The grading was scheduled to begin at 11.00am. I arrived early at around 10.00am and was surprised to find the ‘VIP’ car park, which had been set aside for us, full! I had found out by chance a couple of weeks earlier that the annual “Race for Life” charity run was taking place at the same time as our grading and had been told that it would be a busy day. That was an understatement to say the least. The traffic congestion around the sports centre was hideous to put it mildly. Traffic was at a complete standstill on the Lings Bar Road. Many reported to me that they were stationary on this stretch of road for as long as twenty minutes, and that it had taken them the best part of an hour to negotiate the couple of miles from there, along 200 yards of the Radcliffe Road and down Regatta Way – one of them was our grading examiner, Frank Brennan!
But despite a difficult start to the day’s proceedings the training session was a real treat; the many senior black belts from around the region who had travelled considerable distances to attend left the dojo buzzing. Unfortunately due to holidays and other commitments, only four club members (beyond those present for the grading) were amongst the thirty four karate-ka in the dojo.
The grading itself went very smoothly with nineteen people being assessed. It was pleasing to see a healthy number of white belts from the club grading for the first time. Congratulations to everyone who progressed to the next coloured belt.
Orange belt: James Gordon; Luke Cobb; Jonathan Cobb; Izzy Ponsonby; Joseph Mann; Jason Mann.
Red belt: George Coates.
Green belt: Jonathan Osborne; Paul Osborne.
Brown & white belt (2nd kyu): Steve Cassapi.
Brown & white belt (1st kyu): Anthony Mills.
SOUTH NOTTS KARATE 