A season must always end in style and for Shindenkan that means – Summer Convention. This year's summer meeting was launched on a typical Danish summer day, where it was both raining and windy, but where there was also room for some sunshine as the day progressed. The weather suited the content of the camp very well, which started with sad news, but was nicely followed up by positive news and a completely new initiative that made Shindenkan history.
Saturday 18 June will probably be remembered by many of the 150 active Shindenkaners who showed up as a very content-rich and long day. It started for most at 13.30 and ended around 18.00, so it was 4 ½ hours of training, shows, competence graduation and graduation with subsequent ceremony. But no meeting is complete without a content-rich introduction by Kimu Sensei, who always has some important messages that need to go out to everyone in the organization, and a meeting is a very good opportunity for this. At the same time, in Shindenkan Denmark we have an open communication policy and no court order, so that everything comes to light and nothing remains in the shadow of silence. But at the same time, it always happens in a sober and constructive manner, so that no one is exposed or stepped on. Kimu Sensei started with one of the saddest news in many years, when it was announced that Brian Jessen, head instructor of Jokokan Holbæk Karate School, has been excluded from Shindenkan Denmark. At the same time, Brian Jessen is officially stripped of all titles, degrees, status and honor obtained under and in Soke Sensei Tonegawa organizations and systems, including the independent part Shindenkan, this is also called Hamon in Japanese. Such a big and boring decision is not made from hour to hour, it takes a lot before it becomes a reality. You can read more about why this decision was made and had full agreement in Shihan-kai in the minutes from this year's General Assembly, which preceded the convention.
But the next information was of a different nature, as it could finally be officially mentioned that we are opening 3 new Schools in Shindenkan Denmark with the start of the next season. It is the three chief instructors from Jokokan Ballerup, Amager and Korsør who are opening new so-called satellite schools in the catchment area for the existing Shindenkan schools. They are independent schools, but the fact that they are satellite schools does not mean that they are in a worse position than the current schools, but that they benefit from resources, experience and back-up from the "mother schools", so that "the deep plate and the wheel" are not reinvented again again. It naturally requires resources on the instructor's side, which is why it was perfect timing that 3 new black belts and 10 brown belts were selected for this year's summer convention, some of which will be found in the new satellite schools as instructors after the summer vacation.
After a good half hour of speaking, the participants were a little stiff in the legs, so they warmed up with group singing of course and mandatory stretching before the first lesson of the day, which was ukemi (fall technique).
You have heard it before, but it is worth mentioning that at each event there are students who lend an extra hand and ensure that the mats are driven back and forth in large trailers several kilometers from Vestsjælland to Måløv, which makes it possible that the rest of us can practice fall techniques on mats and not get sore backs on the wooden floor. There are also those who show up early to help with all the practical things such as laying out mats, building the podium, marking etc. This is much appreciated, which is also emphasized at every meeting and this time was no exception.
As usual, this year's summer meeting was divided into TG groups, each with their own instructor/instructors, who followed them through all 3 lessons, which for most, in addition to ukemi, were senkai and kumite. The division into TG groups is in line with the curriculum and provides the greatest possible benefit both for the participants, but also for the instructor who has to organize the training.
Those who were at the camp immediately think that there is something missing that filled a lot during this year's summer convention....that's right J Shindenkan lottery. As something completely new and extraordinary, all Shindenkaners and supporters in the form of family, friends, dogs, cats and whatever else can crawl and crawl and who have a little coin at the bottom of the coffin were introduced to a support lottery for the creation of a SatØkoHjælp fund, which will be established to be able to provide financial support for the 3 new satellite schools and, of course, also future schools when others later get involved. One thing was certain, it was a positive and exciting initiative that was well received and the team behind it did a good job of selling the message and the tickets in a fun way. So it's probably not the last time that you have to get your savings out and buy lottery tickets for an event.
In addition to the lottery initiative, it was also the first time that a black belt camp was held leading up to the event. It was 27 hours full of pleasures, which you can also read a lot more about in "The wheel and the deep plate" where the participants have wrestled their brains to serve some articles with depth and experience to you who come next in line. For many years, it was otherwise only the head instructors who had the privilege of receiving several days of individual instruction from Kimu Sensei, but now more people have had the opportunity. It could also be faintly sensed by the quick eye that those who had been at the black belt camp were a little tired J by the way, several of them were your instructors during the event. The 27 hours of training had also functioned as a stop test for those of the participants who were up to graduation. For brown and black belt graduates there are 5 stop tests along the way – a physical test, a syllabus test, a ryugi (theory) test, a kumite test and finally a stamina test which is usually held at the end of a competition, as it completely drains the graduates strength. This was also the case this year, when we had to go through several rounds of stamina tests (going crazy on a pillow).
But before they could be held there were 3 demonstration shows that the participants of the black belt camp had prepared as part of their bound task that follows in the wake of such a camp. It was 3 really good shows with good messages about the diversity we have in Shindenkan, well presented by Jens Kyoshi, who acted as conference host, who spiced up the shows with humorous but apt comments J
For the first time, competency graduation in Jo-jutsu (medium long pole) was also held, where extensive competency training and sparring between the schools had to be put to the test. The result was very satisfactory as Kimu Sensei could later announce that everyone had passed their competency graduation and the level was high to the set goal.
The most awaited for many of the participants, namely graduation could now begin. It went painlessly and everyone did really well and several of the Jokokidz got fully deserved 2 stripes on the belt, which you only get by making an extra effort and being a role model for others. A big congratulations to everyone who got a graduation in house, it was actually a total of 93, in addition to the mentioned black and brown belt graduations, which got more stripes or a different color on the belt.
Everyone who had to do the stamina and thus final stop test did very well. Everyone was well prepared through months of hard training and for the 4 black belts who had sworn they would reach world elite fitness numbers, it was only one – the youngest and a girl on top of that – Elisabet Shishó J who achieved it and thus put 3 grown men in their place , but they now did very well anyway and jump the fitness score chart for the general population anyway.
Once again, we also say thank you to all our readers worldwide for continuing to support us. At the same time, we wish you a very good season 2011-2012 and we hope the new season offers lots of exciting hours in the company of Shindenkan.
