2012 End of year message from Sensei

Last practice this year was last night, 19/12/12. I am looking forward to the new year. The club has made slow progress but still going forward.We would like to wish Josh good luck in Denmark, looking forward to seeing him back in July 2013. Hopefully 2013 should be a good year for us all. Geoff and Martin are now 2kyu, good luck. Also welcome to Mike, Michelle, and Andrew who have stayed with us.We are looking forward to the new year with  them,.

Happy NewYear. Have a good rest. Hope to see you all on the 02/01/13  thank you all  for your support.

Bill Ware

Situations vacant - news reporter

Not sure if Sensei mentioned this last night as I wasn't there but that is the point of this news update. Since being forced to stop Wednesday practice due to medical reasons I have not always been able to keep up with the regular goings on. I feel this disconnect is detrimental to the club, in particular there have been quite a few tournaments and events the club has participated in that have gone unreported and uncelebrated here.

Everyone taking part in those events will have been praised for their efforts on return to the dojo or through the Facebook group. The greater concern is that the website is often the first port of call for prospective new members and if there are no records of the club taking part in competitions, succeeding at gradings or being active then there will be little incentive for people to join. At worse folk may even believe the club has ceased to exist and not bother investigating further.

Therefore, I am hoping there is a current member or members of the club who would like to volunteer to help with the news reporting. This can either be by forwarding information to me about what's going on and I can add it to the blog or by providing me with their email address so I can give direct access to the blog to update as you wish.

The choice is yours, ideally it will be someone who is attending regularly, confident in writing, computer literate enough not to be afraid of the blog/email and be online enough to provide updates as and when needed. You can be as active as you like but the bare minimum would be to report all those things that need reporting - seminars, competitions, gradings, visitors. Essentially what I've been doing up to this point, so you can see how regular that is. I'll still be available to help out but as a club we need someone to step up and either be the new voice on the website or the new reporter to feed me the information to share on the blog.

Thanks for your help.

Grading Success

'Liverpool Old Boy' Andy Checkley, now resident in Japan, has just passed his Nidan grading there.

Congratulations Andy, keep up the good work, we look forward to maybe seeing you in December/January! You may even be lucky enough to join in with the first Winter Training session of 2013, and you know how much fun they are!

Grading Success

Congratulations to Anthony Francis who passed his Shodan and Joshua Pullar who passed his Sandan grading at Mumeishi this weekend. Well done guys you've really put the work in so it's well deserved.

Taikai

Sensei is very pleased that Liverpool Kendo club reached the final of the taikai at the weekend. Overall the three teams did very well and most team members entered the individuals and also did well.

Beginner's Night 26th September 2012

Just to remind everyone that next Wednesday is Beginner's Night. For existing members please try to be on time so we can get ready and please bring any spare shinai you have.

Beginners please be in the dojo no later than 7:15pm so we can go through all the Health and Safety aspects. Please remember to wear loose fitting clothes, tracksuit pants or three-quarter shorts are ideal. For more information click the Beginners link on the website. Just a reminder that your first session is free and if you cannot manage it this week then we will only accept new beginners up to October 3rd [next week]. If you miss these dates anyone wishing to start kendo will have to wait until the next Beginner's Night in January 2013

New Kendo Kata practice venue

Joe's just confirmed that kata will have a new home, nearer to the dojo so hopefully more will attend practice. Additionally for club members these lessons are FREE! The cost of practice is included in your monthly fees so the only thing stopping you going is getting there and the new Venue may just solve that issue if ti was a problem. The club has always supported these kata sessions and will continue to do so, the change in venue will also reduce the cost of venue hire.

It will now be at Childwall Sports College, Queen's Drive Liverpool, Merseyside, L15 6XZ, normal times and dates but to make up the practices missed in Crosby there will be a catchup practice on the 13th August and then the normal third week practice on the 20th. We hope you can all make it

Practice changes

Please note the following changes to practice:

Wednesdays: for the next three weeks can you please arrive at 6:30pm and be ready in bogu as soon as possible in the Lower Gym at IM Marsh. We will not have access to the Egg Dance Hall and will have to finish by 8:00pm so please be as quick as possible.

Mondays [kata]: for the next 6 weeks Chesterfield will be closed to us, that translates to at least 2 kata lessons cancelled. We hope to be back training on September 4th [situation permitting].

