SUMMER COURSE 2007 

The headlines, last week June 2007:

• Exit Tony Blair, enter Gordon Brown as Prime Minster of Great Britain.
• Wimbledon 2007 starts and Henmania begins and ends that same week.
• Thierry Henry leaves Arsenal for Barcelona.
• Parkinson announces his retirement from TV.
• Paris Hilton leaves prison after completing her jail sentence.
• Spice Girls reunite for worldwide concert and promise they won’t sing?!
• And the rains came down across the country with flash floods and rivers bursting their banks up and down the country…

 Rain it did this year all week long as Karate Students from all over the UK and further afield (those crazy Fins again?!) attended the 32nd Ticky Donovan Summer Course 2007 held at the Seawick Holiday Village, St. Osyth Beach, Nr Clacton-On-sea between 23^rd June and 30^th June 2007.

 Rain, rain, go away, come again another day were the sentiments held by Senseis and Sempais alike during the course of the week where traditional training was scuppered by the torrential downpour. With the extreme wet weather prohibiting training on the water logged grassy verge all week, breaking briefly only for the final bow on Friday 30^th June 2007, students and instructors were forced to train indoors in the Seawick Holiday Village dance hall.

 What should have been three training sessions over a course of a day with all students training concurrently, became a gruelling marathon of nine consecutive sessions divided by grade starting from eight in the morning and lasting until almost seven at night. Though the weather was wet and grey, spirits were high among Sensei and Sempai, training intensely through out the marathon session all week long.

 A special thank you to all the Senseis, teaching on the course, for their professionalism. Without their spirit, dedication and commitment to Karate and it’s many students the long arduous days of training were magically transformed into informative, educational and enjoyable sessions all day long, each and every day.

 Teaching on the course this year were Sensei’s Ticky Donovan O.B.E 8^th Dan, Dave Hazard 7^th Dan, Moira Barber 6^th Dan, Pepe Suarez 6^th (upgraded Summer Course 2007) Dan, Phil Francis 6^th Dan (upgraded Summer Course 2007), Greg Francis 5^th Dan, Richard Condon 4^th Dan, Eddie Gillespie 4^th Dan, Lee Smith 4^th Dan and Jonathan Mottram 3^rd Dan.

Fun Run success this year;

Aramanni                                          1^st in Girls Division

Rafe D’silva                                      2^nd in Men’s Division

Grading success this year on the course;

Aramanni                                          Gained Blue Belt

Competition success this year;

Aramanni                                          1^st in Girls Kumite

Jackie                                                1st in Ladies Kumite upto 6^th kyu and 3^rd Ladies Kata upto 6^th kyu

Rafe D’silva                                      3^rd in Men’s Black Belt Kata

Congratulation to Sensei Phil Francis on being awarded 6^th Dan on course.

A big thank you to Mo, Shai, Phil, Greg, Linda, Agatha, Judith, Jackie, Ellen, and Rafe who each took in turn to cook for everyone from Barking & Eltham Dojo.

Check out the Gallery for full Summer Course pics!

For details of next year’s course, contact Parkview Fitness on 0208 491 5219 or email parkvfit@aol.com.

COURSE DATES FOR 2007: Sunday 21^st June to Friday 28^th June 2008

TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT, BOOK EARLY FOR NEXT YEAR!!

PS And just in case it does rain like cats and dogs on next year's course, find time to brush up on the lyrics to the unofficial anthem of Ishinryu Karate. No not the seventies classic number, but the nineties poptastic S club7 and Reach?!!! Lyrics as follows and hum if you like…

When the world, leaves you feeling blue
You can count on me, I will be there for you
When it seems, all your hopes and dreams
Are a million miles away, I will re-assure you

We've got to all stick together
Good friends, there for each other
Never ever forget that
I've got you and you've got me, so

Reach for the stars
Climb every mountain higher
Reach for the stars
Follow your hearts desire
Reach for the stars
And when that rainbow's shining over you
That's when your dreams will all come true

There's a place waiting just for you
Is a special place where your dreams all come true
Fly away, swim the ocean blue
Drive that open road, leave the past behind you
Don't stop gotta keep moving
Your hopes have gotta keep building
Never ever forget that
I've got you and you've got me, so

Reach for the stars
Climb every mountain higher
Reach for the stars
Follow your hearts desire
Reach for the stars
And when that rainbow's shining over you
That's when your dreams will all come true

Don't believe in all that you've been told
The sky's the limit you can reach your goal
No-one knows just what the future holds
There ain't nothing you can't be
There's a whole world at your feet
I said reach

Climb every mountain (reach)
Reach for the moon (reach)
Follow that rainbow
And your dreams will all come true

Reach for the stars
Climb every mountain higher
Reach for the stars
Follow your hearts desire
Reach for the stars
And when that rainbow's shining over you
That's when your dreams will all come true
Reach for the stars
Climb every mountain higher
Reach for the stars
Follow your hearts desire
Reach for the stars
And when that rainbow's shining over you
That's when your dreams will all come true
Reach for the stars
Climb every mountain higher [fade to finish]