Instructors upgrade martial skills (From Penarth Times)

Instructors upgrade martial skills

MEMBERS of South Glamorgan Karate-do Shotokai are lucky to have a high standard of coaching at their club.

The 30-year-old Penarth club recently sent its instructors and assistant instructors to upgrade and update their qualifications. This was done under the watchful eye and guidance of Paul Scott, the main assessor for the Welsh Karate Governing Body (WKGB). The intensive course took place over a weekend in Swansea.

The South Glamorgan instructors already had excellent knowledge and skills developed through the work done by their own organisation, the Karate-do Shotokai (KDS). This was put to the test and confirmed as being of a high standard by the WKGB, who oversee the standards of all karate groups in Wales.

Successful candidates from the club were Ross Lingard, Stephen Court and Nicholaus Turner, who received Level II Coach Awards. Jonathan de' Claire, the senior instructor at Penarth, was confirmed as a coach assessor for the Welsh section of the KDS. To complement this, all coaches at the club have also completed basic first aid courses.

Jonathan de' Claire - senior instructor, commented: "It is my aim to make the club a centre of excellence for other areas of the KDS to aspire to and emulate.

"In order to achieve this, we need the whole instructor team to be of the highest standard possible. In doing so we can pass on our skills to up-and-coming members in a safe and professional manner, even though we function on an amateur basis. "This is the first step in achieving that long term goal".