to bed Friday at a reasonable time, and it was just as well. Knowing I had to get up at 4am I was a bit restless and frustratingly I woke up at 1.30am. I often find it hard to sleep when I need to get up early.
Last year our AKA team had attended the HDKI event in Solihull and I had driven myself, Jess and Sensei Galloway and his daughter Orlaith. But this time we had decided to split the travel of the coaching team just in case of emergency.
Sometimes when random things happen, I often wonder if they happen for a reason. I simply couldn’t get back to sleep so surfed through options on ITV X the streaming platform. My subconscious pointed me to Doc Martin starring Martin Clunes and I watched a few episodes from the very first series which I had never seen before.
After getting my fix of west country nostalgia TV I picked up Jess at 5.15am as was the plan and we navigated the winding back streets before joining the M3.
After an essential refreshment stop at Starbucks, Dave called to say that they had suffered a blow-out in a tyre and were currently on the hard shoulder waiting for the RAC. This was definitely not the plan, but proved that our decision to split the coaching team into two cars had been a solid strategy.
Jess and I arrived at the sports centre just after 8.30am and were soon met by familiar smiling AKA faces in the car park. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful families involved with our work.
At this point Jess and I reviewed the draw sheet to check all of our entries were present. We then entered the hall and I was soon catching up with our old SEKU team mates, Paul Uren, Laura Uren, Eden Burrell and Becky Cox-Symonds. We have so many shared experiences and memories it always feels great to catch up and reconnect.
At this point I was scanning the stands to check in that our team were arriving safely and it was reassuring to see Nicola (Betty’s Mum) along with her customary bag of knitting.
Soon we were in the thick of referee and coaches briefings and I was happy to see Dave and Orlaith arrive safely. Thank you to everyone who brought me a latte to calm my nerves. Soon we were underway!
Caleb Joseph is as tall as me at 13 years old and will soon envy his Dad in size and stature. He is maturing and focussing on all the right things. His stances are becoming more pronounced and his posture improving. He was off to a winning start with a 5-flag victory with Heian Yondan. He then performed Heian Sandan in round two demonstrating firm and solid finish but was adrift with Embusen by the end of the kata. This helped justify the narrow 3-2 flag decision favouring his opponent.
Thomas Tasker-Towner had a bye in the first round and despite showcasing lovely stances in Heian Yondan did not progress against a strong opponent. Thomas has excellent form so with focused work on finish and dynamics this result will doubtlessly improve.
At 11 years old young Tommy Fleming was joining the team for the first time on the road. Our goals for Tommy were to enjoy his first outing, demonstrate his potential and feel part of the team. Tommy performed a refined Heian Godan in typical style but sadly did not progress. He was upset and disappointed but kept himself together. Well-done Tommy. A big step forward.
Ollie Brennan has incredible focus and a commitment far maturer than his 10 years of age should suggest. Ollie was composed and sharp but his Heian Yondan was pipped by 3 flags to 2.
Matthew Lloyd passed his Shodan back in the summer and his karate is already looking refined and improved. Matty is a tall lad with a powerful frame. In the first round he performed a powerful Heian Godan demonstrating improved finish and explosive action. In the next round he scuppered himself with a small mix up but was otherwise consistently powerful and confident. Mistake aside, great to see!
Betty-Rose had a frustrating first round forgetting to kiai in Heian Shodan. Nerves can affect us all in different ways but in the past B would have immediately allowed the onset of frustration. I noticed a visual reset from Betty despite her disappointment which set her up for the kumite events later in the day. Betty is maturing and learning to manage her own process at the events we visit. Not all progress is external. Well-done Betty.
Some of our team favour kumite, some prefer kata. By his own admission Bremner looks ahead to sparring and is often less keen on the kata events. But we had encouraged him to enter kata this time, and it proved to be a wise decision. Brem is a popular human with an infectious smile and character. He finds focus and determination when the pressure is on.
