ABILITYKIA ORA!
Welcome to the Autumn edition of the New Zealand Disability Karate Association newsletter!
The clocks have changed, the air's getting crisp, and leaves are starting to fall, but we're still kicking and punching our way through the season! The dojo stays warm, bright, and full of energy no matter the weather.
And guess what? April 18th is our birthday! We're turning seven years old, and just like any seven year old, we're growing fast, getting stronger, and having heaps of fun along the way!
Easter Class Reminder!
Hop to it, our Easter class is happening on Wednesday, 16th April! Don't forget to wear your favourite Easter costume, we can't wait to see what creative, colourful, or downright egg-cellent outfits you come up with!
The class will be packed with fun: Easter eggs, a lolly scramble, and loads of exciting games. It's going to be a blast!
This event is open to everyone, so bring your friends and let's make it a class to remember!
Who has graded?
Since our last newsletter, we've celebrated two successful gradings, and we couldn't be prouder of everyone who participated and showed off their amazing progress! Looking ahead, our next grading is in May, and we're likely to see some new blue belts joining the dojo!
Here's the breakdown of our club's current belt ranks.
- 10 white belts (10th kyu)
- 19 yellow belts (9th kyu)
- 19 orange belts (8th kyu)
- 16 green belts (7th kyu)
- No blue belts (6th kyu)
- 6 purple belts (5th kyu)
Let's keep up the fantastic work and continue striving for new milestones together!
What is coming up.
Our plans for the next quarter.
- Publish book six in the Rainbro series.
- Begin writing the accessible karate coaching book.
- We are targeting businesses around Wellington for funding support.
- Have a stand at the Armageddon Expo in April.
- Update the Syllabus to align with Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate.
- Grow the Saturday class size through a campaign in Lower Hutt.
- Work with Hutt City Council to market our services to local communities.
- Remember you can invite your friends along to class.
Summary of Annual Report
This reporting period is from October 2023 to October 2024.
- Our partnership with Manaaki Ability Trust continues to strengthen. Due to increasing demand, we have expanded our offerings to include a second class. We now deliver sessions on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons for their clients, with an average combined weekly attendance of 32 participants.
- We successfully hosted our first karate tournament for club members, featuring approximately 30 competitors. The event was proudly supported by a panel of internationally accredited judges, who were enthusiastic about contributing to the growth of Wellington's disability karate community.
- 186 classes were run during the reporting period.
- Although we have had a number of students leave we have had new students join the club, which means we have 35 more students than this time last year.
- The club has published five children's books to generate income for the club.
- We have run another six week training seminar for the complex needs students at Wellington High School at no cost to the school.
- We developed guidance for running karate tournaments for people living with disability. This has been shared with other karate clubs to help them develop more inclusive karate tournaments.
In summary, the club is in a strong position moving into the next reporting period. However, securing adequate funding will continue to be a challenge.
It's Armageddon!
We're back for our third epic year at Armageddon Wellington, from Good Friday, 18th April, to Easter Sunday, 20th April, and we've got something special to celebrate!
Not only are we bringing the message that anyone can do karate, but Good Friday also marks our club's 7th birthday! Come help us celebrate seven years of kicking goals, breaking barriers, and building an inclusive karate community.
You'll find us at Stand 26D, we're pretty sure that's near the celebrity guest zone, so swing by between autographs.
Last year was a massive success, and this year is going to be even better!
Look out for the Winter issue and feel free to share this newsletter with your friends.
Membership is free and open to anyone who wishes to take part in the martial arts training offered by the club. All the details are on our website. www.karatedojo.nz
Ngā mihi