2009 NZ Novice Champs and Referees' seminar report

Report of 2009 New Zealand kendo Novice Championships & Shimpan Seminar

Congratulations to Waikato teams for the fruitful weekend. It was a great feeling to see you all trying best in each match and still having fun with it. Still, we would like to express our gratitude to all the friends, families and Kendoka who came along to support the event.

Part I. People who work in the background:

Thanks to people who kindly gave their time to help making me can completing the preparation. Here they are:

l Debbie – for WKC members' enrolment.

l Clement & Sam – finalized the info pack & certificates designation.

l Awatea, Omar – printing certificates and match draw, and tapes preparation.

l Dabao & Clement – shipping all the food supply and equipments.

l Sam Tsai – trophy and medal order.

l Awatea, Clement, Omar, Dabao, Adam, George, Jeffrey, Amigo, Chui, Gaelle …teams – shiaijo organization before and after.

l Clement & Adam – shinai weighting.

l Lance , Marilyn & William – lunch sidtribution.

l Kobe café – referees lunch supply.

l Do-Hun, Henry P., William, Awatea, Clement, Annie, Ya-Yi, Chui, Gaelle, Ruby (TSKD) and Il Soo (AKC) – score board keeping.

l William, Jihoon & Joyce – time keeping.

l Lance, Leo, Marleen -- On site photographers

l If anyone I lost memory of your contribution, please forgive me J

l Thank you for each one of your participating.

Very special thanks to:

l Alan Stephenson sensei who led us to overlook the Kendo shimpan's job and work it through with us. This invaluable lesson ensure us have better understanding in each aspect regarding our Kendo journey.

l Ms. Karen Carmichael & Mr. Sunil Singh bring their professional knowledge to share with us in the work shop which indeed opens our view regarding preventing injury from Kendo training.

l The trainee referees group: Thomas Hong (AKC), Philippe Gianni (AKC), Jeffrey Ke (WKC), Walter McCahon (Rembuden).

Part II. Individual achievement @ 2009 Novice Champs

² Juniors demonstration match

Ø 1^st: Joyce Tsai (WKC, 8 years old)

Ø 2^nd Peter Ho (WKC, 11 years old)

² Youth Division (15^th years old and under)

Ø 1^st place: William Chuang (WKC)

Ø 2^nd place: Peter Ho (WKC)

Ø 3^rd place: Jihoon (Jason) Park (WKC)

² Women's Kyu Division

Ø 1^st place: Annie Ko (WKC)

Ø 2^nd place: Lia Yosaamadtji (AKC)

Ø 3^rd equal: Chui Suan Low (WKC) & Medea Pai (Rembuden)

² Women's Dan Division

Ø 1^st place: Tammy Lin (AKC)

Ø 2^nd place: Ayako Murakami (WKC)

Ø 3^rd place: Ya-Yi Huang (WKC)

² Men's Kyu Division

Ø 1^st place: Walt Kim (DMK)

Ø 2^nd place: George Liu (WKC)

Ø 3^rd equal: Adam Ward (WKC) & Simon Evans (WKC)

² Men's Dan Division

Ø 1^st place: Clement Guo (WKC)

Ø 2^nd place: Amigo Huang (WKC)

Ø 3^rd equal: Robin Parrington (WKC) & Awatea Williams (WKC)

² Inter Club teams matches

Ø 1^st place: Waikato team 7 including Sanjive Singh, Adam Ward, Do-Hun Kim.

Ø 2^nd place: Waikato team 3 including Tei Pelant, Leo Lin, Amigo Huang.

Ø 3^rd place: Waikato team 6 including George Liu, Clement Guo, Awatea Williams.

The 2009 Novice seems over but next Championships just begin J

More photos:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?page=1&aid=126616&id=537476157#/album.php?page=1&aid=126616&id=537476157

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/llnz/20840362

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Living your daily life with 100% effort,
you won't feel regret in the end of the day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marleen Charng
President/ Chief Instructor
Waikato Kendo Club
http://www.waikatokendo.org.nz/

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/marleen-charng/

An invaluable speech about Education

Dear All,

Here is a YouTube linkage to share with you.

15 years ago, by chance, I had an in-depth conversation with a scholar from Cornell University who does research on the area of Anthropology. What I learned from him from the conversation is about: an individual is the product of a collective culture, on the other hand, an individual helps forming the collective culture.

Year by year, I make more sense about his theory.