A strong Heian Godan did not win over the judges on this occasion, but it was in my opinion his best kata work on the mat for some time.
It feels like Eddie Ewens has been training with us for at least twenty years but somehow this South Downs dojo stalwart is only 13 years old. His opponent made a mistake at the beginning of Heian Sandan and Rock-Steady Eddie was performing solidly and positioning towards a win. Unfortunately, the pressure of kata competition can often force errors. Eddie turned the wrong way at the end of the kata creating a quandary for the referees and judges. Thankfully (as is the case when the competitors are the priority) a common-sense approach prevailed and both kata athletes were afforded the opportunity to ‘go-again’. On this outing Eddie lost by 4 flags to 1 but again it offered valuable experience, and Eddie did not lose his composure.
Noah ‘Lightning’ Duff was looking calm and collected despite the absence of his shaved in trademark (come on Noah get to the barbers!).
In the first round he prevailed against another 1st kyu and was looking sharp. In the next round his Heian shodan was bettered by his opponent but Noah stayed stoic and present. He is resolute and a considered thinker. Keep up the good work Noah.
Another of our 12-year-olds who favours an epic hairstyle is Jacob Storey. JJ was rocking a sub mohawk/mullet combo and as always was wearing it with pride. JJ was off to a confident start with a 5 flag victory demonstrating a dynamic Heian Sandan. In the next round he lost to an impressive black belt from the strong HDKI Irish team – no shame in that!
Phoebe Sanzen-Baker is an incredible human. She is one of those people who pulls everyone together. She has an infectious attitude to life and always has time to look out for her friends and teammates. Again, this was a first outing for Phoebe. Her goals were to build experience and enjoy the day. Despite a very close Heian Shodan Phoebe did not progress past the first round. But as always, nothing could dull her smile.
After the dramas of their drive up Orlaith showed her resilience by still warming up and showing up for kata. But on this occasion an absent kiai contributed towards a first round exit.
At 17 years old Rafael Jaworski has explosive and fast muscle twitch capable of creating power that many grown adults would envy. Rafael always works extremely hard and is quiet and shy by nature. His karate is developing beautifully and his time will come…. I have no doubt. But on this occasion the judges favoured his opponents Heian Sandan.
Back in 2020 I supported the South Downs students with Zoom classes when we went back into the second lock down. One of the students who was ever present was Jasper and his broad infectious smile. Jasper has a compact powerful poise that suits kata competition. He has also developed an ability to sense the preferences of events and can tweak his performances to suit. A skill which will serve him well as he furthers his experience.
In the first round he framed his Heian Sandan with wonderful stances and won by 4 flags to 1. He then lost out to a strong opponent in the next round. But we could all see his improvement and composure.
Ionut Hentea has a steely focus and wonderful attitude. Despite being eligible for the veteran events he wanted to enter the Black Belt kata with the ‘younger’ competitors too. Personally, I favoured his Heian Godan but perhaps I am a little biased. 😊 On this occasion his opponent prevailed.
Next up was Ciani who is currently managing an injury, and I had jokingly just asked her to focus on performing a ‘world class Yoi’. ‘Anything else would be a bonus’.
Ciani dug deep and took great delight in surpassing my plan for her and winning the veteran female kata with a considered performance of Njushiho. Well done Ciani.
Next up was Ionuts second outing, this time in Veteran Male kata. His first round opponent was very strong and Ionut showed resolve and composure to progress with a well timed Heian Godan. Sensei Galloway commented that this round would have made a worthy final and I agreed. Ionuts ‘warm up’ in the previous event had served him well.
In the final Ionut performed his trade-marked Sochin with typical composure and even navigated a small wobble to win the event with a score of 24.5. Excellent work.
Regardless of some disappointment our ‘Romanian Reset’ inspired a fresh enthusiasm in the team and we began to prepare for the kumite events with anticipation.
