Congratulations to everyone who was successful at the Spring Grading.  Keep up the great work!

12 Kyu (Yellow Belt)
Olivia Chang
Lily Collofello
Yasmine Lintott
Ned Tuckey
Max Durre

11 Kyu (Orange & White Belt)
Kalani Kloot
Joshua Delaney
Slade Revell
Charlie Chipperfield
Aaron Higgins
Damien Kloot
Naoki Tani

10 Kyu (Orange Belt)
Taiyo Tani
Enoch Kavelin
Paula Barnum
Sienna Bauer
Ben Hastings
Halle Peddie

9 Kyu (Green & White Belt)
Chui McDonald
Max Ker
Kayden Kloot

8 Kyu (Green Belt)
Cooper Shaw
Bohdi Valencour

7 Kyu (Blue & White Belt)
Erika Baritchi
Adam Glachan
Millicent Mansbridge
Hana Nishiura
Addison Schnebli

6 Kyu (Blue Belt)
Tahlia Boyd

5 Kyu (Purple & White Belt)
Keiran Milloy

4 Kyu (Purple Belt)
Charlotte Shaw

A very strong grading with some exceptional performances. This was the first grading in a long time where everyone was successful passed to a higher level demonstrating all the hard work that people had been putting in to make sure they were prepared.  Congratulations also to our instructors team for preparing everyone so well.

With Peace, Perseverance and Hard Work
We are sure to reach our goals

Congratulations to:

4 Kyu (Purple) – Amelie Ollivier
4 Kyu (Purple) – Bridget Weeks
4 Kyu (Purple) – Darren Clark

5 Kyu (Purple & White) – Cooper Higgins

6 Kyu (Blue) – Jean du Plessis

7 Kyu (Blue & White) – Byron Corbelli
7 Kyu (Blue & White) – Harrison De Byl
7 Kyu (Blue & White) – Tahlia Boyd
7 Kyu (Blue & White) – Yuvi Whala

8 Kyu (Green) – Adam Glachan
8 Kyu (Green) – Addison Schnebli
8 Kyu (Green) – Erika Baritchi
8 Kyu (Green) – Isabella Ker
8 Kyu (Green) – Millicent Mansbridge

9 Kyu (Green & White) – James Ngo
9 Kyu (Green & White) – Mehar Whala

10 Kyu (Orange) – Aissa Symons
10 Kyu (Orange) – David Ford
10 Kyu (Orange) – Nieves Gonzalez  ** Triple Grade **
10 Kyu (Orange) – Tilly McMillan
10 Kyu (Orange) – Tom Allibone

11 Kyu (Orange & White) – Ben Hastings  ** Double Grade **
11 Kyu (Orange & White) – Darcey de Byl
11 Kyu (Orange & White) – Mia Lavender  ** Double Grade **
11 Kyu (Orange & White) – Nicolette Ridley
11 Kyu (Orange & White) – Paula Barnum  ** Double Grade **
11 Kyu (Orange & White) – Sienna Bauer

12 Kyu (Yellow) – Amos Gaffney
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Angus Esson
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Damien Kloot
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Enoch Kavelin
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Lucas Kirkup
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Max Millar
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Naoki Tani
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Poppy Romeyn
12 Kyu (Yellow) – Taiyo Tani

Congratulations to three amazing young women who successfully graded this evening at our senior grading (3rd – 1st Kyu).  Participation in the senior grading is by invitation only after demonstrating good attitude, work rate, understanding, consistent training, and application of techniques in regular classes.

After receiving an invitation students must then complete a theory test and once again demonstrate their technique and spirit in a grading situation.  All three demonstrated a fantastic understanding of the key basics required for their level, quality kata, bunkai, physical strength, and a strong spirit to advance to their next level.

Congratulations:

Elisha Dorley – 2nd Kyu
Ashleigh Gula – 2nd Kyu
Merryn Jaffers – 3rd Kyu

I look forward to watching you continue to grow and develop as you head towards your black belt.

This was a very special grading with the current events of the world and as it has turned out, our last major event for a while due to COVID-19.

