Annual Residential Course, Lilleshall 2023

Over the weekend of 19th – 20th August 2023 the ESA held it’s annual residential course at the Prestigious Lilleshall National Sports Centre, Newport, Shropshire. This was the 23rd year at this venue and the 29th residential course since its inception by ESA founder Sensei Steve Cattle.

Instructors for the weekend were Senseis Michaylo Fedyk 7th Dan, Geoff Beasley 7th Dan, Alan Armstrong 7th Dan and Roger Hooton 6th Dan. Each presented a varied and challenging programme for three groups of students Kyu Grades, 1st-2nd Dans and 3rd  Dans and above. The programmes were tailored to the needs and proficiency of each group.

On Friday evening the ESA grading panel conducted Dan grade examinations  which resulted in Nidan Passes for Elliot Innes and Callum Dean (Tamae), Sandan for Ali Bourne (Akeru Shin), Yondan for Danny Hughes (Southport) & Jason Graham (Fylde), Goadnfor Richard Duignan (Fylde) and Rokudan for Rob Willis (West Lancs). Congratulations to you all.

October 2022 Black & Brown belt course

On Sunday 23rd October the ESA held their last Black and Brown belt course of the year, 26 ESA members attended the course at Batley Leisure Centre. The Instructors for the day where Sensei Steve Thompson 7th Dan and Sensei Alan Armstrong.
In the Black belt class Sensei Thompson made many references to our founder Sensei Steve Cattle and based his session on tai sabaki and some of Sensei Cattle’s kumite techniques, we also studied Bassai Sho.
With Sensei Armstrong we focussed on correct grounding, focus on breathing and linking it all to efficient movement, we also studied the kata Jitte.
For the Brown belt sessions Sensei Armstrong continued his focus on stance, breathing and movement using the Cadet Black belt syllabus to help those grading later also including Bassai Dai, Sensei Thompson worked on different ways of moving with angles using uraken uchi with lots of partner work.
At the end of training two cadet students from Southport Karate Academy Florence and Jamie graded and were successful in passing their Cadet Black belts, Big well done to you both.


Gallery


KSKA OCTOBER 2022 GASSHUKU

The 2022 KSKA Winter Gasshuku was held in Portugal, three members of the ESA attended the Course including Shihankai member Sensei Michaylo Fedyk accompanied by Sensei’s Lesley Fedyk and Yvonne Doyle.

Whilst on the weekend course Sensei Doyle successfully passed her 6th Dan grading in front of a panel of KSKA Shihankai.

Sensei’s DirkHeene – Michaylo Fedyk – Pascal Patrella Juan Pablo Del Grado – Nico Ibisher.

Big congratulations Yvonne.




2022 Lilleshall Residential Course

What a fantastic weekend of karate, a great turnout for this years residential course at Lilleshall National Sports Centre with many Karate-Ka returning and also great to see new faces attending this years course, as usual the training, the accommodation, the food and the company was excellent and we also could not have had better weather, maybe slightly too hot this year! but not complaining, I for one am already looking forward to next years course. Lots of good courses between now and then though, so keep your eye on the events calendar.

Check out all the photo’s including all the successful gradings!, congratulations everyone.

Hope to see you all soon on the next available course.

Roger