With kata complete Jen, Ciani and Ionut now all added support to the coaching team. With Jess Cheong owning the role of organising everyone with event updates. ‘Herding Cats’ springs to mind. 😊
Dave Galloway and myself shared responsibility for the kumite coaching with the plan that we would support separate mats and rotate around the arena as necessary. Dave was an incredible kumite competitor with an awesome focus and mental resilience. He offers a wonderful back up to those who step up onto the mat and everyone was grateful for his support.
Soon Dave and I were deployed to opposite ends of the sports hall while Jess skillfully ensured we were on hand to support our fighters.
Ollie Brennan always rocks a unique hair style and his Viking Esque plaits were only outshone by his mature movement and style on the mat. Ollie ALWAYS trains with incredible focus. With that attitude success is inevitable. Firstly a well-timed Gizami established a lead then he finished the round quickly with a clinical repeat of the technique.
Ollie Waring had a clear plan for his first event on the road. He had to enjoy himself, not turn his back and keep his guard up. Ollie has an infectious smile and is a kind soul. He stepped on the mat with focus and belief. Initially scoring with gizami he then secured his first win with a well-timed body shot. Mission accomplished!
In the second-round Ollie Waring stuck to his plan but was out witted by an experienced opponent. Ollie did great work and proved he was coachable and has wonderful potential at these events.
Despite only being ten years old Ollie Brennan studies karate online in his own time and always puts in extra work. He has the desire to go far. In the second round he looked increasingly comfortable and at home on the mat winning after a initial Gyak and then a long range Blitz combination.
In the final Ollie lost to an older opponent who demonstrated composure and experience. But Ollie had accounted extremely well for himself and commanded a great deal of attention. His best outing to date! Solid second place.
In the over 12’s Noah Duff was moving with composure and controlling the range to slip chudan kicks. He was fighting well although he was self-critical after. His opponent was older and more experienced, and Noah put in a great shift against the eventual category winner.
Eddie Ewens had a couple of byes which can be a blessing, but can also mean that the athlete hasn’t yet had the opportunity to dial everything in. Eddie’s movement has improved and just missed with one of his favoured Urakens. The desire to kick got the better of him and his opponent picked him off. But Eddie showed an improved presence on the mat. Perhaps he really has been training for twenty years! 😊 Joint third for Eddie.
Jacob (JJ) came back from behind to win his first round event. He then fought the experienced opponent who had defeated Noah, coming back from behind to force a time extension. His opponent then dug deep and caught Jacob with an impressive jumping tsuki from range to take the victory. Joint third for JJ who was frustrated with his performance. But from my perspective JJ had stepped up an age category and accounted extremely well for himself, pushing the eventual winner to extension. There is more to come from this young man.
In the 12 – 15-year-old ladies Betty Rose was clearly wearing her ‘game face’. A fierce competitor B can often be her own harshest critic.
Betty won her first round then came back from behind showing a new calmness under pressure to win 2-1 in the second round. She then lost in the semi-finals but her opponent was a good test and deserved the win. A step up in maturity from Betty who was worthy of her 3rd place.
Phoebe courageously stepped onto the kumite mat for her first time on the road. A solid show of courage but a first round exit this time. Phoebe can always see the positives, so I know she will reflect and know the experience was valuable. We will go again!
Scarlett Andersson was the last member of our group to fight in this event. Scarlett can stare deep into your soul. So, when she stepped onto the mat everyone could see she was extremely focused. In the past her incredible spirit and fighting attitude have worked against her and forced her to tighten up. In this event Scarlett stayed composed, relaxed and focused without the tension. Consequently, she moved with style and a better feel for distance. A beautiful round house to the body was a lovely score but her opponent prevailed soon after 2-1.
I was pleased to see Scarlett happy on reflection. Not the win she desires, but massive improvement!