Please check Facebook/Calendar/News page regularly, we will try to keep you up-to-date on practices and any further news.

Grading Success

Congratulations go to Joe Willmott and Anthony Francis for passing their gradings test at the Stoke Seminar this weekend. Joe achieved the rank of Sandan [3rd Dan] after many years of dedicated and hard work. His efforts are an example to all and he's a true ambassador for the club, well done Joe.

At the other end of the spectrum, but no less an achievement, Anthony passed Ikkyu [1st kyu] the first nationally graded rank undertaken. Anthony's dedication and persistence is a credit to him and to all those at the club who have helped and pushed him to this success. Great effort, first dan is just a small step away now.

Liverpool Kendo Club is immensely proud of both your efforts and continuing practice.

NO Kendo Kata on Monday (CANCELLED)

PLEASE NOTE KATA PRACTICE TODAY IS CANCELLED DUE TO IT BEING A BANK HOLIDAY! PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP OR YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

15th World Kendo Championships - Novara, Italy

If you didn't already know the 15th World Kendo Championships begin in 13 hours in Novara, Italy. Unless you're booked to attend or even competing you may need an alternative option to view what's going on. At this stage the All Japan Kendo Federation has set up a U-Stream page where live streaming footage should take place. If an alternative solution pops up I'll let you know. Three years ago most of the results were being shared via twitter tomorrow we may be able to witness it in as close to live as possible without actually being there, that's progress folks!

So point your web browsers here:
www.ustream.tv/channel/aj-kendo-f
and enjoy the biggest Kendo event in the world!

NO Kendo Kata on Monday (CANCELLED)

PLEASE NOTE KATA PRACTICE TODAY IS CANCELLED DUE TO IT BEING A BANK HOLIDAY! PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP OR YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Furthermore there is a Bank Holiday on Monday the 4th of June, we will be closed then also, a reminder will go out nearer the time.

NO Kendo Kata today (CANCELLED)

PLEASE NOTE KATA PRACTICE TODAY IS CANCELLED DUE TO A POWER FAILURE AT CHESTERFIELD HIGH SCHOOL! PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP OR YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

BKA Seminar and Kyusha Taikai - CANCELLED.

It's with regret that we've been forced to cancel the BKA Seminar and Kyusha Taikai. Unfortunately we did not secure enough pre-registrations to suggest the event would be sustainable. With a couple of other high profile events on the same day it was always going to be difficult to get numbers but the figures were even less than we expected. As a single dojo trying to put on a National event we could not afford the financial loss this would have caused.

We apologise for any inconvenience, all those who have pre-registered will receive a full refund of their registration and entry fee. Kyu grades wishing to compete in a tournament at their own level should look out for information regarding the Lidstone Taikai in London later this year.

Despite this setback we are also in discussion with the other North West dojos in organising a local Taikai. By sharing the competition we hope there will be increased support and shared risk/reward, therefore reducing the chance of cancellation.

Kata Monday

Kata is on Monday at Chesterfield and Sensei has asked that everyone make an effort to attend as there are certain Club related issues he would like to discuss with members. He does not want to sacrifice time on a Wednesday that would be better served practicing. So if you are interested in what plans the club has and want to know what's going on then please be there, thanks.

Sport Relief 2012, state your interest

Over on the Facebook Group page I put a poll up for those wanting to vote for their involvement in the Sport Relief Mile in full Bogu. A reminder:

• It's on Sunday 25th March, which is the same day as Ozawa Sensei's visit to Kashi No Ki Kenyu Kai in Ollerton
• There's a £5 entrance fee.
• If it rains you're stuck in your bogu until you finish the race...

We at least need three people to do it, ideally five or more and if you can make a decision as soon as possible it'll give you chance to hit up your friends and relations for sponsorship.

Sport Relief 2012

Just a thought, is anyone interested in doing the Sport Relief Mile in full Bogu? When I say mile there's 1, 3 and 6 mile options, I think the 3 mile one at least would be fun, so long as no one hits me I should be able to attend ;) Aside from the run there's a few of catches:

• It's on Sunday 25th March, which is the same day as Ozawa Sensei's visit to Kashi No Ki Kenyu Kai in Ollerton
• There's a £5 entrance fee.
• If it rains you're stuck in your bogu until you finish the race...

