Archive News
Posted November 24th 2009
Dublin International Report
On the 2nd of October 2009 the EWF team and our supporters flew out of Birmingham International Airport on our way to Dublin to attend the AMA international karate tournament. This was our first international and we were all looking forward to taking part. With a selected squad of sixteen competitors who had been training hard for this one event for the past three months and five coaches in attendance, supported by family and friends, we all set of into the wild blue yonder.
After an over night stay in a very nice hotel we were up early, breakfasted and on our way to the venue.
We were not sure how long a day it was going to be with twenty eight teams from different countries taking part. On asking about the number of competitors we were told that there would be somewhere in the region of six hundred and fifty taking part. Six mats in operation, good organisation we could be finished by midnight.
Photo above: Sensei Ray Field, Holly Ings, Sensei Mark Beeby, Mark Wooldridge, Tom Carter, Shannon Parsons, Connor Wilde, Amy Carter, Brandon Jewell, Ryan Lezar, Cerys Danks, Nathan Hunt, Sensei Glen Bayliss, Pheobe Graver, Tara Wilson, Jack Davies, Emily Davies, Sensei Tony Harvey, Bryony Danks, Callum Whatmore & Sensei Justine Wilson-Cleife
We must remember that in any competition we attend it is about the competitors taking part. Parents spend good money to attend and are there to see their children taking part and hopefully doing well. They are not there because they like a particular referee or coach. Neither coaches or referee’s have fan clubs.
To actually report on every competitor for EWF would mean writing a book, although I would like to do so this is not the right time or place. Let us just say this one thing, as coaches we were proud of all of our competitors. Win or lose we were there to compete and that is exactly what we did. In some categories we were outclassed, in others we held our own and in some we out classed them. With one gold, two silver and eight bronze medals being our final tally.
As a Wado group we are not supposed to win anything at open competitions let alone an open international. We now believe that we are starting to compete with the best in open competition and this is due to the hard work of all involved from student to coaches to the unsung hero’s of karate competition, PARENTS. Without these people our efforts would be for nothing. Some can be such a pain and we then put all parents into the same box. Others support our efforts over many years and never get a bye your leave or a thank you. So get ready. We the coaches at EWF would like to extend to all our parents a heart felt THANK YOU.
Our first international open competition was a fun and friendly weekend, we made new friends and met many good people. Here’s looking forward to the next.
M BEEBY.
Posted September 15th 2009
English Wado Federation Squad Training 6th Sept. 2009 Report
Click here to read full report.
Posted July 29th 2009
Terry Wingrove Sensei, Karate Jutsu Course July 2009
Click here to read full report.
Posted July 29th 2009
EWF Squad Selection Report
Sunday the 26th July 2009 saw the first selection of an English Wado Federation international squad. Over twenty students were short listed to attend the final selection for both kata and kumite. The successful students will represent us at the AMA International Open in Dublin on 3rd October 2009. We obviously wish them every success in this competition.
The squad training sessions are becoming more popular as the year progresses with the standards in both kata and kumite increasing. New members are adding to the diversity of the training with instructors adding ideas to the pot, some work and some don’t, some of these new idea’s have given us surprising results and have become part of the training schedule. We are pleased to see that several of the younger students have now become interested in kumite as well as kata and are proving to be very adept.
The average squad attendance is over forty students and this gives us the ability to select students for competitions at different levels so that all students have the opportunity to represent EWF. It is the policy of EWF to allow all students of EWF to attend squad training sessions so that they may improve their kata and kumite skills.
Looking forward to a brighter future,
M Beeby. Sensei.
Posted June 2009
Sensei Mark Beeby receives his 6th Dan
For most of us in the Wado fraternity 2008 was our Annus Grotius, certainly a year for us all to forget.
However, out of the confusion & chaos came a stronger unity with those who feel that justice & friendship make stronger allies than agenda & ego.
Both Mark and Ray had the good fortune to unite, to create and form the English Wado Federation, and in turn became very close allies with us at the Alliance of International Wado-ryu (AIWa). As you may know Mark has worked tirelessly in constructing the EWF, so much so that at times it can take its toll. However, because of his tenacity he has gained a very strong following and unity within, with a very strong membership of support all around him.
I feel that the competitive standards that have been promoted within the EWF are 2nd to none, and the Wado world in the UK must now quaking knowing that there are some, if not many, in EWF membership that are top world-class practitioners. I have known Mark from as long as our association within our previous affiliation to Wadokai England, and I know him to be the most conscientious in all his efforts to make his students and instructors under him top priority. Unlike many other instructors outside of our network, we take pride in attempting to make our students better than ourselves.
In light and recognition of his dedication, commitment, loyalty, and enthusiasm with Wado Karate
it gives me great pleasure to present and award Mark Beeby with the rank of 6th Dan within the Alliance
of International Wado-ryu.
Gary E Swift (7th Dan) Kyoshi, AIWa President.