The Male 12 – 15 years Kyu grade event was a busy one and as a team we put in an incredible show. On his first outing outside our association Thomas Tasker-Towner secured third place while Caleb and ‘Funtime’ Freddie Porter battled it out in the final. Freddie is a wonderful character and is instantly likeable. He simply loves kumite and, on this occasion, frustrated Caleb to win the event on his first event on the road.
I can sense a friendly rivalry developing between these three which will serve them well as they drive their standards forward. Thomas third, Caleb second and Freddie first….. boom!
In the Brown and Black Belt event the boys were split by age.
Matty Lloyd stepped onto the mat with a new found confidence that was great to see. His Gizami secured a solid come back point that was dynamic and impressive. But to win these matches he will need to manage the range and keep his guard up for the whole round. That said a huge improvement from the big man!
Bremner put in a strong shift but having come back from a point down was judged to be second to the next point. Unlucky Brem – next time make those points undeniable!
In the female kumite Orlaith was flying solo as sadly Anna Jackson had to withdraw due to injury. A frustrating day for Orlaith in a VERY strong category. Sometimes these days are what make us! Orlaith is a lovely character (I am biased, I am her Uncle) but the frustration of this day will be her fuel.
When a student continually does the ‘right things’ I feel an inevitability that their day will come. I feel this is the case for both Rafael and Jasper. At 17 and 16 respectfully they were fighting in the cadets and that is a undeniable ‘step-up’.
Rafael came back to tie his match with a powerful and well timed gyaka-tsuki and narrowly lost by 2-1.
Jasper moved with poise and scored a stand out long range Gizami in the first round before narrowly losing to a familiar opponent in round 2.
I am excited to see what both of these young men will achieve with more mat time and experience.
As the event drew to a close Jess, Dave and myself reflected as the team gradually jumped into their respective transport and hit the road.
All three of us sat in the stands to watch our former SEKU teammate Aaron Hill from the Plymouth dojo fight in the male veteran event. Aaron is a wonderful man. He has a somewhat sleepy, relaxed disposition that always reminded me of the character Shaggy from the Scooby Doo cartoons. Back in 2003 (I think) Aaron was competing with us in Slovakia and in a moment of uncharacteristic frustration attempted a big right-hand haymaker against an overzealous Slovak opponent. Luckily, it missed!!! That is a fond memory I will carry forever.
On this occasion Aaron made light work of his opponents with class and timing. It was wonderful to cheer our old team mate on from the bleachers. Go On you Janner! 😊Green Army!
After a full instructor de-brief at KFC (of course) Jess and I bid farewell to Dave and Orlaith and then put the world to right for the next couple of hours on the road.
Jess has such wonderful enthusiasm for our team and was a massive support to everyone all-day. We had a plan and we worked it. Jess was a massive part of that. Thank you!
As I reflected on the day I pondered our coaching plans for the day. The results we had predicted and the modifications that were forced to our plan by situation and circumstance.
I had decided not to travel up with Dave and Orlaith in case anyone from our team was injured and they needed someone to stay with them, support them or in the worst case accompany them to hospital. Being in separate cars would have afforded us this flexibility.
Like any choice or plan it can often be past-experience that helps form decision making. In this instance the travel plan was influenced by my own experience in 2004 when I broke my arm in a competition and had to stay in hospital in Nottingham.
The three days I spent in hospital were a scary and lonely time. I remember having one of those tv and phone consoles at my hospital bed that I had to pay to use.
One of my wonderful teammates with SEKU at the time who took the time to call me and check in was Paul Uren. Paul who now manages and leads the HDKI tournament. Paul lives in Plymouth and we trained and competed together many times along with our other friends in SEKU. In fact we used to alternate SEKU squad training monthly between Portsmouth and Plymouth or Saltash in Cornwall.
I wonder whether my 1.30 wake up and call to Doc Martin (which first aired in 2004) was my subconscious nodding to the Plymouth/Cornwall connection and foreshadowing the reminder of friendship for later in the day.
Regardless I am clear as I write this.
My favourite thing about karate are the friends and memories you make along the way!
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