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LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS - Karate has been part of Calvin Pittet's life since he was seven years old.

"It's always been a part of my life," Pittet said. "I figured since I was up here I might as well start a club."

From left, Instructor Calvin Pittet and students Zachery Collier, Mark Collier, Connor Kimmins, Carey Kakfwi and Lorraine Tremblay pose for a shot during a karate class in Norman Wells. - photo courtesy of Calvin Pittet

Pittet has spent the past 10 years in the North, almost eight years of that time in Norman Wells. Formerly from Saskatchewan, Pittet has offered karate classes to residents of all ages for seven years now.

"It's a pretty town," he said. "The mountains across the river are incredible. I like the small town and the atmosphere. The people are great."

A third-degree black belt holder, Pittet teaches 20 students, 15 of them youth in the community, the Japanese form of karate known as Wadokai, a style of karate founded in the early 20th century by Japanese karate master Hironori Otsuka.

"We try and get them from age seven and up," he said, speaking of the age group they target. "They enjoy themselves a lot and it keeps them coming back."

Pittet said the opportunity for kids to get out and be active and get them involved in something like karate is extremely beneficial to them.

"It gets them active and gives them something to do," he said. "It's good for the kids for discipline and focus and it's a lot of fun."

Pittet said the youth participating are currently all white and yellow belts, the first two levels of the 10 ranks in the Wadokai styles. He said their are a few higher ranks among the adults taking his classes.

"We have one black belt, one brown belt and one purple in the adults," he said. "They work really hard and get to do a lot more difficult training."

Beginner students start off with basic techniques, learning how to bow, Japanese terminology, like kata which means "form" and the history behind the art.

"Students will learn a lot of basic techniques, like stances, how to make a fist, how to throw a punch and how to block and moving around within the basic stances," he said. "With katas, they're a set of movements that students go through. You have to know two katas for each belt."

With everything there comes challenges and Pittet said their are a few when it comes to teaching karate in Norman Wells.

"With the kids it's keeping them interested," he said. "A lot of times they'll have shorter attention spans, so keeping them going and learning and mixing it up enough so they keep having fun. It's a lot of work sometimes but I really like it."