My karate journey began in 2013 when I was a second year University student looking to do an extracurricular activity instead of having my head buried in a textbook. I had the opportunity to study a variety of martial arts, however, I chose Karate as I was enticed by the mental and physical benefits of the art. I was under the tuition of Sensei Richard Jones who was also proficient in Judo. I trained with five other karateka twice a week and successfully graded to 5th Kyu before graduating from University in 2015.
Whilst I was searching for a new club to join after graduation, I met Arthur Velvas who recommended attending a few sessions at CFTS under the tutelage of Renshi Kidby. I have not looked back since and have thoroughly enjoyed being a member of this federation since 2016.
From the Kyu gradings that I successfully passed, I began to see the positive effects karate was having on me both mentally and physically. This assured me that hard work and dedication would enable me to achieve my Black Belt.
Finally, after many years of dedication to wanting to improve my karate, I graded for Shodan in October 2019 and successfully passed. I want to thank Renshi Kidby, Sensei Wilson, Sensei Coombe and other CFTS karateka for their continued support. Achieving this grade is a massive milestone for myself, as this allows me to give back to the club who has supported me. But more importantly, obtaining this grade has motivated me to continue my karate training and conquer the Dan Grades.