Kyu Grading Eton College 21/03/2006

I would like to say how pleased I was with the support and attitude shown at the training course and grading run by Sensei Mike Town of Eton College Karate club. I have already written to Mike and expressed my thanks for his hospitality.

For those of you who couldn�t make the session, Sensei Mike Town�s Dojo has a nice cosy feel to it and it is matted throughout. The facilities are good and it seems that the times of the gradings he has provisionally booked are staggered with our own. This I believe is a good thing, i.e. if student of either club misses a grading because of injury, holiday or illness, the chance to grade at the neighbours may exist.

I would like also to thank all members that attended the session, and although it was a late start and finish, the training that Sensei Poynton provided for the group was excellent. The first 20 minuets of the session were arguably the best I�ve ever seen! The level of tuition shown was the stuff legends are made of; (Obviously, if you missed the session, thats unfortunate. If you were at the session, then it�s our little secret!!)

Seriously though, as an instructor myself, I appreciated the way Sensei managed to incorporate everyone with the same techniques. It really is a fine art to provide a session that satisfies all grades. (If you don�t believe me, try taking a class with a range of grades between 9th kyu and 4th Dan!)

As for the results of the grading itself, I was delighted with Charlie and Danni double grading. The standard of the club has always been high, and I plan to yet still improve everyone! The whole thing kind of perpetuates itself. Train hard when you don�t feel like it and train even harder when you do. This will bring out the best in not only yourself, but everyone around you. It is so easy to sit at home after work, (or school) and just �veg out� in front of the TV, it does however take someone special to drag themselves out to train (or teach!) when they feel exhausted. I�m sure all of us (including myself) have dragged ourselves out and after the session felt on a real high. After all, isn�t all about the perfection of ones character?

Keep up the good work everyone, yours in Budo

Sensei David Austin