Archive for the ‘Dojo News’ Category
Recent Central Illinois Shotokan News!
The Central Illinois Shotokan has many activities going on throughout the region!
For example: just this week, On February 27, in Pekin at a Tazewell County Health Expo sponsored by Pekin Hospital and Midwest Heart-Health, our Pekin YWCA Shotokan Karate program and Mapleton Rec Center Shotokan Karate program presented an educational and action-packed karate demonstration. The demonstration was presented by Sensei Rick Brewer and Sensei Ted Quinn, with help from Senseis Kevin Oedewaldt and Sensei John Garls, and included performances by more than 15 students of all ages and ranks.
Simultaneously: in East Peoria, Sensei Jim Hartman, with help from Jason Bain, taught 2 clinics at Illinois Central College, and in conjunction with the U of I Extension Service. 4H Director, event organizer, and brown belt Cathy Ludolph, presented the clinic to introduce our Shotokan to Peoria-Area youth.
And just this past week, in Bloomington at the YMCA, to answer popular demand, Sensei Carl Hartter started up an entirely new YMCA karate program; all in addition to our CIS, Four Seasons, ISU, and Illinois Wesleyan University accredited classes.
If you are in the Central Illinois Shotokan Karate programs, you are participating in some of the finest authentic traditional karate training available anywhere. Our students train with American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA) Certified black belts, who are dedicated to teaching Funakoshi’s Shotokan Karate, and to developing student potentials, and improving health and well-being. It’s a challenging and rewarding experience for the whole family.
Gasshuku!
The annual gasshuku will be held in August. More information will be provided at the dojo.
40 Years!
The Central Illinois Shotokan Karate Association recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with a great karate clinic! Students from around the area gathered at the IWU Shirk center for some good hard training. Sensei Elaine Hartter started the day off with a great basic class for the beginners, followed by Sensei Elston Flowers’ excellent (and rigorous) class on flowing techniques together. Sensei Jim Hartman was next with an really good session on kata and hip rotation that left even the black belts scratching their heads and wanting to know more. After lunch, Sensei Rick Brewer led an eye-opening workshop on sparring strategy for the advanced students. Then Sensei Carl Hartter wrapped it all up with an excellent sparring session of his own that got us all thinking (and some of us on the gym floor). It was a lot of fun, and we thank and appreciate everyone who was able to attend to help us celebrate our 40th anniversary!
April Seminars
On Saturday, April 12 members of the American Shotokan Karate Alliance converged at the ASKA Headquarters dojo in St. Peters, MO for our semi-annual instructor training seminar and black belt examination.
Instructor trainees were provided the opportunity to train with Sensei Chuck Kerrigan, Sensei Carl Harter, Sensei Rick Brewer, and Sensei Merlin Taylor. In addition to these valuable training opportunities, a black belt test preparation clinic was provided by Sensei Randall Hassell and the members of the ASKA Yudansha Kai.