This year has, as usual, been a very busy one as far as tournaments are concerned. Our karatekas who compete at these tournaments experience a totally different side of karate, namely sports karate.
Sports karate in this country is managed by KSA (Karate South Africa), which, in turn is managed by WKF (World Karate Federation) worldwide. Many styles of karate affiliate their competitive student with these organisations, such as our style, JKA (Japan Karate Association)
Sports karate has its own rules and is a totally different ball game to the traditional karate (JKA Organisation) our students train at the club. Sensei Eugene does try to keep a balance between the two, something only a few clubs do, and manage positively. Sport Karate and Club Karate compliment each other, and each should be respected for what it brings to the table in terms of improving a karate athlete’s abilities and performance.
Sports karate has two sections, Kata and Kumite. The Katas performed are usually very high level kata, and Free fighting, where points are awarded for execution of well targeted punches and kicks. Control of contact is applied, however the higher the age, the more contact is allowed.
Both styles, traditional and sports karate have different conditioning needs namely:
JKA’s goal originally is to “incapacitate an adversary with one blow”, whereas sport karate’s goals are to score points by tagging an opponent or to avoid being tagged/hit.
At Solis Ortus our primary foundation is the strong Budo of JKA, Shotokan.
Budo is a very broad term meaning any discipline that has, for the practitioner, become a way of life. Budo, thus refers to post-1600 generations of Japanese fighting systems based on former arts, but which emphasize “do” — personal, ethical and spiritual development as the ultimate goal of training.
JKA is our Budo, and sports karate is a sport.
Our youngest competitor is 5 and our oldest is 52. In our club alone we have produced about 15 to 20 protea members.
So far, in 2016 we have competed in the following tournaments:
JKA Traditional Tournaments:
JKA Gauteng Provincials: 11 and 12 March 2016
SA JKA Nationals: 20 and 21 May 2016
Sports Karate (also called All styles) Tournaments
Tshwane Trials: 6 February 2016
GKF Champs : 19 / 21 February 2016
KSA U21,seniors, veterans and disabled : 4 / 5 March 2016
KSA children, juniors and kadets : 18 / 19 March 2016
KSL Bulls challenge : 16 April 2016
Eagles Challenge : 14 May 2016
KSL Lions challenge : 18 June 2016
Kanazawa cup : 30 April 2016
Gauteng Open Championships : 7 May 2016
KSA Opens and Elite : 15 July 2016
Walk a Mile : 23 July 2016
Samurai Cup : 3 September 2016
Sakura Kai Karate : 3 September 2016
Legend of Legends : 17 September 2016
Champions Challenge : 17 September 2016
