Latest News
Latest News
July 2010
New Monthly Gradings starting September 2010
Gradings will shortly be held at the end of each month, therefore all those students who have attended the required number of lessons / grading workshops, may grade at the end of the month. See our gradings page for details on grading requirements.
GRADING WEEK Saturday 17th through to Thursday 22nd July
With two hundred students to grade we started off the first gradings on Saturday at Nunnery Wood Sports Complex with beginners gradings. After some hard work on the course all candidates passed their gradings! Well done....but now the really hard work begins!
Sunday's Seniors Grading was a delight to watch, with the general standard exceptionally high - Congratulations to all that passed
DAN GRADINGS
The Seniors grading was immediately followed by the Dan Grading. Their grading was overseen by Panel comprising of Tony Harvey 4th Dan (Staffordshire Wado Ryu), Glen Baylis 3rd Dan (West Brom Karate Kai) and Justine Wilson-Cleife 3rd (Tobi Ishi Kai). Grading commenced with a written test and was followed by an intense grilling on kihon, ren raku waza, pair work from the Wadokai and wado Ryu syllabus. There was exceptional talent shown in the Kata and in the kumite and both Callum Whatmore and Ciaran Alexander passed with first class passes.
Monday Gradings at Pitmaston Primary School
Tuesday Gradings at Cutnall Green Primary School
Thursday St Josephs gradings moved to Physique-Fitness, Droitwich
June 2010
Bob Nash Course
Our thanks to Jamie Jewel for hosting this fantastic course with Sensei Bob Nash
Tobi Ishi Kai Elite Squad Team take Gold at NOC
Elite squad members Tara Wilson, Callum Whatmore & Emily Davies were entered into the Northern Open Classic under English Wado Federation on Sunday 6th June 2010. Arrival at the Open International Championships started with queues trailing around the side of the Sports Centre - we knew then we were in for a well attended competition. We soon spotted many familier faces with competitors and coaches who also travel all round the country most weekends - this was not going to be an easy ride for our students.
Mats where packed with an average of 32 competitors per category in individual kata and all team members managed top performances although just missed out on individual medals. Tobi's Elite Team had been practising all week, working on perfecting a new timing on Kushanku. They executed stunning performances on all rounds, eliminating team after team with 3 flags to 0. This really was a well deserved GOLD - well done!
May 2010
England Karate Kan OPEN KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 23rd May 2010
Wado traditionally finds open competition a challenge, however students at Tobi Ishi Kai and English Wado Federation are always open to challenges and medalled well at a competition that was attended by the EFK National Squad - Well Done!
Competition Results
|
Tara Wilson |
Individual Kata Team Kata Individual Kata Team Kata Pairs Kata Team Kata Pairs Kata Individual Kata Individual Kata Individual Kata |
BRONZE |
West Bromwich Kata & Kumite Competition 2nd May 2010
Congratulations to all Squad members that attended. Tobi Ishi Kai came away as the overall winner of the competition achieving more medals and trophies that any other club.
|
Callum Whatmore |
Individual Kata |
GOLD |
Norma Foster 7th Dan Shitei Kata Course
EWF had the great privilege to hold a course with Norma Foster on Sunday 18th April. The course looked at the Shitei katas from both an instructor's view point, with intricate detail on technique and application, but also the athlete's, who gained insight into the expectations and requirements for competition at the highest level.
We would very much like to thank Norma for flying out from Canada as well as all the referees, instructors and students who attended the course making it a day to remember.
Okasan Course Chichester 11th April 2010
A big thank you to all that supported the course and open day at Okasan Karate Club in Bognor on Sunday 11th April. Although Okasan is a relatively new club to EWF, members travelled from all over the South and Midlands to attend, underscoring the value our members place in their reciprocal membership. The course commenced with kihon training from Sensei Ray Field 5th Dan and was followed by a dynamic kumite session given by Sensei Alan Troughton. In the final session of the course, the students where treated to a weapons class by Sensei Mark Beeby 6th Dan.
PeeWee Squad Training
Well don to all our younger students who attended the first squad training for 9yrs and under at the Droitwich Dojo on Saturday 10th April. The training is designed to home in on potential and develop a talented squad for the future. All involved had a great time - the parents too!
ARCHIVE NEWS
December 2009
Congratulations to the squad members who attended the Western Karate Union competition on 6th December 2009. Competition Results:
| Callum Whatmore Connor Albutt Kyle Harding Daniel Banks Callum Whatmore |
Individual Kata Team Kata Team Kata Team Kata Kumite |
GOLD GOLD GOLD GOLD GOLD |
July 2009
English Wado Federation Squad Session
Sunday the 26th July 2009 saw the first selection of an English Wado Federation international squad. Over twenty students were short listed to attend the final selection for both kata and kumite. The successful students will represent us at the AMA International Open in Dublin on 3rd October 2009. We obviously wish them every success in this competition.
The squad training sessions are becoming more popular as the year progresses with the standards in both kata and kumite increasing. New members are adding to the diversity of the training with instructors adding ideas to the pot, some work and some don’t, some of these new idea’s have given us surprising results and have become part of the training schedule. We are pleased to see that several of the younger students have now become interested in kumite as well as kata and are proving to be very adept.
The average squad attendance is over forty students and this gives us the ability to select students for competitions at different levels so that all students have the opportunity to represent EWF. It is the policy of EWF to allow all students of EWF to attend squad training sessions so that they may improve their kata and kumite skills.
Looking forward to a brighter future.
M Beeby. Sensei.
Terry Wingrove Course July 2009
Click here to read a full report.
Sensei Mark Beeby receives his 6th Dan
For most of us in the Wado fraternity 2008 was our Annus Grotius, certainly a year for us all to forget.
However, out of the confusion & chaos came a stronger unity with those who feel that justice & friendship make stronger allies than agenda & ego.
Mark, Justine and Ray had the good fortune to unite, to create and form the English Wado Federation, and in turn became very close allies with us at the Alliance of International Wado-ryu (AIWa). As you may know Mark has worked tirelessly in constructing the EWF, so much so that at times it can take its toll. However, because of his tenacity he has gained a very strong following and unity within, with a very strong membership of support all around him.
I feel that the competitive standards that have been promoted within the EWF are second to none, and the Wado world in the UK must now quaking knowing that there are some, if not many, in EWF membership that are top world-class practitioners. I have known Mark from as long as our association within our previous affiliation to Wadokai England, and I know him to be the most conscientious in all his efforts to make his students and instructors under him top priority. Unlike many other instructors outside of our network, we take pride in attempting to make our students better than ourselves.
In light and recognition of his dedication, commitment, loyalty, and enthusiasm with Wado Karate
it gives me great pleasure to present and award Mark Beeby with the rank of 6th Dan within the Alliance
of International Wado-ryu.
Gary E Swift (7th Dan) Kyoshi, AIWa President.
