Summer Gashuku

2009 Summer Gashuku Report by Mark McGowan.

Another Gashuku (special training) event held in Lynch Sports Centre, South Road, Dundee closed timely with much to deem itself a resounding success - having had the privilege of welcoming Shihan Attie Coetzer visiting from from South Africa; seeing 14 newly qualified Dan grade Tenshinkan members & Gradings yet more coloured belt grades on the day. The following is a brief reports on how things went.

International Visitor

Shihan Attie Coetzer 6th Dan with his gift of giving those two most valuable commodities of knowledge and time spent ten days in Scotland spending his evenings teaching at six local dojo's and his Sunday afternoon at the Gashuku . This sensei has been training since he was 6 years old and is the only full time karate instructor outside of Japan and is great fun to train with. Everyone agrees that his take on a warm-up of competitive games which really make you think more than simply act and with sayings that raise any flagging spirits. In honour of this guest the weather was booked special - South Africa maximum daytime temperature on Sunday 18'C compares nicely to Dundee, Scotland maximum daytime temperature 19'C - so you did not miss much Sensei Attie.

Carving Steps into The Cliff

Following separate grading for advanced practice on a Sunday morning in late May fourteen individuals passed strict examinations for and within the black belt syllabus. The term Dan can be translated to mean "carving steps into the cliff", and if the study of martial arts is a journey this grade must mark a significant step. These awards are expressed in numbers starting at shodan, nidan, sandan, etc, (1st dan, 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan, etc.), we look to them for examples as role models and applaud their efforts. The names and grades of these members are as follows:
John McLean 4th Dan (Senior); John Young 4th Dan (Senior)^{Grant Bird 3rd Dan (Senior)

Gavin Rodgers 2nd Dan (Senior)

Graham Miller 1st Dan (Senior)

Craig Duncan 1st Dan (Senior)

Jim Ross 1st Dan (Senior)

Ashley Russell 1st Dan (Senior)

Ruth Young 1st Dan (Senior)

Ian Coleman 1st Dan (Senior)

Darren Pennie 1st Dan (Junior)

Sean McNamee 1st Dan (Junior)

Wesley Coutts 1st Dan (Junior)

Hayley Hart 1st Dan (Junior)}

^{Their certificates are made all the more special by the fact that they have
the addition of personalised kanji (Japanese letters or characters) stating
the individuals names. All were proudly awarded with their certificates by
Shihan Robert Kane 7th Dan, Chief Instructor Tenshinkan Karate Federation
UK, at the Lynch Centre, Dundee on Sunday 28th June 2009 at 12 noon.}

^{The
Team Spirit}

^{If the black belt is not the end but merely the
end of the beginning and the start of something new then it must be with
much effectuation that those mentioned above look forward to the next
challenge, be it getting fitter, teaching or simply enjoying the team spirit
and fun times that people who overcome a common adversity share. I look
forward with some anticipation to again reporting those achievements be they
methodical, artistic or heroical, until then I hope to remain your most
humble servant.}

^{"A
man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"}^{* Robert Browning (English Poet 1812 - 1889)}