Dojo Newsletter
July 2018
About Us
Email: planodojo@planodojo.com
Website: www.planodojo.com
Location: 1301 Custer Rd, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 972-424-8870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planodojo/
Twitter: @planodojo
Share the News!
Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter. We are proud to share important announcements, and give recognition to students and instructors for achievements inside and outside the dojo. We hope you enjoy this month's edition!
Did you get accepted into an honor society at your school? Win a local track meet? Or just had a recently awesome karate adventure? Please contact ACKD so we can share the news with the rest of the dojo community in our monthly newsletter! Reach out and let us know by e-mail, FaceBook, or in person. We look forward to hearing from you! Let everyone know how much you love the dojo by checking in online with social media. You can use #planodojo, #mckinneydojo, and #ACKD whenever you talk about your training and karate adventures!
Curriculum now accessible from home!
Dojo students now have access to videos on curriculum, kata, and drills from home whenever they go ONLINE! Our YouTube channel provides high-quality video with demonstrations and explanations on the various karate topics taught in class. We hope that you utilize this opportunity to continue your karate training at home! Find us on YouTube under the name Academy of Classical Karate.
Forgot how to tie your belt? Senpai Scott reviews this daily (but initially difficult) task in the video below. Enjoy!
Announcements!
Host your Birthday at the Dojo!
Our birthday parties are led by instructors who will teach fun skills and games to everyone at the party. Pizza and Drinks are provided! Your birthday child will even get to cut the cake with a real Samurai Sword! (With our help of course!) Ask an instructor today for details on scheduling and pricing.
Upcoming Holidays and Closures
The dojo in McKinney and Plano will be closed on the following dates:
- Saturday, August 4th (Private Event)
- Saturday, August 25th (Belt Test)
- Monday, September 3rd (Labor Day)
Belt Test Schedule
Upcoming belt tests include:
- Saturday, August 25th (9am: Kids White Belt and below; 10am: Kids Orange and above)
- Thursday, August 30th (7pm: Adults All Ranks)
Good luck to all test candidates!
One More Camp This Summer!
- Self Defense Camp at Plano Dojo. August 6-10.
Our last camp of the Summer. This camp is designed to prepare you for school in the fall with a focus on anti-bullying tactics and self-defense. This camp is a great intro for those who have never done karate before, and want to try it out in a fun-packed camp setting! Sign up HERE!
Prices and Times:
Self-Defense Camp - $200 per person
NEW!!! Half Day Camp options for $150 per person
All camps will run from 9am-4pm. Half Day Options are either 9am-12pm or 1-4pm. Early drop off and late pick up are available, but must be scheduled in advance and include a fee. We also offer discounts for half-day camps and multi-camp purchases.
Our Summer Camps are always a blast. Students of all levels enjoy the skills and ideas they learn while at each camp, and come back year after year! If you have any questions, please ask one of your instructors at the dojo.
Nerf Party Fun!
Nationals 2018: From the Eyes of a Competitor
Written by Nila J.
This account of the 2018 USA Karate Nationals was written by Nila J., who has only been a competitor for two years, but has trained in karate since she was a little girl. She emphasizes some of the high points of the tournament, and focuses on our team's success. The narrative is analytical and demonstrates how many of our young athletes are growing in their divisions; whereas many of our new team members have found their calling in the ring. One particular detail Nila left out was that her path to becoming National Champion this year involved beating her opponents by eight points in all her matches! She didn't just win, she dominated her division. Congratulations!
WIKF TX is back from the USA-NKF Nationals set in Reno, Nevada, with a lot of hardware! We were in Reno for almost a week. Many wonderful experiences brought the team together, in and out of the ring. Keep reading for the highlights that stood out to me at this year's national competition.
Elite Kumite
Safin Kasturi placed second seed in 16-17 -76 kg.
Gia Mazza placed first alternate in 16-17 -53 kg.