We had a large number of students step up to grade. Some hadn’t graded for a while, others had stepped up from the Little Champions and others were just starting their karate journey. As an instructor we can sometimes get caught up in looking with to much of a critical eye as we look for ways to help our student improve. A grading can be a little bit different, yes we still need to apply a critical eye, but at the grading it is an opportunity to see just how much each student has learnt and grown since last time they stepped up.  This grading was one where I found myself often thinking “Wow, such and such has really improved”.  Whilst I try to keep a stoic face when conducting gradings I am sure the pride I was feeling inside must have been showing at times.

Well done to all students who successfully graded:

• Max Chattin – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Darcey de Byl – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Aaron Higgins – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Millicent Mansbridge – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Halle Peddie – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Sam Peddie – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Aissa Symons – 12 Kyu (Yellow)
• Isabella Ker – 11 Kyu (Orange & White) ** Double Graded **
• Max Ker – 11 Kyu (Orange & White) ** Double Graded **
• Kayden Kloot – 11 Kyu (Orange & White)
• Abigail Weeks – 11 Kyu (Orange & White) ** Double Graded **
• Zavia Cole – 10 Kyu (Orange)  *** Triple Graded ***
• Toby Somerville – 10 Kyu (Orange)
• Bohdi Valencour – 10 Kyu (Orange)
• Mehi Whala – 10 Kyu (Orange)
• Byron Corbelli – 9 Kyu (Green & White)
• Yusuf El-Deeb – 9 Kyu (Green & White)
• Jack Forde – 9 Kyu (Green & White)
• Liam Glover – 9 Kyu (Green & White)
• Ellen Guan – 9 Kyu (Green & White)
• Kaylah Smith – 9 Kyu (Green & White)
• Jean du Plessis – 8 Kyu (Green)
• Yuvi Whala – 8 Kyu (Green)
• Dixon Garland – 7 Kyu (Blue & White)
• Cooper Higgins – 7 Kyu (Blue & White)
• Merryn Jaffers – 6 Kyu (Blue)
• Kieran Milloy – 6 Kyu (Blue)
• Johan Shajee – 6 Kyu (Blue)
• Hunter Smith – 6 Kyu (Blue)
• Millie Dorley – 5 Kyu (Purple & White)
• Amelie Ollivier – 5 Kyu (Purple & White)

Well done to everyone who stepped up and challenge for their next level at the 2019 Summer Grading. For those that didn’t grade this time or were unsuccessful at this grading the next opportunity is the 2020 Autumn Grading on Friday 6 March.

Congratulations to:

• 12th Kyu – Kayden Kloot
• 12th Kyu – David Ford
• 11th Kyu – Bohdi Valencour (double graded)
• 11th Kyu – Carlo de Byl
• 10th Kyu – Liam Glover (triple graded)
• 10th Kyu – Tahlia Boyd
• 10th Kyu – Siani Symons
• 10th Kyu – Byron Corbelli
• 9th Kyu   – Cooper Higgins
• 9th Kyu   – Isabella Parkinson
• 7th Kyu   – Charlotte Shaw
• 6th Kyu   – Bridget Weeks
• 5th Kyu   – Troy Lester
• 1st Kyu    – John Lenton

Congratulations to Gold Coast Chito-Ryu Karate-ka Brendan Young who successfully graded to Shodan at the QLD Chito-Ryu Karate Brown and Black Belt camp on the weekend.

Everyone travels a different path to achieve their Chito-Ryu black belt and Brendan is certainly no different having come to Chito-Ryu Karate with a high level dan rank and many years of training in another system of karate behind him. Bringing those skills to a new dojo and “starting again” indicates a humble person that is more interested in learning and developing than in collecting ranks. A rare but very admirable trait.

Brendan’s existing skills saw him excel quickly in some areas but then struggle with other technical aspects of Chito-Ryu Karate having to overcome the challenge of unlearning old habits to be able to adopt new habits and techniques.  Through perseverance and hard work Brendan has learnt a lot about himself, his bio-mechanics, and his karate as a result of this process. There have been many ups and downs along this path but Brendan has shown his true spirit and character to push through them all to be in the position to challenge for and successfully achieve his goal.

With such strong character, determination, and skill level we are proud to have Brendan as part of the Gold Coast Chito-Ryu Karate-Do yudansha.