Hicks students add 16 black belts to school

Hicks Karate School are celebrating adding 16 new black belts and a 2nd dan to their school.

Most of the students have been there since the doors of the family martial arts centre opened in 2012.

Sensei Andrew Hicks said: “To take students from preschool age and to train them solidly week in week out for seven years is a huge achievement.

“To get one student from every intake year to black belt is an achievement but to have so many dedicated enough to achieve it is a credit to our school and a proud moment.”

External visiting grading instructor Sensei Gary Smith from Sepoy Karate commented on the extremely high standard.

The belt upgrades also saw instructors David Prior achieve his 1st Dan Black belt grade and Van Duyn achieved his 2nd Dan.

Sensei Hicks added: “It also saw one of our STORM (Super Team of Role Models, made up of junior students to assist in beginners classes) Mollie Godfrey achieve her 1st Dan Black belt and she will now begin her role as a junior instructor.”

Top scorer of the day was 15-year-old Elise Ward who passed her junior black belt with a merit score. Everyone passed with extremely high scores after an intense seven and a half hour testing involving fitness, endurance, martial arts skills, defence skills and implementing high standard techniques.

Visit www.hickskarate.co.uk • or call 01733 810043 / 07974196256 for more information. Celebrating their black belt achievements (back from left) are: Hicks Karate School’s Sensei Andrew Hicks, Jack Tarney, Kamto Onwukeme, Mollie Godfrey, Elise Ward, Aaron Leonard, David Prior, Rob Van Duyn, Sensei Gary Smith, Miss Atlanta Hickman. Front: Scarlett Tarney, Morgan Page, Sandra Sajosh, James Dodds, Libby Schaedel, Kian Nicholls, Ashton Nicholls, Ashton Addinall, Warren Bothamley.