Mr. Wallis, Ms. Alexander, Shodan Gant, Shodan Colunga, Shodan Irr, Senpai Lisot, and Senpai Scott all placed in the top 6 and will be competing at the Senior Team Trials in January 2019. Senpai Scott and Shodan Irr are continuing their winning streaks from the Senior PKF Championships in Santiago, Chile.
Thursday Kata
Thursday morning started with style-specific Wado Kata, with Nidan Hintzel taking first, and Shodan Gant taking second. Shodan Colunga took first, Mr. Shields took second, and Shodan Kasturi and Mr. Wallis both took third. Great job all Wado Kata medalists!
WIKF USA 1(Rahul Bolar, Nijuel Herschel, and Eric Shields) placed first in 14-17 Int/Adv Male Team Kata. WIKF USA 2(Bryan Buka, Anish Dave, and Arnav Indic) placed third. In 14-17 Int/Adv Mixed Team Kata, WIKF USA (Nila Jeyapriya, Ayesha Sadaqat, and Eric Shields) placed third as well.
Friday Kata
WIKF TX had some awesome kata victories on Friday. Starting the day off were Meera taking first place in 12 Female Beginner Kata and Evelyn Sheahan taking first in 15 Female Beginner Kata after their first year on the team! Highlights were Ayesha Sadaqat making finals in 15 Female Advanced Kata for the second year in a row and taking silver. Additionally, Julia Thomas took silver in 14 Female Intermediate Kata.
Saturday Kumite
WIKF TX took many team kumite victories on the third day of competition. Starting with 8-9 Beg/Nov Male Team Kumite were Joseph Sheahan and Malachi Thomas taking third. Chinmayee Jeyapriya, Ananya Sheshadri, and Rylee Simon took second after their first year of competition. Highlights include Rahul Bolar, Bryan Buka, Nijuel Herschel, and Jason LaPorte taking second in 14-15 Int/Adv Male Team Kumite, with Bryan Buka facing a former Pan-American champion and still fighting fiercely.
Sunday Kumite
Individual non-elite kumite rounded out the competition on Sunday. LukeAaron Washington started the day off by taking bronze in 10 Male Beginner Kumite. Nauman Sadaqat performed especially well, taking bronze after fighting 2 matches through an injured foot. Xander Nixon also fought especially well, and took silver in 10 Male Novice Kumite. Zack Lopez, a veteran competitor but fighting for WIKF Texas the first time, earned a bronze medal after multiple matches. Julia Thomas took silver in 14 Female Int Kumite, after fighting in a tough finals. Our national champions include Karishma Bhakta, Yan Buka, Bryan Buka, Ayesha Sadaqat, and Nila Jeyapriya.
Congratulations to WIKF TX! Good luck to Shodan Kasturi in Brazil, and good luck to our instructors at the Senior Team Trials in January!
Citius, Altius, Fortius!
Nationals: The Highlights
The Pen is Mightier Than the Fist
Writings from the Karate Student
One unique aspect of ACKD is the requirement for students to write papers, in addition to completing the physical demands of a rank exam. Candidates are asked to compose ideas on karate ideology and pedagogy, such as self-control or integrity, to the history of Wado, to differentiating between kumite principles. Students of all ages and ranks are expected to express their thoughts on these big ideas. This is an excerpt written by one of our brown-belt junshidoshi (assistant instructors) when he tested for his first orange stripe. This particular student is frequently seen helping the kids classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. :)
SELF CONTROL
"Self control is to master the ability to control my body, my mind, my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Mastering self control makes me better at karate because I can listen to my instructor, I can focus on the skills I'm learning, and I am helping others in the class by not disturbing them.
"Self control also helps me in many other activities such as baseball, soccer, school, cub scouts, and playing with my younger brother.
"Self control is not something that you can read out of a book. It is something that you learn and practice through your whole life.
"The many ways I show that I am mastering self control is:
1. To not go wild in public.
2. To listen to the person that is talking.
3. To control my body.
4. To have patience with everyone.
5. To not just say can I have that."