Dojo Newsletter
February 2018 Edition
About Us
Email: planodojo@planodojo.com
Website: www.planodojo.com
Location: 1301 Custer Rd, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 9724248870
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!
Announcements!
We will be open during Spring Break!
Congrats to our February test candidates!
Our adult program continues to grow at the Plano location. Congratulations to:
- 5th kyu: Bryan Buka
- 6th kyu: Julia Thomas
- 8th kyu: Chris Gauthier
- 9th kyu: Sarah Lucky
McKinney dojo is growing!
Upcoming Belt Tests
Please note the dates and times for our March belt tests:
- Junior Rank Exam: Saturday, March 24th at 10am
- Adult Rank Exam: End of the month, exact date TBD (will announce soon!)
Spelling Bee Champion!
Nationally Qualified!
One of our top brown belt students, Ben K., achieved a stellar outcome at the 2018 Yellow Rose Speech and Debate District Tournament. Not only did he win first place in Original Oratory, he also qualified for their Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which will take place later this summer!
ACKD would like to extend a huge congratulations to Ben and his family for this accomplishment. Ben has been a dojo member for a decade, and continually exemplifies many character traits, such as humility, integrity, and courtesy. His discipline and work ethic show not just in his karate, but in his personal goals as well. He is an impressive young man full of incredible potential; we cannot wait to see what he accomplishes in the years ahead. AMAZING JOB!
Strong Start for WIKF Texas: At the Home Front
WIKF Texas recently competed at the 2018 Team Texas Open in Irving, TX in their first tournament of the season. They earned a total of 52 medals, including eleven golds! Several of our athletes also starred in the finals, an exclusive event hosted separately from the elimination rounds. Seven of our students entered finals, with several walking away with gold.
It was a long day, with the team showing up ready to compete at 8:30am, and staying until the end of finals - almost eight o'clock at night. WIKF Texas was heavily supported by parents, fans, and coaches. A huge thank you to those family members, and also to our coaching staff: Senpai Vincent Garcia, Senpai Bryan Nixon, Nidan Chris Stratis, and Shodan Lindsey Gatchalian. Also, thank you to Sensei Brody Burns and Sensei Dale Gatchalian for organizing and managing the tournament, and to the parent volunteers who went above and beyond to ensure a smooth day for the athletes.
The team will venture back to Irving for the Miya-Kalai Championships in April. ACKD wishes the best of luck to all team members as they prepare for the next competitive adventure. They continue to train hard every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at team trainings, where they drill kata, kumite, and complete conditioning.
Thank you to Sonny Lopez for all the awesome photos! His son trains in McKinney, and we are happy to have the entire family be a part of ACKD!
Commit to Your Technique
Kata Champion
Mutual Exchange
WIKF USA: Around the World
Around the World in 14 Days!
WIKF USA journeyed around the globe in just two weeks! Mr. Wever, Mr. Irr, Senpai Scott, and Senpai Lisot all traveled abroad to compete in major international events, and made a strong representation for both ACKD and the United States. Altogether, it turned into an epic story: three countries; four travelers; thousands of miles; snow, sand, heat, and cold; some WKF qualifying points; and lots of memories!
Mr. Wever started out the tale by traveling to his home country, Guatemala, to compete at his national team trials. Sensei Burns accompanied him as a coach and mentor. After multiple days of fighting, Mr. Wever came out on top as the -67kg National Champion of his nation! He will represent his country at the 2018 Pan-American Championships in Santiago, Chile, later this year. He has worked so hard not just as an athlete, but also as an international student: he balances his training schedule with a full-course load at Collin College. We are proud of his example!
Meanwhile, Senpai Lisot traveled across the Atlantic to compete at the Karate1 SeriesA in Guadalajara, Spain. It was a good showing for her, defeating Romania and starting out strong against France with a 3-0 lead. Unfortunately, France overturned the match and beat Senpai, and then lost subsequently to Japan, knocking her out of repecharge. Unshaken by the loss, she refocused and - after some sightseeing in Madrid, Segovia, and Barcelona - traveled onward to Dubai, one of the most famous cities in the United Arab Emirates.
Senpai Scott, Mr. Irr, and Mr. Wever traveled to Dubai as well, where the four came together as a team to prepare for the Karate1 Premier League event, the Dubai Open. Only those ranked in the top 100 within the WKF are allowed to participate in this prestigious event. Our dojo is fortunate to have not one or two, but four athletes with such strong rankings.
Our instructors gained valuable experience while at the Open. Mr. Wever put on a strong performance, falling short to Italy in the first round. Senpai Lisot had a tough draw against Turkey in her first Premier League event of the year, but fought with tenacity. Mr. Irr had a narrow loss to the former world champion from Georgia, losing in a 4-4 tied match. Finally, Senpai Scott utilized many of the tactics emphasized by the WIKF USA competition team, and showed mobile dominance over Russia, although a hantei decision did not go in his favor. Although none of our athletes placed, they earned points that will benefit their ranking towards Olympic qualification later this year.
The road to 2020 is a long one, requiring time, resources, and personal sacrifice. ACKD applauds our instructions for making the attempt to pursue the Olympic dream. Congratulations for your efforts (and welcome home!).
New Friend
On the Road
Sightseeing
Highlight on...
The Academy of Classical Karate features students and instructors to highlight the diverse background of our members within the dojo community.
Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do when you aren't at the dojo?
I am a freshman at PESH in the pre-IB program. I have a younger sister that goes to Stinson Elementary, and also does karate. My favorite subject is Computer Science. Additionally, I am in the off-campus program run by Senpai Lisot, which allows me to earn PE credits for school while training in karate. When I'm not at the dojo, I'm studying or reading books. I love reading, especially the City of Bones series.
How long have you been doing karate?
I started when I was four years old. It's been over ten years now!
Why did you start karate?
When I was a little girl, my mom signed me up because she thought self-defense was important, especially being a girl. Now, I choose to continue karate because it's important to me. I love it, it makes me happy and more confident, and I have goals that I want to achieve both in curriculum and in the sport. Karate is still one of the less "followed" sports, particularly in the United States, so I'm looking forward to [the 2020 Olympic Games].
What do you like about ACKD?
I love the dojo! You could say that I almost live here. I've always been going here because of the high quality training and yudansha [black belt instructors.] Additionally, I really love the dojo family, and the culture on the competition team. I've had a lot of adventures, and made friends who value many of the same traits as me, including effort and courtesy.
What has surprised you the most from doing karate?
I never thought I would be here [at the dojo] so much - but I love it! Once I began the Off-Campus PE program, I had to start dedicating at least ten hours a week to training and assisting instructors. I also take several IB classes and have to earn high grades, so I've had to work on my stress and time management skills. I never thought that karate could be such a huge part of my life! I complete homework at the dojo, hang out with my friends at the dojo, train [as expected]... everything centers around the dojo now.
Describe a memorable experience in your time at the dojo.
I remember my 3rd kyu (brown belt) test from last year. It was my first adult test, and a milestone for me. I felt like I had accomplished something huge. I was finally learning karate for a higher purpose, for more just self defense. That rank exam was a major turning point in my training career; I now feel ready to take on the new year with more vigor.
What would you recommend for someone who wants to start karate?
New students at karate need to remember to keep persevering no matter what happens - karate takes commitment and time, and it will make you into a better person along the way.