Judo club seeks to expand
Fort Simpson outfit starts its fifth year with goal of more people taking part
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, November 20, 2014
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
If you've ever wanted to learn martial arts, Dean Harvey wants to talk to you.
Children give high-fives to judo instructor Dean Harvey at the end of a Saturday judo lesson. From left are Kaden Kwasney-Nahanni, Dean Harvey, Marlon Nahanni-Lafferty, J.C. Larter, SaNaeah Allen and Cassidy Barry. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo
|
He's the instructor of the Fort Simpson Judo Club and has been building the club over the last five years since founding it.
The club started up again this fall with three separate sessions.
"We want more people," said Harvey as one of the sessions finished.
On Saturday mornings for two hours, junior judo lessons are geared to introduce children between grades four and seven to physical literacy and basic judo techniques.
Such moves can be used to allow even a small person to quickly subdue a larger person.
But the children don't start off learning throws or take-downs. Instead, free play and games allow them to learn how to interact safely with others and to hit the mats without getting hurt.
Those who gain an interest in learning more about judo will be transitioned over to a Monday afternoon session that teaches things like stand-up techniques, throws, ground work and hold-downs.
He said he hasn't been able to get many of the children interested enough to move.
For those a bit older - in Grade 8 and up - there's youth/adult judo lessons on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m.
The club is free for those under 18, though they have to register.
The club's home is the former curling club area on the second floor of the recreation centre, with windows overlooking both the gym and the skating rink.
Open to beginners and those looking to gain more advanced skills, the turnout has been around six people so far. Harvey said most of those coming out are seeking a way to keep physically fit during the winter months.
While it's a small figure, he said it isn't a bad turnout compared to previous years when sessions have focused mainly on increasing the skills of Aaron McNab and Chris Stipdonk.
"He's really good at judo," Harvey said about McNab, who is the executive director of the Deh Cho Friendship Centre.
"I'm just doing it for something else to do, for personal exercise," McNab said.
"I'm just hoping more people show up."
He's been taking part the last four years and has a brown belt while Stipdonk is a blue belt.
The coloured belt system progresses from white to black in Canada to indicate rank. A brown belt is the second highest.
Last year, the club was able to secure funding to have Michinori Yanase from Japan help develop skill levels. With Yanase's assistance, the club was able to have lessons five nights per week.
Earlier this year, the club hosted a regional judo camp that brought in 25 participants from the South Slave, Deh Cho and North Slave regions. Members of the club have also travelled to judo camps in Hay River.
At the end of the Saturday session, Harvey told the half-dozen children about a potential tournament in Hay River but they have to learn the skills so they don't just get thrown to the mat when they compete, he tells them.
However, Harvey said he's worried the river crossing won't be ready in time for the tournament, scheduled for early December.
