Mixed Results At Recent Grading
Students struggled to find the motivation and required effort to wow their instructors in what was a disappointing showing overall
After a fantastic spell of hot weather this summer many students were making the most of it and who can blame them, we don’t often get a summer like this. Unfortunately tho this ment their training had suffered as a result. Our grading was due to take place on the Saturday but due to the low numbers that had been attending during the holidays it was decided we would bring it forward to the Friday night instead, which is our usual training night.
Weather or not this had any impact on the students taking their grading only they will know, but it felt like they were there for a training session and not a grading. It wasn’t all doom and gloom though, there were moments of good effort and sharp techniques.
This grading saw 2 students progress their karate journey to the next level, Eva Pounder aged 13 and Ethan Callaghan aged 14 who have both been training for over 5 years and will both soon be attempting to earn their Black Belt at a separate grading got the opportunity to experience what it is like to be on the other side at a grading. Both students were asked to assess some of the younger students, a daunting job for anyone let alone two juniors.
Both Eva and Ethan relished this opportunity and did a really good job. This will give them confidence going forward and if they manage to earn their Black Belts this will become a regular thing.
Results
As always there a many factors that goes into deciding what each student should be awarded. Things like effort, skill, focus, hours trained, behaviour in class and current grade to name just a few, and it’s never a straightforward decision.
A big well done to Blossom Beautyman who was the only student to earn herself a new belt, going from a white belt to a Yellow Belt with 1 Orange Tag
The following students achieved a tag or tags towards their next belt
- Alice and James +1 Blue Tag
- Sam Beckwith, Morris Curnow and Willow Quinn-Swain: +2 Green Tags
- Ellie Beckwith: +1 Green Tag
- Max Longman and Luca Edwards +2 Orange Tags
- Rupert Quinn-Swain +1 Orange Tag
- Digby Curnow +1 Yellow Tag
As a final surprise it was decided that both Ethan and Eva who have been training 7 hours every week for the past 6 months or so to get ready for their grading deserved to grade, so they were awarded their final 2 tags on their Brown Belt as recognition for their hard work and helpfulness in class with the other junior students.
Thank you everyone who attended, as always some of you will inevitably be disappointed with the outcome of today, use this to improve your effort every week in class and next time hopefully the result will be different. Thanks to Denzil, Ethan and Eva for their help today, its appreciated as always.