DOJO LEADERS:
Sensei Kim Heaton (4th Dan) – Pinetown – Westville and Bluff KZN - kim.heaton@mweb.co.za
Sensei Tracy Staples (3rd Dan) – Kloof – Winston Park – Waterfall Area KZN - t.staples@telkomsa.net
Sensei Joos Huyzers (3rd Dan) – Kempton Park, Johannesburg - jooshuyzers@gmail.com
Sensei Eden Jackson (2nd Dan) – Scottsburgh and Umzinto Area KZN - eden@ubtex.co.za
BUDO KARATE-DO SA
Traditional Shito-ryu Karate
Kelvin Daniels (6th Dan) started his karate in 1967 under the instruction of the late Sensei Vic Sykes. Following many years of training under some of the top karate instructors, Sensei Shigeru Kimura, Sensei Tekeshi Masuyama and Sensei Keiji Tomiyama to name just a few, he has come full circle back to his Budokan roots and has the great honour of continuing his training directly under Doshu Richard Salmon.
The following is a breakdown of the karate classes that are available in the Upper Highway Area, Durban, Kwazulu Natal:
Highbury Preparatory School in Hillcrest, Monday and Wednesday from 5.30pm to 6.15pm for juniors and 6.15pm to 7.15pm for seniors.
Forest View Primary School in Waterfall/Forest Hills, Tuesday and Thursday from 5.30pm to 6.15pm for juniors and 6.15pm to 7.15pm for seniors.
Budo Karate-do S.A. teaches traditional Shito-ryu karate and places great value on the numerous kata and their Bunkai that have been passed down over the years. Dojos are friendly and offer instruction at all levels and ages as well as hosting style tournaments during the year for students to participate in a friendly environment. Each year the style offers students the opportunity to take part in an All Grades Gashku, normally a two day event. In addition, Brown and Black Belts have the privilege of attending a long weekend training seminar (gashku) at a beach camp ending with grading. ..
Trophy winners with Sensei Daniels
2020 ANNUAL GRADINGS COVID STYLE
Unlike previous years, 2020 has given us many new challenges and none more so than keeping our students moving forward and grading them during Covid-19 lockdown. In the past our Brown and Black Belts were graded over a long weekend held at a beach resort (TO Strand) on the Kwazulu Natal South Coast. Unfortunately with Covid-19 infections on the increase together with the required protocols we had to down scale this year's senior grading and have it integrated into the same day as the lower grades grading. In my opinion, under the circumstance this was going to be as good as it gets with Doshu coming through and joining us for the day. Sadly because of the spike in covid infections Doshu and I felt that it had become far too risky for him to attend. In the same tone one of our sensei from Guateng who was due to fly down to attend also had to withdraw from his grading.
We started in the morning with our brown and black belt grading which was run over three hours behind closed doors. Much to the disappointment for our grading candidates certain aspects of the grading had to be dropped because of the ruling around social distancing. This meant that we couldn't do bag/impact work, Hokai Kumite, Ippon Kumite or Ju Kumite. The main focus of the grading was turned towards Kihon, Combinations and Kata. At the end of the grading parents were eventually allowed in to attend the awarding of the grades. Overall and considering the long period of lockdown earlier this year the standard was good. It would seem that the Zoom Classes that had taken the place of normal training classes had worked.
In the afternoon we ran a further two sessions splitting the white, yellow and orange belts into the first session and the green, blue and purple belts into the final session of the day. Most of the candidates grading were our youngsters who in a normal year would have graded in June. The excitement for them to be eventually grading was very evident and in most, the standard was way higher than I expected.
Although the circumstances for the grading changed on a daily basis building up to the grading with even the possibility of cancellation , ultimately I believe that the day was a great success considering.
Very good social distancing!
