The Bushido Karate Association is offering an exciting summer camp for your karate kid! The camp will include opportunities to further karate training in both kata and kumite, as well as enrichment in self-defense, technique, and physical fitness. Your son or daughter will be able to enjoy indoor and outdoor karate, sports, and crafts. Come join us, and have fun!

Registration is now open!
http://www.edmonton-karate.com/summercamp.html


THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR…

BUNKAI
The art of analyzing kata to find the application behind the moves. Learn about practical self-defense techniques contained within the katas, and practice general skills to keep yourself safe!

KUMITE
Students will learn the rules of the international ring, work on their kumite strategy, and test their speed and agility with fun and challenging drills!

INTERNATIONAL KATA
A wide range of unique and interesting katas are performed on the international stage. Your child can try out movements and techniques from different styles of karate, and maybe even learn a cool new kata!

“BRING A FRIEND” DAY!
On Wednesday July 31st, students are welcome to bring one friend to join them for the day. Let a friend get a safe & accessible introduction to karate, and show off your own skills!
Note: Participants will be required to fill out the standard Bushido waiver and pay a $20 fee.


Sign up now for a fun-filled, active, and exciting week!

July 29th- August 2nd
Grandview Heights Community Hall
12603 63rd Ave, Edmonton

Cost per Child: $40/day or $160 for the week

Note: Minimum of 10 students registered by June 30, 2019 for camp to go forward.

Club Members, the BKA had 5 candidates for grading being examined at the Southern Alberta Black Belt grading in Didsbury on May 4th.  We would like to announce the following rankings:

Sensei Craig Pettie - to Godan (5th Degree)
Sensei Scott Knowles - to Yodan (4th Degree)
Sensei Bernadine Jugdutt - to Sandan (3rd Degree)
Sensei Sara Mah - to Shodan (1st Degree)
Sensei Shawn Larmand - to Shodan (1st Degree)

The Bushido Karate Association is incredibly proud of all that you have accomplished.  Well earned!  Thank you as well to all students and member of the wider BKA family who came to support our club members.  The organization had a great day!

Club Members,

It has been an incredibly exciting term, and a fantastic year for the Bushido Karate Association. 
Thank you for all your support, and congratulations on a fantastic year of training.
You are what made our 25th anniversary special!

SPRING FITNESS TESTING 2019 (ALL TEEN/ADULT MEMBERS)
With the gradings behind us, we are almost through all of our events!  Our final event is fitness testing this Friday, May 17th at the Grandview dojo.
The event will run for three hours, from 6PM-9PM.  Attendance is highly encouraged!  More information to follow for that event.

SUMMER TRAINING 2019 (ALL TEEN/ADULT MEMBERS)
Our summer schedule begins tonight at the Grandview dojo.  Classes will run over the summer on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6:30PM-8:30PM.
The Sunday kyu belt introductory class will be discontinued until September.  All ranks are welcome to train and attend classes on Tuesday and Friday nights.

The summer term is designed to allow students to explore other concepts integral to your success in karate in greater depth. 
This includes a heavier focus on self protection skills, some throwing/takedowns, and plenty of other exciting topics!  Attendance is encouraged for all ranks.

Registration for the summer term is due.  Please see Sensei Scott to take care of summer fees.

Great grading last night! 17 promotions to all coloured belt ranks, including 9 new green belts. 45 people at the dojo, including 15 instructors, and 24 women. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms who worked hard on Friday!

Club Members,

The BKA will be hosting a provincial clinic on Sunday April 28th at The Derrick Club Dojo (10:00AM - 2:00PM).  The information flyer is attached.

Attendance at this event is encouraged for youth students ranked orange and up, and highly recommended all adult members.

Online registration is available on our website - at this link: http://edmonton-karate.com/bunkaiclinic.php

BKA members will have explored some of these concepts in class before - but this clinic is a 4 hour deep dive on bunkai fundamentals that will support your training in class and success at upcoming gradings (and prime adult members for summer training)!  Content explored at this clinic will be used as part of the upcoming adult grading on May 10th at Grandview.  This clinic also counts towards your time requirements for coloured belt gradings, and clinic requirements for black belt candidates.

This will also be a sanctioned event for the Shintani Instructor Certification Program.
Details here: https://shintani.ca/swkkf/instructor-certification-program.html

We hope to see you there!

Congratulations to the 32 members of the Bushido Karate Association who attended the Whitecourt Tournament last Saturday. There were a number of notable performances:

Sensei Bernadine Jugdutt Gold in Kumite, Silver in Kata
Sensei Raye Willms Bronze in Kumite
Sensei Elise Leong-Sit Gold in Kata, Bronze in Open Kata, Silver in Kumite
Sensei Michael Chmay Bronze in Kata, Silver in Kumite
Sensei Scott Knowles Silver in Kata
Sensei Craig Pettie Bronze in Kumite
Shawn Larmand Silver in Kata, Gold in Kumite
Ryan Bangit Gold in Kata, Gold in Kumite
Sara Mah Gold in Kata, Gold in Kumite
Andrea Margaret Milne-Epp Bronze in Kata
Ava Milne-Epp Bronze in Kumite
Ethan Wang Gold in Kata, Silver in Kumite
Kai Barrett Silver in Kata
Danilo Bangit Gold in Kata, Gold in Kumite
Claire Beaudoin Bronze in Kata, Silver in Kumite

Our junior members ranks Blue and down and team members collected a further 20 medals with very strong showings in their divisions.

