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JOINING THE K.U.G.B. by David Gillies (2nd Dan)
This article has
been written to express my thanks to the Karate Union of Great
Britain and hopefully to encourage others to choose a similar
future for their karate. I run Gourock Karate Club, Gourock
being a town 25 miles west of Glasgow on Scotland's Clyde
Coast.
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Inset:
Left to right: David Gillies, Paul
Allan and Shane Cloude at the 'Nakayama Cup'
in Paris, in June 1989.
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I have been training now for nearly eleven years and the past two years have been more
eventful and interesting than any. On first contact with the
K.U.G.B. Head Office, I was put in touch with Paul Allan,
Regional Officer for Scotland. Within two weeks Sensei
Allan (4th Dan) was at our club giving a free two-hour
training course and welcoming us to the K.U.G.B. Paul had
a four-hour drive from his home in Huntly, north of Aberdeen,
before and after the course.
This gave us our first impression
of a K.U.G.B. instructor and as a result Sensei Allan has so far been invited back on a number of different occasions.
The Scottish Championships
in November 1988, held in Dundee, was our first competition
within the K.U.G. B. and we were pleased with the standard
of control and etiquette.
Our next visitor was chief
British instructor of the K.U.G.B., Sensei Andy Sherry (6th
Dan), who, after three hours of training, conducted the club's
first grading since our affiliation. Sensei Sherry took us
through various basic techniques and kata, concentrating on
strong attitude and discipline, stressing that the mind must
be developed along with the body.
One week later Sensei Frank
Brennan (4th Dan) gave three separate one-and-a-half hour
courses for all grades with the emphasis on correct hip work
in all techniques. The unwritten rule of our club is that
brown and black belts train on all courses and after four-and-a-half
hours with Sensei Brennan they certainly knew they had been
training!
In April 1988, Sensei Enoeda
(8th Dan), the Chief Instructor to Europe, gave a free course
in Scotland, this time hosted by 'Gourock Karate Club', the
course was well attended by karate-ka from all over Scotland
and a few from England with an attendance of approximately
200. Sensei Enoeda held gradings for Kyu and Dan grades in
which I was successful in gaining my Nidan (2nd Dan) grade.
This was the second of three
free courses (followed by Dan gradings) held in Scotland each
year. The first, in Aberdeen in January, with Sensei Enoeda,
the next in Dundee in August with Sensei Kawasoe (6th Dan).
The Scottish Region runs its own affairs but has much technical
and financial support from the organisation. A democratically
elected committee runs the Region. Throughout the year there
are many courses and events, for example - free instructors'
courses, free referees' and judges' courses, individual regional,
national and European 'traditional style' championships with
full Scottish squad participation and coaching from Sensei
Billy Higgins (5th Dan).
Frank Brennan was back at the
Club in May 1989 and after three hours' instruction the members
had their second grading of the year. It is encouraging to
see that after each grading the examiners sit down and explain
to each individual what they need to work on for the future.
The following weekend, my karate
was to take me further than I had ever imagined. I was invited
as one of only two competitors to represent Scotland at the
Nakayama Cup in Paris - France, the other being Shane Cloude
(2nd Dan), who runs Dundee University Karate Club. Accompanied
by Sensei Paul Allan, we had a most enjoyable weekend, spending
much of the time in the company of the top K.U.G.B. and E.S.K.A.
(European Shotokan Karate Association) officials.
In kumite I was eliminated
early, but managed to gain fifth equal place in the kata.
(We can't all be winners, but just to compete in such an event
was an experience I wouldn't have missed).
To end our first year with
the K.U.G.B., Sensei Terry O'Neill (5th Dan), came to the
Club in June 1989, and gave a class lasting over four hours
(more than one hour extra). Sensei Q'Neill held a mixed class
(beginners to black belt), with the brown and black belts
getting the final 45 minutes for advanced kata. This class
was unique as we were taught a very realistic approach to
our karate. As with all our courses, it was highly successful
and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
In addition to those courses
at Gourock, we have trained regularly with these and other
top instructors at various K.U.G.B. dojo throughout Scotland.
Hardly a weekend passes without the opportunity to train with
the best.
I hope that after reading this
article anyone interested in joining the K.U.G.B. will not
hesitate - it was the best decision I have made since taking
up karate.
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