2 February 2007

January has been a busy month at Carnalea Karate Club. Some students have been training for the forthcoming Ulster Karate Championships, which will be taking place in Lough Moss Leisure centre in Carryduff on Sunday 11 February. As ever it is sure to be a very exciting competition, with Carnalea world junior stars Neil & Glen Bailie and Claire McPeake leading the way for the younger members of the club to follow. The junior boys team of Charlie Edgar, Curtis Shaw and Andrew Wilson hope to get in the medals along with some of the girls such as Sarah Shields, Rhiannon Wells, Sophie Stewart and Courtney Majury.

As everyone is aware, it is vital in this day and age to have properly qualified coaches and helpers. To facilitate development this a number of coaches and parent helpers (Leigh Shields and Joanne Wells) from the club recently completed their First Aid qualification with Ken Patterson and Ivan Spence from the British Red Cross.

The following weekend Sam Lewis, the Bailie brothers and Claire McPeake completed their training as Judges and table officials for karate competitions at the Esporta Health Club under the watchful eye of senior referee Terry Boyle. Meanwhile coach David Brashaw has just completed a great Skills 4 Sport training course run by Tandy Haughey on behalf of Coaching NI.