Aside from getting some sponsorship for your efforts that's it. If there's interest we could do it as a group, even those not in bogu could get the chance to get very used to wearing it for the first time. I think we'd look cool as a group, do some good for charity and perhaps raise the profile of the club ahead of the next Beginner's Night after the run.

Let me know on the forum or the Facebook group if you'd be interested in doing it

Winter Training, week 2

Once again we threw ourselves into the fire of Winter Training with over 2000 suburi in some form or another. Numbers don't really matter, the effort in keeping together and giving your all does. Thanks to all who turned up and it's a sad farewell to Inaie Park who returns to Korea. Hopefully she'll come back and we'll see her again.

Next week is still winter training, of a sort. We will be back in hakama, keikogi and there will be bogu as well, but as Sensei said we will only use it late on in practice. Also, for all those wishing to be part of the 2012 club photograph this is your one chance to show your face. This was 2011, a veritable 'where are they now'...

Hopefully we'll see some returning faces and 2012's beginners can feature in next years photograph.

BKA Seminar and Kyusha Taikai, online booking now available, book NOW!

Booking for 2012 is available now, click here: http://www.membership.kendo.org.uk/html/book_events.php Don't forget to select the Taikai Entry in addition to the seminar if you wish to compete, and why wouldn't you?

Cardiff Regional Taikai

Joe posted this report of the Cardiff Regional Taikai at Akai Ryuu Kendo Club on Facebook

Well done to the lads. 

Yesterday was an amazing success. For everyone involved. After an early start (we left Jeff's at 6.30am), we talked kendo all the way to Cardiff, preparing ourselves for the first shiai of the year. It ws Jeff and Steve's first time so they must have been feeling slightly more nervous than myself.  

We arrived at the Akai ryuu dojo at around 9.30 and spent the first 20 mins saying hello as always happens (isn't kendo a lovely community), got changed and warmed up for a 10am start.  

We were pooled with Cheltenham, Akairyuu B and Akairyuu C. We were first on against a well experienced team from Cheltenham (the order was Jeff-senpo, Steve-chuken and myself-taisho). Jeff put in an amazing performance coming back from one men down to take it to shobu with good degote but unfortunately lost to a further men. Steve had a baptism of fire (very early on) with a strong competitor who scored two men against him. I fough John Richards who caught my men. I was lucky enough to score men back taking my match to hikiwake.  

We found ourselves going straight back on against Akairyuu B (the hosts). Jeff stormed in and nearly had raised flags for a kote and then a men and was unfortunate to end his match in hikiwake. Steve the did the same ending his match in hikiwake.  I managed to score kote against their taisho. A blinding result (2 hikiwake and a win) 

Our final match was tha last in the pool, so after some shinpan duty we got ready and went out against Akairyuu C. Jeff was very unlucky to have a point scored against him, but Steve managed a sprited effort to pull it back with a hikiwake. I knew what I had to do but was uinabl;e to gain the win we needed (sorry lads I did catch his kote 3 times but I had blocked the shinpan's line of sight!). We were very close to going through to the knock outs / semi-finals but I have to accept responsiblity for that not happening.   

I was incredibly proud of being part of the first Liverpool 3 man team to enter the Regional Welsh Taikai and even more proud to be able to fight along side Jeff and Steve. Well done lads, we'll get more points next time. We all have areas to work on and we know what they are. 

Thanks must go to James Ogle, Gary Mathlin and Anred Le Roux for organising this event and we need to plan another trip in August.

Winter training

Thanks to all those who braved the winds to take part in Winter Training last night. It's hard graft but a lot of fun also. One of the other benefits is building team spirit and bonding as a club. We all know we put in a lot of effort last night and came out the other side, whether we have many years under our belt or have only been practicing for a few months. It would be great to see more members next week to help with this process. Start 2012 as you mean to go on, next week will be harder and tougher but you will be stronger for it.

Winter Training

Just a reminder it is Winter Training tonight and next week. Tracksuit pants/shorts and T-shirts is sufficient [no bogu]. Shinai, bokken and suburi bokuto if you have one. Get ready for the New Year and bring plenty of spirit.