Regarding education, we all play certain part in our daily live as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, mum, dad or grand parents...even Dojo team mates.

I do hope if any of you made your mind wanting to be a teacher in any school level, please spare your time to watch this film. Thank you.

Again, the linkage is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY


Marleen
Your Kendo coach

An awarding evening -- 2009 Blues Award

Oh, what a night!!!

Just before Rembuden Taikai, I received an official letter from University Waikato informing me that I have been nominated to the WALLACE CORPORATION UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO BLUES Award, and will accept the award on 9th October, 6.00pm.

I published this news to our emailing list and gave invitation. Thanks to Jeffrey and Ya-Yi, Annie, Amigo, Leo and Amy, Awatea, Clement, Adam and Debbie making themselves available for me to make me have a real awarding evening.

It started from 5.40PM. Awatea dressed his formal suit and drove his blue pumpkin carriage arriving my house preparing to pick me up even without a notice in advance. I was so surprised by his thoughtful and lovely manner when I was expecting Debbie to meet me at my home. Because I planed to bear with my sore lower back driving ourselves to the venue. That moment, I feel myself is a modern Cinderella.

As usual, we are the only one and the strongest team in any event when we all get together.

Everybody look so different comparing with dressed in Gi and Hakama. Even myself. Haha. I would like to apply Debbie's words regarding my dress. She said, 'Sam doesn't know what he has missed'. I think her words applying to the evening as well although this is my 2nd time to have the award.

Same as Kendo cut, each strike is a unique strike in the same evening. Each day is a different day of our life.

I met my thesis supervisor from Sport and Leisure studies Dr. Clive Pop and his lovely wife, and had a very good chat. When it's about time, we all moved toward our table. Unfortunately, each table can only seat 12 people so that we have to move Awa and Clement to sit with others. However, they were seating close to us. Therefore, we didn't miss too much with each other.

Along with the progress of the night, we met so many extraordinary young and professional people from Olympic or World Champs. We feel really honored. The venue made me think of the sentence I heard in Christchurch, 'we decided to be extraordinary...'.

Thanks to Clement's mid efforts to nominate me.

I deeply believe, 2010 will be our team's year in Blues Award evening.

Mason Senpai's 'Out standing Service' award in Taiwan

Many of you might not know him, Mason Ma, one of your senpai from Waikato kendo Club.

Due to his father's lung cancer, Mason choose going back to Taiwan and complete his Army service after graduated from University of Waikato.

This article from newspapers is about he has been awarded with his 'Outstanding Service' within 100 competitors who provides service with their second language background in the Amy. It's also listing many of his contribution to Church and community in his private time.

I believe you do feel proud of him as I am.

My Rembuden ... A story in 3 parts .... Part 3 by Robin Parrington

Shiai over we load our gear into the cars and say our goodbyes to the other kendoka. Someone comments that although a nice city, “Wellington is far too cold for us northerners and that if we didn’t know better we’d think it was going to snow!”

Next we drop Marleen and Joyce back in the city centre so they can do some sightseeing…. More goodbyes then we’re off.

The journey starts off ok; the cars stay a little closer this time. We stop for a quick coffee … the barista is quite rude to Do-Hun. I will take this opportunity to apologize to Do-Hun for not admonishing the barista for his rudeness. Sorry Do-Hun.

We drive on. After a couple more hours its starts to get dark and we pass a sign saying Road Closed. Unsure which roads are closed we stop for fuel at a one horse town called Hunterville. The lady in the petrol station tells us that not only is highway 1 closed because of deep snow but she thinks our alternate route highway 4(national park) is closed too. Do-Hun says that now even the weather doesn’t like him. lol.

We see a coffee shop over the road so we go there to gather our thoughts, study the map and make a new plan. Its nice and cosy inside and we gather round the wood burner with the other customers. We are unable to find out more about the road closures but a young lady informs us that the local motel is full …… However she has a room and is willing to share with a certain (another) member of our group. Once more honour produces a polite refusal.

We decide that we need some accurate information as to road conditions and that the best place for that would be the police station at Wanganui. As we enter the police station Do-Hun says that as he doesn’t want to be arrested he is now Japanese named Daitaro. More laughter. Inside we are told all routes to Hamilton are closed. We can’t even go via Napier or New Plymouth.

We are stuck.

