SPECIAL GRADINGS ANNOUNCEMENT
Hi to all students across the GKR Globe,
We wanted to take this opportunity to publicly recognize a number of our Senior Instructors who very recently achieved some very high-level gradings. So often our Regional Managers and Zone Directors are publicly recognizing and praising their own students, so we thought it might be a nice change for them to have their moment in the sun.
As many of you know, your Regional Instructors do Karate on a full-time basis. And while much of this is dedicated to improving the quality of your karate journey (teaching both students and instructors, organizing stock, school programs, marketing, gradings and tournaments etc) they are first and foremost students themselves.
While they regularly get together to train under their Zone Director, they also enjoy regular visits from GKR’s most senior leaders, including Kancho. Beyond this, 3 times per year they come together Nationally, for a Conference where they spend a few days discussing the direction of the club, their Regions and of course, get ample Gi time in.
Over the past few years their progress has been tracked and monitored closely, and last month a number of them underwent some very difficult grading assessments. These examinations took place in both Australia and the UK just prior to each country’s National Titles. The result of these assessments has seen us welcome an impressive batch of sensei into some rare ‘grading’ space. I’d like to CONGRATULATE the following senior instructors on their exceptional achievement:
6th Dan Black Belt (Rokudan)
Renshi Sensei Daniel Tregenza (South Australia)
5th Dan Black Belt (Godan)
Sensei Jason Knight (Victoria)
Sensei Kelvin Trembath (Queensland)
Sensei Robert Zammit (New South Wales)
4th Dan Black Belt (Yondan)
Sensei Stacey Cooper (Coventry, UK)
Sensei Daniel Eastman (Gloucester UK)
Sensei Francis Fenlon (New South Wales)
Sensei Daniel Freer (Northampton UK)
Sensei Gary Luxton (Queensland)
Sensei Leke Prenga (London UK)
Sensei Gavin Smith (Western Australia)
3rd Dan Black Belt (Sandan)
Sensei Ray Bettridge (Queensland)
Sensei John Daniels (Hull UK)
Sensei Mark Ingle (Western Australia)
Sensei Jenna Sinclair (Western Australia)
Sensei Stuart Wiseman (Reading UK)
2nd Dan Black Belt (Nidan)
Sensei Charmaine Agius (New South Wales)
While we could not get photos of everyone, the following are just a few photos taken from both Australia and the UK sessions.
Congratulations to all of you!