Germany 2011

Special weekend course to celebrate 40th anniversary of Mullheim dojo in south Germany

 

 


Report Germany July 2011

On the weekend of Friday 15th July to Sunday 17th July there was a special training course to celebrate 40 years of training at the dojo in Mullheim south Germany. It was to be a great celebration with a training course and a big barbecue on the Saturday night.

The instructors on the course are listed below.

Sensei
Derek Ridgway
7th Dan, England
Chief-Instructor Kazokukai International
Sensei Derek is a master of Kata bunkai
Student of Isamu Aragaki, 10th Dan Okinawa
2011: 7th Dan Kyoshi Okinawa Shorin Ryu

 

Sensei
Pascal Petrella
6th Dan, Germany
Member of Shihan-Kai, KSKA
President & Chief-Instructor Kase Ha Germany
Long time assistant of Sensei Kase

 

 

Sensei
Dave Wilkins
6th Dan, England
Chief-Instructor Shotokan Kazokukai International
Student of Sensei Kase, member of KSKA
Student of Isamu Aragaki, 10th Dan Okinawa
2011: 6th Dan Okinawa Shorin Ryu

 

 

Sensei
Gerhard Scheuriker
5th Dan, Germany
Student of Sensei Kase
Regional Instructor of Kase Ha Germany
Secretary of KSKA

 

 

The training was split between the four instructors over the weekend with each instructor teaching three sessions. This in turn was split into three different levels of lower grades intermediate grades and higher grades. The level of instruction given was of the highest order with everyone from beginner to 6th dan being taught with equal dedication and patience.
After three sessions on Friday evening we all went for a meal in the hotel Stadthaus in the square at Mullheim. The food there really was excellent as was the hospitality, many of the students stopped at this hotel over the weekend.
Saturday was to be a busy day with six sessions split between the four instructors. Again all instructors taught with great passion and experience giving the same effort to all classes regardless of age or grade. The days training was wound up at 5pm to give people chance to change and get up to the forest a few miles from Mullheim where the barbecue was to be held.
It was a fine party with lots of old students turning up from the 70’s, 80’s and nineties to join in the celebration. Mario Sammarco 6th Dan and chief trainer at Mullheim dojo gave a fine speech and introduced some of the old members to those assembled. The party went on into the early hours with all having a great time.
Sunday morning came far too early for some with three sessions planned, one each for lower intermediate and high grades. After training everyone was thanked for attending and the instructors were each presented with with a box of fine local wine. It had been a superb weekend of training and celebrations which all had enjoyed. It is a credit to the mullheim club that the whole weekend ran so smoothly. There are not many clubs which can boast a history of 40 years, the mullheim dojo can be proud that it put on a fine stage of training and celebrations which will be remembered by all who attended and had such a great time.

Message from sensei Derek Ridgway

I would like to say a few thanks to all the people from the dojo who made this event such a success. Thanks goes to all the organising team who made the whole event run like clockwork. Thanks to Helen for taking us to/from Basel airport, thanks to Mario for all his organising work. A big thank you to Pascal who worked tirelessly to make sure all ran smoothly and without a hitch. Lastly a big thank you to everyone at the mullheim dojo for making both myself and my wife Lori so welcome. It was back in 1996 when I first taught at the Mullheim dojo and I have been coming there ever since. I have grown to know and love the people there. They have not just become my students but my friends and it was a great honour to do this stage for them.
Congratulations to you all and to the Mullheim dojo for your 40th anniversary may you have many more to come.

barbecue party saturday night

blackbelts old and new 40 yrs mullheim dojo

thomas gets thrown by sensei ridgway

group photo

sensei Ridgway explains bunkai

meal after Friday training

naihanchin training kata

mullheim town