Local karate dojo cleans up at national competition
Elmira club takes on larger role in facilitating the Canadian Naha-te Goju Karate Championships
NOT ALWAYS FOCUSED ON competition, the Elmira Karate Dojo put a little extra into its preparations this year. Instructors were pleasantly surprised to find their students kicking the competition at the 28th annual Canadian Naha-te Goju Karate Championships held April 14 in Elora.
“We put a lot of energy into the competition this year. We did a lot more intensive training for it. We spent a couple of weeks going through protocol so students were a lot more comfortable with it,” said sensei Barbara Lamble. It seems that a larger role in the organization of the CNGK competition encouraged staff to tighten their fists on student training. This year the school stepped up as an administrator of the event, usually coordinated and run by the chief instructor of Canadian Naha-te Goju Karate, Kyoshi J Purdi.
“The head of the association is getting close to retirement and has asked someone to take over the association and the promotion, so we thought it would be pretty good if we could get as many students as possible to attend.”
Seventeen athletes of varying age split a total of 31 wins (first, second and third) during the competition that featured schools from around the province. Awards to Elmira athletes were given out in the black belt, teen and senior blue brown belt, junior and senior green belt, adult yellow orange belt, senior white belt and peewee belt categories.
With that in mind, how could the competition’s hosting dojo pass up a chance to show their mettle against fellow teams in a friendly competition?
“We are friends, we all come from the same place and more or less we do the same thing, but we do get a little bit of friendly bragging rights between the different dojos. We like to be able to showcase our skills in front of the other sensei as well. It’s a nice thing to do in front of the parents.”
This year the event saw 100 competitors from 12 dojos across the country. Competitors performed in three different events: Kata (tradition forms), Kumite (sparring) and Kobudo (weapons) for a panel of judges. They were marked on quality of technique, accuracy and consistency, Lamble said.
The CNGK is home to six member schools for which it sets the standards, with affiliations to various outside schools. There are close to 300 members across Canada.