October news

 

October 2009.

Forthcoming Events

Kata class, Sunday11th October 10- 11-30am at Bull Close.

Instructor Training weekend intensive – 23^rd to 25^th October at Bull Close Norwich (details below).

UKBBA Technical Course – Saturday 17^th October 1pm until 5pm (details below).

Halloween Party- Sat 31^st Oct at Bull Close.

FULL Gis from now until 1^st May 2010

(no T shirts , except in circuit training classes).

The T shirt season ends on 30^th September for TKD students. Can I ask ALL students to wear your uniforms with belts please?

 

Regular Occurances at classes.

To help you to prepare for classes I have decided to add the following ‘fairly’ rigid structure to our classes. This way everyone knows more about what is likely to be happening and when. These are not set in stone but they are firm guidelines.

Third week of each month will be tip test week. The first month after grading will tip test BASICS. The second month after grading will tip test BASIC KICKS AND PUNCHES. The third month after grading will tip test for KATA.

On the first Thursday  of each month, the 7pm class at BC is very likely to be circuit training (T shirts and MMA shorts may be worn for this session all year round).

A Great PARENTS Night Out On New Years Eve.

If you would like to go out for the evening on New Years Eve, but can’t find anyone you trust, to look after your children, relax because we have the solution.

From 7-30pm on Thursday 31^st December until approximately 9-30am on Friday 1^st January, we will look after your children.

We will have games, films, pizza, drinks and lots of other nice things to keep them amused. Then we will tranquilize them and give them breakfast of cereal and toast when they wake up in the morning (only joking about the tranquilizers).

We will do all this for just £25/child. If you have more than one child we will look after the second one for just £15.

We can’t have too many so let me know soon if you would like to reserve a spot (please note that this is only for children of 5 years and over).

Targeted Workouts

 (1-2-1) tuition.

Since mentioning the 121 sessions in last month’s newsletter, I have had 3 students request 121 sessions for quite specific things. One student has a 40 minute session each week to target/hone/shape/define certain parts of her body, she does specific exercises and techniques that concentrate of what she considers the areas that need work.

Another student is focussing on general all round fitness, we have set performance/recovery targets that we will achieve within a certain time frame.

The third student simply wants to learn and remember syllabus material more thoroughly. All three are very rewarding to work with and it goes to show that 121 sessions are not always about remembering Katas.

121 lessons are available from most instructors, just ask them or me for more information.

Black Belt Grading and ‘prep’ classes.

The Black Belt Grading is scheduled for Saturday 12^th December and the ‘prep’ classes begin on Saturday 23^rd   October at 7am. If you would like to be assessed for a Dan Grade in December, you will need to be completing a logsheet from 1^st October. This logsheet is available immediately after the September Junior Black Belt Grading. All adults wishing to take Dan grades at the December Dan Grading are eligible to register immediately after the JBB grading in September.  First Dan grading fee £150.

Technical Course.

Each year we hold a technical course to ensure that all the instructors are teaching the same syllabus techniques in the same ways. This course is also a safeguard to ensure that anyone assessing students (sitting on a panel at a grading) is qualified to do so and up to date with current requirements.

As you may know, we strive to have only 2^nd Dans and above sitting on grading panels, although we do sometimes allow lower grades to sit at the table for experience. As the general level of expertise increases at the Academy this may be pushed up to 3^rd Dans and above.

So, if you currently enjoy sitting on a grading panel you must attend the technical course.

This course is also ideal for anyone intending to grade for Black Belt (of any level) as it identifies/clarifies EXACTLY what is required for each grade.

£20/person please register by 1^st October. Attending this course and achieving a pass mark in the final exam also counts as a chosho for Black Belts.

Bronze At National Field Archery Championships.

Harry Maguire, one of our 8 year old students from Harlelston and Weybread, took part in the National Field Archery Championships a couple of weeks ago. He took part in the under 12 years section (so competing against children who were up to 4 years older than himself). I am very pleased and proud to tell you that Harry achieved a bronze medal.

His Mum may kill me for telling you but she also achieved a bronze medal in the ladies section. Well done to both of you.

