Page 37 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 111

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #111 April 2022 37

THUMBS DOWN? • Answers
THUMBS DOWN? Answer page KARATE KOMMENTS

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F I L E S I V A N B A N S
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A L E X P T E R O A N E T By Jim Riddell,

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B E A T A S N E W R H E A Seaway Karate Club

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O V E R M Y D E A D B O D Y
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E N A S S K Y E U L E
26 27 T 28 29 HELPING TO DEVELOP
Q U O T H J A R R E D
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I N U T U R N O F F LIFE SKILLS
35 36 37 38 39 40 41 hen a parent gets a child involved in sport, it could very well be
D O T H A M I S S A T O Z
42 43 44 Wone of the best things that they could do for them. Any sport that
A S K A N C E R C A will get the child used to an active lifestyle is beneficial and can help to
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N E L L I E S E A T S develop the skills needed to equip them for life. One of those sports is
50 51 52 53 54 karate and a few ways it brings positive development to children include
O N E F A M S M U M S attitude, confidence, focus, respect, discipline, patience, and leadership.
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G I V E T H E H E A V E H O Attitude is contagious and a good karate instructor will keep every
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O G A M I D O L S N C A A class positive. The positive environment will inspire the child to do their
63 64 65 best. Confidence develops through experience and karate will provide
O M N I K I O S K D A H L numerous experiences where, over time, confidence will be gained. Focus
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D A T A E A S E S S N U B and respect go hand-in-hand and are the two most important components
Puzzle by Douglas Taillon Crossword on page 35 in a kids’ karate program, not kicks and punches. These elements go
beyond karate and children are encouraged to make them part of their
everyday life. Focus begins with eye contact - if they make eye contact
with their parents, teachers, and karate instructor, they will hear them
better. Respect is shown by making eye contact, paying attention, and
doing what is asked of them. Respect is shown to siblings and friends when
they are treated nicely and fairly. Karate classes are run in a structured
and controlled environment. The progressive belt rank system provides a
disciplined approach to achievements. It will take several years of steady
training to earn a Black belt, and this teaches discipline and patience.
Karate provides great learning opportunities for students who are in it for
the long haul. Attitude, confidence, focus, respect, and discipline are all
requirements of a leader. A good karate school will groom its students to
one day become instructors.
At Seaway Karate we have an instructor development program. Senior
belts are given opportunity to achieve a Level 1, and later a Level 2,
Karate Coach designation. In the twenty-nine years that Seaway Karate
has been in operation, we have had more than two dozen students start
as children and then go through the instructor development program and
earn internationally recognized Black Belt certification. This provides
them with a portable qualification that can be used anywhere and at any
time in their future. All these students are either presently having success
in post-secondary education or have graduated and gone on to successful
careers.
Child development experts say that life skills “are taught, not caught”.
Photo by Robert Lefebvre, icelevel photography
They begin at home with good parenting, are further developed by

the teachers in our school system, and then enhanced by coaches and
instructors in the sporting world, including the sport of karate.