Dojo earns tournament medals

MEMBERS of the Funakoshi Karate Dojo have brought home a swag of medals from the National All Styles tournament in Melbourne.

Competitors in the 14-15 years division.

The team travelled to Melbourne for round two of the tournament last Sunday, June 21.

Not only did members win medallions, they all showed great dedication, discipline, courage and spirit as they stepped on to the competition floor.

“Tournament success is built on many things; consistent training, listening, supporting each other, pushing through challenges and representing our dojo with pride and respect,” Sensei Peter Conroy said.

“Every competitor demonstrated the true values of martial arts – effort, perseverance, respect and continuous improvement.”

Conroy said it was especially pleasing to see the next generation of pee wees and juniors stepping up into the tournament squad.

“With all seven members achieving a medal, it shows the commitment, confidence and growth that comes from regular training and having the chance to challenge themselves in competition,” he said.

“This is a fantastic foundation for the future of our dojo.”

Results from last weekend included:

Jill – 1st veteran continuous fighting; 2nd Open women’s black belt kata, Open women’s point fighting and Open women’s continuous fighting, veteran point fighting; 3rd Veteran 51+ kata.

Mark – 2nd veteran 51+ point fighting, 3rd veteran continuous fighting.

Kyla – 1st 10-11 years novice point fighting, 3rd 10-11 years kata.

George – 3rd 8-9 years kata.

Jaybe – 2nd 12-14 years continuous fighting, 3rd 14-15 years advanced kata.

Sophie – encouragement award, 10-11 years girls continuous fighting.

Jordan – encouragement award, 10-11 years boys continuous fighting.

Jed – 3rd advanced male continuous fighting.

“Whether someone brought home a medal or not, simply stepping on to the mat is an achievement,” Conroy said.

“Every tournament teaches us something; how we respond under pressure, how we improve and how we continue growing.

“Many thanks to all the families, supporters and training partners who helped make this possible; their encouragement and commitment behind the scenes is a huge part of our success. We are proud of how our dojo was represented in Melbourne – with humility, respect and fighting spirit.”