Getting hungry now, we head to McDonalds for a bite to eat and to make yet another plan. While the others are eating one of our group asks the staff if they know of any cheap accommodation. After a short pause a women steps forward from the kitchens. She is a handsome woman of mature years and a good figure. Thinking he is alone and with a twinkle in her eye she tells him that she finishes work at midnight and would give him a room for the night. As he is a gentleman he tells her that although it is a great compliment to have an offer from such an attractive lady he must decline. With a smile she then gives him directions to a nearby motel.

At the Avro motel we tell the owner/manager? Of our plight and book in for the night. As he shows us our room, which is really nice, we tell him of Do-Huns woes … he breaks into a big beaming smile a gives Do-Hun a big hug telling us that he likes Koreans. Everyone laughs.

Warm and cosy we settle down with some liquid refreshments. We talk long into the night about everything imaginable. From silly word games to boys things to the Israeli/Palestinian problem and more.

In the morning it’s a quick McD’s breakfast and check in at the police station. They confirm that highway 4 is open and we can restart our journey. Highway 4 is a twisty road so we take our time and enjoy the scenery. After several hours of driving we see Hamilton. Just enough time for Clement and I to have one more debate …. This time how to cure world hunger. We talk fast… get louder … interrupt each other.

Suddenly we are at Clements house so the result is … hiki- wake!

Exhausted, we are home.

The End.

Post script.

I have been on many trips, sporting and otherwise, over the years and have to say that his one ranks among the best. We went as club members and returned as brothers.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition;

And gentlemen in Waikato now-a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

The fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Apologies to W. Shakespeare.

My Rembuden ... A story in 3 parts .... Part 2 by Robin Parrington

Part 2

On to the shiai.

We arrive at the venue in good time for the weigh in. All is well so Adam and George get changed. The Taikai is officially opened and the competition begins.

First to fight are the juniors and as there are only 4 competitors the action is over quite soon.

Next up are the ladies for the women’s open. We didn’t have any ladies entered so again we sat and enjoyed the action. Maybe next year? Annie? Debbie? … Or?

Now it’s time for the kyu grades and we have Adam and George competing so our adrenalin starts to flow.

The format is of pools of 3 or 4 and the top 2 from each pool go through to the next round. Then quarter, semi and then the final.

Adam.

Fight 1: Step in, bow, three paces, draw shinai, sonkyo. … Hajime! Within 10 seconds they clash and Adams opponent is on the floor. From now on Adam seems a little thrown and is not fighting like the Adam we know. Slowly Adam begins warm up and relax a little. I can’t recall exactly how the fight went but Adam lost.

Fight 2:

In his next fight Adam had an awkward opponent who did a lot of pushing. Once again we didn’t see the true Adam and unfortunately he lost again so Adam doesn’t get beyond his pool. His Kyu grade competition was over.

George.

I don’t remember too much about Georges pool matches but he fights well and progresses to the quarter finals. Then to semi’s, then the final

George must like shiai … because his fights last forever. One of his pool matches … went to encho. The semi final … a long encho. Then only a 5 minute break and it’s the final. What happens? Yet another long encho. It was exhausting just to watch. I’ll let George tell you of his fight but all I’ll say now is that no one could have come closer to winning and come second.

We now break for lunch which is a foot long subway. Mmm, very tasty but we only dare take one or two bites if we want to be able to fight.

Lunch over it’s junior dan, I lose both my pool matches, maybe I could have won if I had a little more fire in my belly? I was much too calm; I needed to be a little more nervous to help the adrenalin flow.

Do-Hun fought well in all his fights but although it looked like he scored kote several times the shinpan never seemed to give him any points. As he finished his last pool match he joked of the shinpan “I don’t think they like me”. This became standing joke throughout the weekend, more of that later.

Clement and Awa were drawn in the same pool (again) and fought well as they always do. There was even an extra fight between them to see which of them went to the next round. It was a shame because it would have been nice to see them both progress.

Anyway, Clement goes through but is knocked out in the next round so individuals are over. We watch and admire the senior Dan’s.

Now back to Rowena’s for a quick shower then on to the dinner. It’s Adams first time in a Chinese restaurant so he’s given a quick lesson with chopsticks and we all tuck in. The food is good so there’s much eating, lots of talking and a little drinking. A good time was had by all.

Back at the lodge Marleen and Joyce bid us good night and we boys decide to watch some of our fights on the video. There’s plenty of light hearted banter so when Do-Hun say again “See! They don’t like me!” there’s much laughter there’s a comment of “maybe its Koreans they don’t like?” More laughter. Eventually we tire and drift off to sleep.

