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Athens Karate School |
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2012 Instructor Certification Testing |
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The weekend of February 3rd through the 5th was indeed a special weekend for the Athens Karate School as we completed a technical review for a number of folks and completed their requirements for Instructor Certification. The weekend started on Friday evening with some review and quite a storm but we got some good work done with Sensei Nathan Batson of the Tyler Kenshinkan Dojo and Lisa Sudbury, Chief Instructor of the North Texas Kenshinkan Dojo. We then went and met the rest of the “crew” who had finally arrived from all over the country, mainly Washington, Maine and Georgia. Saturday morning began with some free time for about 3 and a half hours of review and workout where the instructor candidates had a helpful hand from the Certified Instructors on hand, Nathan Batson, Tim Amey and Buddy Masters. At 1pm, the actual test started and the following black belts were lined up to do the performance review of the Instructor Certification requirements that I have laid out for our group. The testing board consisted of the following: John Shipes, Hachidan, Hanshi, US Director of the OSMKKF, Chief Instructor of the Athens Karate School in Athens, Texas Nathan Batson, Yondan, Certified Full Instructor, Chief Instructor of the Tyler Kenshinkan Karate Dojo in Tyler, Texas Michael Veillon, Yondan, Certified Full Instructor, Chief Instructor of the Pine Forest Dojo in Pineville, Louisiana Tim Amey, Sandan, Certified Full Instructor, Chief Instructor of the Evergreen Karate and Kobudo Club in Everett, Washington Buddy Masters, Sandan, Certified Full Instructor, Chief Instructor of Masters Self Defense Concepts in Savannah, Georgia Those lined up to test included the following: Steve Apsega, Yondan, Chief Instructor of the Orrington Dojo, Orrington, Maine Stan Leach, Yondan, Chief Instructor of the Orland Dojo, Orland, Maine Jim Smoak, Sandan, Chief Instructor of the Cedar Park Christian Dojo, Bothell, Washington Lisa Sudbury, Sandan, Chief Instructor of the North Texas Kenshinkan Dojo, Terrell, Texas Sheila Thomas, Sandan, Chief Instructor of the Bryan/College Station Dojo, Bryan, Texas Joseph Masters, Nidan, Chief Instructor of the Joseph Masters Karate Dojo, Savannah, Georgia Mark Stevens, Nidan, Assistant Instructor at the Tyler Kenshinkan Dojo, Tyler, Texas Moral support was provided by Paul Wilson of the White Rock dojo in Dallas, Texas and Mike Garner of the Athens Karate School as both were there most of the way even though they weren’t testing. The testing portion of the weekend was approximately 7 hours in length and I could not be prouder of the job that was done by all. It was a long weekend and ending with the completion of requirements by Sensei’s Leach and Apsega for their Full Instructor Certification, Lisa Sudbury, Jim Smoak, and Joseph Masters for their Karate and Kobudo Instructor Certification and Sheila Thomas for her Karate Instructor Certification. Mark Stevens completed the technical review portion of his requirements and will shortly complete the remainder of his requirements for his Karate Instructor Certification. Congratulations to you all and thank you for all your hard work and effort. You make me proud. Regards, John
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Visit us at:
Athens Karate School 8650 State Highway 19 South Athens, TX 75751 Phone: 903-675-3229 Email: JRShipes@athenskarate.com or JRShipes@aol.com |