Who Would Like To Teach Little Dragons?

At present we have some great Little Dragons coaches and I hope they remain keen to teach for a very long time to come. What we are short of however, is someone who is great with kids that could step up to cover classes when an Instructor is on holiday or sick.

Teaching 3 to 6 year olds can be VERY challenging and it does require a certain type of person. Teaching these little ones can be extremely rewarding. If you think you may be right for the role, let me know and we will get you on the Instructor training weekend. You do not necessarily need to be a Black Belt to teach Little Dragons.

Instructor Training Intensive weekend.

We have an ongoing instructor programme our MACT (Martial Arts Career Training) and this occurs four afternoons per year. Participants receive updates and innovations from myself and Mr Fitch as they attend.

This intensive weekend is designed to remind and refresh EVERY instructor of their duties and how to execute them most effectively.

I would advise EVERYONE who teaches to come along and have a refresher and ANYONE who would like to teach in the future, to come along and find out more about the nuts and bolts of how we help create extraordinary people.

The course starts on Friday evening   5-30 until 8-30pm, then Saturday 9am until 4pm and Sunday 9am until 3pm.

Investment required £150.

Halloween Party

We will be holding our usual Halloween Party at Bull Close on Saturday 31^st October from 5pm until 7-30pm. The event, as always, is a fancy dress party and there will be a prize for the best dressed child and the best dressed parent.

This year I am told that we may receive a visit from Raphael (ninja turtle) and/or the RED power ranger.

Please bring some food and drink to share by making into a buffet on the evening.

Thinking part

Some of you may remember a story I told several months back, about a parent who told me that one of the reasons he brought his children to the Black Belt Academy was to provide them with skills that he felt he himself was a bit weak on. I admire that man so much for his honesty and his clear thinking for his children. He came up with another gem a few days ago that I have to tell you about.

He and his wife had been sitting, working out how much money they had spent at the BBA over the many years they have trained with us.

The figure, which includes gradings and equipment as well as tuition fees, came to about £4,000.

He said though that he felt it was money well spent, as investment in the development of his family.

This reminded me of a story that I was told.

A parent (who earned a very high hourly wage) was asked to attend her son’s school for a meeting with the head teacher. 

She was a bit ‘put out’ because she had recently been considering moving her son to a private school. His local authority school had lots of issues such as; bullying, drugs, violence and a high proportion of badly behaved children. In the end however she had decided to save herself the £5,000/year expense of a private school and allow her son to attend the local comprehensive high school.

She knew that today she would lose, at least two hours work due this meeting which was another £100 she would be out of pocket. The meeting would probably be about something silly like a missed homework assignment or not wearing a school tie.

When she arrived at the school she noticed two police cars in the car park and wondered for a moment if she should have paid the £5,000 for the private school? She quickly put that out of her mind and remembered the £50/hour she was losing from not being at work.

As she made her way to the head’s office she noticed that some people were looking at her strangely, she wondered why. As she reached the office she saw two policemen sitting outside. Again she wondered about the £5,000 fees of the private school, then remembered the money she was losing right now.

In the next 15 seconds of her life, her perspective about money reversed completely. As she knocked on the door the policemen stood up as if to follow her into the room, the head opened the door and, with a very sad look on his face said, “Mrs Smith, I have some bad news.”

In those few seconds, Mrs Smith’s thoughts about money reversed completely. At that moment she would have opened her chequebook and signed a cheque for ANY amount to make the next thing that the head said, good news.

From saving £5,000/year on school fees and moaning about losing two hours paid employment, she suddenly realised she would be prepared to part with any amount of money to make her son’s life the best it could be.

 

Which brings me back to the parent who told me he was happy to pay the BBA £4,000 over several years as part of his children’s education. We can’t guarantee that you or your children will have a better life because of their involvement with us. We can’t guarantee that your children will use our instructors as role models for life, but we can guarantee to do our very best every single day to help.

 

JOKE:

Last night I dreamed I ate a ten-pound marshmallow, and when I woke up the pillow was gone.