With the first late frosts on the car, and a chill wind blowing up my hakama as I left training I am forced to contemplate that another year has passed in the on-going saga that is Templegate.
Much has happened but I feel it is healthy to look back at all that has been achieved in order to learn lessons and better appreciate what we have.
The Aikido year started for me with a phone call from Narey Shihan around 28th December, an already frozen, damp hell hole had been instantly transformed into a swimming pool thanks to a bursting of old pipes in the ceiling. With a quick splash undoing all the great cleaning work done to the dojo and in the creation of our new reception area.
Thanks to this we started the year without the small dojo and with much of the parkay flooring in the rest of the dojo swelling and bursting up. The water was soaked into the very fabric of the building and continued to emerge in various places over the next few months.
Fortunately the training surface in the main room remained ok as did the reception area itself so despite a constant smell of dampness, an ongoing need to empty buckets upstairs of water and pigeon debris, we were able to soldier on. If ever a test of commitment was needed this was it and with a resolute determination we defied the buildings attempts to throw us out and soldiered on.
In the first class of the new year we were joined by friends of Ben, Finnish girls who probably felt right at home in the freezing building. Such was their sympathy for our cold plight that Salli knitted me some fine socks which I proudly wore until the summer arrived.
January brought the first open course of the year and then in February the 1st Dan Prep. For Ken King, Stuart Turner & Matt Narey it was a sharp reminder of the work that would be needed to pass Dan grade at summer school. This was the start for Ken and Stuart of an intensive 7/8 month build up that would see them tested every tuesday and at the monthly courses.
Following the terrible Tsunami in Japan we were approached in March to see if we could offer any help to fund raising effort. The upshot was a small team, myself, Rich, Karl, Pat K, Stuart, Ilaria and our big roadie Dale did a demonstration in The Lanes Bowling alley which was totally exhillarating, incredible fun and a major achievement considering we had a weeks notice. Despite the pain of a ripped calf muscle (cue sympathy) I was immensely proud of what we achieved and feel that sharing a changing room with semi-clothed burlesque ladies was well deserved reward for our efforts.
In April I commenced the units for BAB Coaching Level 2 in Nuneaton, and following further courses in July & September am now awaiting an opportunity to teach under assessment to complete this.
Nigel, Karl & Rich also attended a BAB Coach Level 1 course in February immediately putting these skills into their teaching in Templegate.
Thanks to the great impact they made with the BAB senior coaches and despite the desperate conditions of much of the building, we were able to organise the hosting of a BAB coaching Level 1 course in Templesate where a number of NAF and non-NAF students successfully achieved this qualification.
Pausing for breath - I feel this very much emphasises the committment of NAF & Templegate to follow best practice and ensure the best teaching is available to students.
In May we held what proved to be the final grading in Templegate, an excellent occasion albeit slightly less well attended than previous gradings.
As a reminder of a great day.....results were
6th Kyu
Martin Sheppard, Ian Kibbey, Richard Allison, Andy Hall, Apostolis Tsoulias
5th Kyu
Kamil Gladki, Zbigniew Matula, Iain Adderton, Ilaria Valle, Mark Powell
4th Kyu
Beata Koscienszynska,Rob Ryan,Andre Barni de Azevedo, Clyde Lambert, Mourad Tighilt
3rd Kyu
Rob Monahan, Paul Rosewarne, David Morley, Nick Barrett, Matt Perry, Ziggy Kowalski
All 3rd kyu’s also awarded hakama.
Good to see most of these names still with us and pushing onwards and upwards.
Throughout the year the childrens section has continued to perform wonders, personal highlight for me was Ruby getting her yellow belt in June, but the emergence of Matt Narey & Jacob through to the adult classes also speaks volumes. Nigel & Michele are largely responsible for the amazing kids classes so I'll not comment further and steal their deserved thunder.
The year passed quickly for me, before hardly any time it seemed Summer school was almost here.
But just before it arrived 2 major developments ocurred!
Firstly Simon Webb started his own club Dai Ichi Gakko. With him went some students to continue their practice with him. This was the best result for all of us and for the students that made their choices on dojo of preference.
Secondly the news arrived that Templegate building was closing and we would not be returning after summer school. For many of us this was a terrible shock and an abrupt and sad end to some simply amazing times in Templegate.
But at the same time...the old girl was past her prime, she'd served us well but in all honestly only the hardiest, most desperately in need of Aikido continued to train there and the frustration of seeing uncommitted beginners put off by the state of the place was very frustrating.
So it was that we went to summer school with an uncertain future.
But what a summer school it turned out to be!
With Mike Narey and Bernard Harding leading the training sessions, as usual there were several hours of excellent training to be had on every day. Mick Osborne contributed with his archery sessions and it was well organised and everyone played their part in producing a wonderful event.
For me it was extra special as Rubys 1st summer school...to see her, and Nigel’s boys and Max looked after so well by the NAF community was a revelation of just what Aikido in daily life should be.
From Templegate Matt Narey, Ken King and Stuart Turner were successful in their shodan gradings, not just in passing but in the way they passed, having shown commitment, determination and drive in their regular practice and on the day gritty effort. This is what everyone should strive for in their dan grade - a performance to be proud of.
Lets also remember that Leighton Felson also passed his Sandan examination. a new Sandan in the club is amazing - a level that very very few people achieve in Aikido. Well deserved after 17 years with the club this is probably 'the' highlight of the year.
I'll also commend some of the other Shodan graders from the NAF; from Wales and Chichester some great work was displayed and the effort you put in was clear to see.
Thinking ahead - Summer School 2012 dates are already known, 11th to 17th August 2012 (inclusive), so get your holiday booked asap if you need to!
On return from summer school there was a brief hiatus ...a shock to those of us used to training regularly...and then we started a new life at our current home, The Park (thanks to Karl for finding it).
Classes started quietly as the swiftness of the move had meant that not everyone knew where we had moved to, but as the weeks progressed more and more familiar and new faces appeared at the door and soon the dojo was thriving!!
At the start of October we held Mike’s 70th birthday course, this was probably the course of the decade for me with Mike and Matthew Hill providing excellent instruction but the highlight has to be the old timers who returned to enjoy both the course and the evening celebrating Mikes birthday. Behind the scenes a huge effort was made to organise Mikes present and again the team ethos that we now have in the club was evident as we pulled together to create a marvellous history of much of Mikes aikido.
So now we approach the Christmas break - we have just a few lessons to go then what I hope will be a successful grading day, with a group of up to 10 beginners ready to grade it promises to be the start of a bright future for the dojo.
Somehow the move and the separation of old Templegate has worked to give a united teaching team, re-energised and more committed than ever to furthering Aikido. It is a joy to be part of this club.
To Shihans, students, teachers, graders, sweepers, cleaners, administrators, organisers, tea makers, children, parents, mat movers, web site administrators, summer school organisers, grading panellists, hakama folders, bucket emptiers, friends one and all and anyone else that I have possibly missed.... To all Templegaters – Thank you all for your input throughout this incredible year.
Have a very Happy Christmas, have an amazing new year... keep safe and return in January with a real target to go forward with your Aikido.
For Templegate the New year kicks off with a bang! Teaching and demoing at the Mixed Arts course in Portishead on 7th Jan then the Open Course at the end of January...28th & 29th.
Be there. You owe it to yourself to truly commit and immerse yourself in all the great things we have going for us
Best wishes
Daren
