I first got interested in karate as a result of watching my son at his first grading back in 1998. There were many students taking their first grading and some were a good few years older than myself, so it soon became clear to me that age was no real barrier to taking part. I was also moving into the twilight years of my footballing "career" and wanted to do something that would enable me to keep fit as much as anything.
So I started training in March 1998 at the Sharnbrook Karate Club who were part of TASK, under the instruction of Sensei Des Cooper who asked me what I wanted from karate. As I recall, my responses were fitness, confidence and "maybe some kind of spiritual benefit". It was relatively straightforward to realise something tangible for the first two, but the final item took a little longer and although I now feel I have scratched the surface, there is a long way to go.
I graded up to 1st Kyu with TASK and then joined CFTS when the whole club migrated in late 2002.This proved to be a very positive move and allowed me to train with different karate ka at different clubs. The benefit of training with Sensei Kidby and other like minded Dan grades, proved to be and continues to be immeasurable and I was awarded Shodan in October 2003. This was certainly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life to date.
Since then I have become more involved in the running of Riseley Karate Club and have been assisted with the successful recruitment of a significant number of new members in recent months.
I am currently studying for my EKGB Coaching and Instructor Award and look forward to learning more about karate for my benefit and that of those students I instruct. I shall also continue to strive for that "some kind of spiritual benefit".