Day 2 is the team event and Waikato B (Adam, Do-Hun, Robin) are first up. We fight Hutt C/D?

Today Adam fights well and wins. Do-Hun has no opponent so wins and I win mine. Were through to round 2. Waikato A win there first match and go through also.

Waikato B against Auckland A (the eventual winners). We try our best but as to be expected we lose and our Rembuden is over. Do-Hun jokes “they still don’t like me”.

All our attention turns to George, Awa and Clement. They win their next match and are guaranteed a medal. Now they are up against Rembuden A, They fight valiantly but are defeated so have to still for bronze.

To close the event there is an invitation shiai, 12 in each team, between Rembuden and Rest of NZ. Clement and Do-Hun are chosen for the NZ team. Clement fights well then its Do-Hun. Do-Hun fight is the best that I have ever seen him fight and it’s against a quality opponent. Do-Hun wins! Hooray! We all give him a pat on the back and say “see! The shinpan do like you.”

Rembuden is over … Let’s go home.

To be continued ……

My Rembuden ... A story in 3 parts ... by Robin Parrington

Part 1 ....

I must start by saying that this report may not be 100% accurate and may be a little embellished in places but it is how I will remember our adventure.

Our journey starts with a rendezvous at Marleens house at 07:45 on a cool but sunny Friday morning. We all arrive and load up our gear into the cars and as previously arranged we set off at around 08:10. Awa’s car leading a loose convoy we have agreed to meet up for morning tea at Taupo.

After a couple of hrs driving my car arrives at the meeting place and to our surprise we are the first there. A quick phone call to George and we learn that Awa’s group has decided to show Do-Hun a little of New Zealand and have made a quick detour to Huka falls. It’s not a problem; we just rearrange to have our next meet up in Wellington.

Another 6hrs of tiring but uneventful driving sees us arrive at Rowena’s lodge (our backpacker accommodation) at around 16:00hrs. Awa is now about an hour behind us.

Wearily I ring the bell and am greeted by the most miserable and grumpy old man imaginable. After checking in and swiping our visa cards he points out where the facilities are and gives me the keys to our rooms. As we make our way to our rooms I notice a group of guys lounging about in the TV room. In the dining room is an old grand piano.

The boy’s room is not the nicest room in the world but it will serve our purpose and was not expensive. Next door is Marleen and Joyce’s room. It is not a very nice room. It is dark and smells of damp.

I now start to worry. Marleen and Joyce have booked to stay here an extra night after we boys have gone home. While we are there we can make sure they are protected but what happens when we leave? Will they be OK? Will they be safe?

After unpacking and having some refreshments Marleen assures us that she and Joyce will be alright and that as we have paid we will stay here as planned.

Awa arrives and as a group we have some tea and talk of the journey down

At about 19:00hrs we all go for a walk into Wellington centre. It’s a little cold and windy but Wellington looks like a very nice city. An hour or so later we pick up some pizza and some beers and make our way back to the lodge.

Into the dining room we go and take command of a table. We set out our “feast” and make ourselves comfortable. The food and drink goes down well and not too much later an Italian lady enters with two young children (about 2 and 4 yrs old), immediately I feel a little easier about leaving Marleen and Joyce alone.

All of us now warmed up and with full bellies, we ask Joyce if she will entertain us on the piano. Reluctantly she agrees, she sits down and slowly makes herself comfortable, she gathers her thoughts. She starts to play … Wow! This girl can really play the whole room goes quiet as we all listen to her. It’s not just us but I can see the other guests are mighty impressed too. The Italian children are drawn to the piano by Joyce’s music recital, their mother comes too. After a faultless performance the whole room applauds.

Next, Awa gets up and sits at the Piano … He too can play. I’m learning so much about my fellow club mates.

While Awa and Joyce continue to play piano I take the opportunity to talk to the Italian lady. She quickly puts my mind at ease and tells me that, although Rowena’s lodge may not be the nicest place she has stayed in, she has never felt threatened and says everyone(except Mr Happy the Manager) is very friendly.

It’s getting a little late and we have competition in the morning so we go to bed.

We wake early and one by one make our way to have a shower. We hit the showers just as some beautiful young ladies are coming out dressed only in towels … A girls hockey team are staying here too. Suddenly Rowena’s lodge is looking a little nicer.

Over breakfast, we learn that one of our party has an admirer from the ladies hockey team. He is a man of great honour and politely declined the advance.

To be continued…….