The Cheshunt Karate club has two sections, an adult and a junior section. We like to keep the two sections separated, mainly for safety reasons, but also because the juniors have to be taught differently from the adults.
The juniors train for 1 hour at a time and the emphasis is on safety, respect and discipline. We want them to enjoy our classes, but we never let them forget that karate has the potential to be dangerous, that said they are still taught a large percentage of our techniques, i.e. the kicks, punches, blocks some wrist locks and take-downs but we may omit things like neck cranks, chokes and certain face attacks. We regularly use kick/punch bags, (one of them records the speed or power of a punch, kick or strike) and focus mitts to assist in our teaching and the juniors are encouraged to wear hand & leg protection when sparring. The class’s range from 15 to 25 students at a time, we divide the students into 3 or 4 groups so that they can train with people close to, or of the same ability.
Some of our juniors, to their credit have been with us since we started in 1999, some have taken the big leap into the adult’s class and others have fallen by the way side long ago. The path of karate is long and can be very hard at times and it is a test of the student’s character to stick it out through the hard times. In the summer (weather permitting) we train outside on the field at the back of the dojo, the children particularly like this and it is good for them to train on a different surface in different environments. The students are awarded a certificate after completing 100 lessons, which takes at least 2 years to complete. At the end of the year we have a presentation to award the students who have done particularly well during the past 12 months, students cannot be awarded the same award on consecutive years, the previous years results follow:
2006
Student of the year Daniel Rowbury
Most improved student James Chapman
Spirit CupTroy Cook
Best new student Sher Anderton
Student’s student of the year Sam Bennett
2005
Student of the year Shona Rowbury
Most improved student Charlie Salmon
Spirit Cup Bradley Roberts
Best new student Jack Bridge
Student’s student of the year Jack Bridge
2004
Student of the year Amy Ayres
Most improved student Daniel Rowbury
Spirit Cup Adam Holt
Best new student Jack Salmon
Student’s student of the year Sam Bennett
2003
Student of the year Sam Bennett
Most improved student Olivia Young
Spirit Cup Sean Geraghty
Best new student Simon Holt
Student’s student of the year Steve Saw
2002
Student of the year Calum Jones
Most improved student Steve Saw
Spirit Cup Sam Bennett
Best new student Roxanne Skorochod
2001
Student of the year Neil Paul
Most improved student Sam Bennett
Spirit Cup Mark Wanless
Best new student Karl Barnes
2000
Student of the year Martin Babington
Most improved student Laura Smith
Spirit Cup Calum Jones
Best new student Kimberley Davies
1999
Student of the year Emma Reaney
Most improved student Claire Heard
Spirit Cup Jamie Lyons
WELL DONE TO THESE STUDENTS, PAST & PRESENT
