Our training year starts in September and its always an exciting time for us. For the past five years, I have made a promise to myself, our students, and their families: this year will be our best year yet.
Well, guess what? It always is! Without fail, every year our karate program continues to evolve and reach new heights we never saw before. So why is this?
Students and their Families are the Heart of JKA Vancouver
The main reason JKA Vancouver continues to get better is our students and their supportive families. We have a solid group of Brown Belt senpais (higher rank students) who take the lead on some of the teaching for all their kohai (lower ranking students). Well, after years of teaching experience, senpais have become exceptional at brining up the skills of their kohai.
Additionally, our student’s families continue to become more involved and more supportive of their child’s karate journey. Even through the COVID Pandemic, they where fully aboard which is probably why we saw an increase of students and attendance rates during that challenging time. Our schedule is even more packed now!
And since we’re bringing back Family Classes and Special Events, our community will continue to grow even more connected this year.
Joining JKA has Brought us up to World-Class Quality
JKA (Japanese Karate Association) is the largest karate organization in the world that has over two million members worldwide. We belong to a group of JKA dojos (clubs) called JKA-BC. Our JKA-BC group is led by Sensei Don Sharp, who is one of the best karate instructors in the world. He provides me with exceptional training through his renowned instructor program as well personalized instructor training through private lessons and frequent communications.
Additionally, through the year there are over a dozen JKA-BC Special events that provide world-class karate training for myself and our students. For example, this year will have a Competitive Edge Seminar, and Karate Master from Japan will come to BC to give a seminar.
Connection with VMBC Brings out Our Best
Without the Vancouver Mind-Body Centre (VMBC) there would not be JKA Vancouver. Not only is the space phenomenal for karate, but we have learned so much about fitness and marital arts from the high quality instructors at VMBC. Each year, we add new fitness exercises and utilize the hundreds of different training equipment – bands, heavy bags, kettlebells, etc.., – that is at our disposal.
So it’s not wonder we keep evolving every year. We follow the JKA karate way of always striving to grow and improve. As the creator of JKA Karate Gichin Funakoshi famously said,
“The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the perfection of the character of its participants”
See you in September!