December 2005 –NEWSLETTER

The last newsletter I wrote was in July and if you remember I had taken out a loan to have the Club re-furbished. I then had to make sure I could pay the loan back. Once you make a decision you have to be positive and eradicate any doubts but in some circumstances you are not in control of your own future

In my case, because I can no longer teach, I have to rely heavily on others. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a very strong team. Jim, even after 30 years of training, is second to none and goes from strength to strength. The standard of the higher grades is very high. It is nice to know that no matter who may look through the door you know what they see will impress them. The middle grades continue to build and once more the standard is very high. Gerry's beginners classes have increased in numbers and with his energy and dedication have progressed. Those of you who teach will know that the hardest classes of all are the beginners.

JUNIOR SECTION

As I told you we have changed the way we were teaching the Juniors and it has succeeded beyond all expectations and the numbers have doubled which is very pleasing. However I am not prepared to sacrifice standards for numbers, the discipline is strict and the teaching hard. Yasser is an excellent teacher and with the help of Hayley has achieved excellent results. Hayley is also a very good teacher, she has a talent and maturity beyond her years, and without her I would be lost. She puts in a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes and she practically runs the gradings by herself.

Gerry works as hard as anyone I know both at teaching and at karate, at the moment he is taking his second Dan Black Belt. You have to train for two years after you achieve your Black velt this takes a lot of doing. When you teach, as some of you will find out, gradings are nervous times for all, teachers hoping that students will pass and students nervously trying to pass. Put yourself in Gerry's position he has students grading and on top of that all his students and fellow Karatekei are there to see. I will tell you the results at the end of this Newsletter.

Dean is a great help not onle does he do our printing and numerous other jobs but he is someone that I discuss ideas with and ask for advice.

Anne, our theraist, also works very hard for the Club keeping everything clean and shipshape. No matter what you ask nothing is too much trouble for her and she contributes a lot to the Club.

TOM - 'Personality of the year'

If we had a vote, at SMA, I have no doubt that 'Tom' would win paws down. He meets and welcomes everyone in and I do not want you to repeat this but it is rumoured that the reason Gerry did so well is because Tom was teaching him on a Sunday morning! You may scoff, but Gerry's 'cat stances' are second to none. Tom's girlfriend is becoming more bold, she will sit on the step on a Saturday but as yet not come in. We are all hoping that Tom will make an honest cat of her soon.

STUDENTS

You can have the best club in the world and the best instructors in the world, but without good students you won't succeed. We are fortunate that we have excellent students both adults and juniors and I would like to thank you all.

PARENTS

Without the help of parents out junior classes would not exist. They give their time on Saturdays to bring children to classes and of course spend their hard earned money to pay for them. Most of all for the parents to trust the care of their children to us is a great privilege, thank you.

Many parent also train in the adult section and this is particularly pleasing. As you should know that Syu Yu Kai means 'the whole family', maybe one day we will have a whole family of Black belts. That would be a story for the newspapers.

I think I am old enough to be able to give you some advice, if only to stop you making the same mistakes as I have. Everyone in life wants to be happy and we all have different ways of achieving it. Be sure you do not become blinkered; keep a clear view and an open mind. You must be prepared to change course occasionally. I was given an opportunity, which although it frightened the life out of me, I took it. That is how I started S.M.A but the challenge never stopped there, I have had to struggle at times and at other times I have had to make decisions I did not like. I have had to get rid of instructors and sudents alike who were not up to scratch but at the end of the day the good of Syu Yu Kai and S.M.A., which you are all a part of, must come first.

I find being old very frustrating, not to be able to teach Karate, and as some of you know, I once taught dancing to a high standard. Watching 'Strictly Come Dancing' every Saturday only adds to my frustration. It is said whn you get old, your ony future is your past, so make sure you have a past that you are proud of.

When you cannot do the physical tings you were able to do, remember you mind can still be young and you can still achieve things sometimes with the help of others as in the case of S.M.A or sometimes by your own efforts.

As I have said before you must be prepared to accept opportunities as and when they come along. I was in the London Fire Brigade Service and I collect fire brigade memorabilia. Recently I heard that there was a fire brigade museum at Reigate and I went with Eileen to visit it. It was not open to the public and had been closed for fifteen years or so, but it had some wonderful things there including old fire engines dating back to 1750. Alan, who showed us around, told me that there was no one to look after it and put me in contact with Derek, the trust secretary. I pffered Derek my services and a new and rewarding chapter of my life was born. More another time...

GRADINGS

Since the last Newsletter we have had four new Black belts in the March grading, congratulations to Marquis Balseiro, Dianne Bate, Tracey Armstrong and Tony Cain.

December Grading - I have seen many hundreds of gradings yet I felt on Sunday it was one of the best. It was a hard grading, but no gradings are easy, the atmosphere and camaraderie was superb and the standard was very high.

We had one new Black belt, Mark Rennison. As I told some of you on Sunday, Mark came from a different style, a good style but it is very difficult to adat this in itself is an accomplishment. He failed his last grading but had the courage to come back and try again. He passed with flying colours and we are very proud of him. He has been awarded the 'Hayley Jenner Award'.

GERRY BAYNES

Gerry is 52 years of age and Sunday was the first time I have seen him tired. He trains as hard as anybody I know, is a first class teacher and a real asset to the club. I think it was the biggest cheer I have heard when Jim called out Gerry's name to collect his certificate. Well done Gerry you are an example to us all.

One person I have not really mentioned yet is the power behind the throne, my wife Eileen. What ever I have acomplished woulr not have been possible without her, many thanks.

May all of you have the best of luck possible. May your God be with you.

Syd