On behalf of the seniors Instructors, I am proud of all accomplishments for all of our students. I'd also like to credit the Instructors working with the BKA Tournament Team for the obvious success of your program.

Club Members,

Please note the changes to our upcoming schedule. 

We will still have adult introductory and advanced classes on Friday, April 19th.
We will cancel classes on Sunday, April 21st.

We also have a few upcoming events where we would appreciate your support!

ADULT CLASS SCHEDULE
Tuesday April 16th (Adult Advanced) - CANCELLED FOR ELECTION
Friday April 19th (All Adult Classes) - 6PM-7:30PM & 7PM-9PM
Saturday April 20th (Youth Grading) - 9AM-1PM @ Mother Margaret Mary School
Sunday April 21st (Adult Class) - CANCELLED FOR EASTER SUNDAY
Tuesday April 23rd (Adult Advanced Class) - 7:30PM-9PM
Friday April 26th (Adult Classes) - 6PM-7:30PM & 7PM-9PM
Sunday April 28th (Bunkai Level 1 Clinic) - 10AM-2PM @ Derrick Club
Sunday April 28th (Adult Class) - 6PM-8PM

Parents and club members, the spring youth grading is just over a week away!  Attached below is information about the event.

1. Grading - The BKA annual Spring Youth Grading will be held Saturday, April 20th at Mother Margaret Mary School.  We are going to maintain the format from the last grading, and have everyone begin the grading at the same time: 9:00AM.  As the day progresses we will do three separate grading ceremonies, and upon completion of you son or daughter’s grading, they are free to go.  You are also welcome to stay and watch the higher ranks continue their gradings!

a. If your son or daughter is currently a white, white-stripe, yellow, they will begin their grading at 9:00AM, and finish by 10:30AM.
b. If your son or daughter is currently a yellow stripe, orange, or orange stripe, they will begin their grading at 9:00AM and finish by 11:45AM.
c. If your son or daughter is currently a green, green stripe, blue, or blue stripe, they will begin their grading at 9:00AM and finish by 12:45PM.

2. Promotion – Progress in rank in karate comes primarily through a combination of three things:

a. Time – time is required to master techniques, improve timing, and build gross and fine motor skills.  For the lower ranks, we outline the general minimum times where students can expect to remain at a given rank in the attached sheets.  We do keep attendance, and look at this as we consider which students are likely ready for promotion.
b. Skill – results from practice, which results from time spent on the floor.  In general, we look at three aspects to karate training.  The first is basic technique, in isolation, or in combinations.  These need to be performed at a level of proficiency appropriate for the age and rank sought.  The second is kata.  Kata is good because it shows individual commitment to learning and mastering a specific routine.  It is something your son or daughter could practice at home to improve.  The last element is sparring, either with pads, the instructors, or against other students, according to their rank.  This shows an ability to integrate basic technique into combinations in a random situation.
c. Attitude – the general approach the student brings to class, and their supportiveness for other students as a training partner and in some cases, mentor.
d. It is not uncommon for students at the yellow-stripe and higher ranks to need one year of training in order to advance.  Where instructors have decided that a student would benefit from another term at their present rank, they are still encouraged to come and participate in the grading experience, but we try to let parents know in advance (by e-mail) so that you can best decided how to prepare your son or daughter.  In some cases, decisions are made on the day, based on the opinion of other instructors present.  Please realize that it does not do any favours to the student to advance them too fast, as they can become frustrated with the new material and overwhelmed with the experience if they are not ready.  We explain it to the kids as being like skipping a grade at school.

Club Members, the Shintani Team will be training at the Grandview dojo this coming weekend!

Friday, March 29 6:00 – 9:00 pm at Grandivew
Saturday, March 30, 1-5 pm at Grandview
Sunday, March 31, 12:00 – 5 pm at Grandview

• Sensei Heather and Sensei Michel Gosselin will be in attendance
• The SWKKF Shintani Team will be visiting Edmonton at the end of March, and the BKA is pleased to offer them access to the dojo during the week-end.
• If you are interested in learning more about these events, contact Sensei Elise eleongsi@ualberta.ca!

The BKA had 16 members in attendance at the tournament yesterday in Calgary/Okotoks. 

I do not have full results from participants, but want to congratulate Sensei Scott and Sensei Bernadine on stellar results!  Sensei Scott won Gold in Kata, Gold in WKF sparring, Silver in Shintani kumite, and Gold in Team Kumite.  Sensei Bernadine won Bronze in Kata, Bronze in Shintani kumite, and Gold in Team kumite.