Annual Awards 2008

Champions recognise stars of the future

James Cook MBE and Ian Napa took time out of their busy training regime to spend an afternoon with some of the community’s young talent at the Kaizen Ryu Karate annual awards on Sunday 14^th December.

Cook, former EBU European middleweight champion, and Napa, current EBU bantamweight champion, saw students from East London and Essex go through their paces in an advanced karate session before presenting some well deserved honours.

The awards were organised by the Kaizen Academy for Sports Development, a non-profit organisation that helps youngsters get involved and supports them in martial arts. This year they have worked with both the Metropolitan Police and the Jack Petchey Foundation to raise funds and help youth in the community to achieve positive goals.

The Jack Petchey Foundation also recognised 10 young people for their efforts and positive attitudes this year. Tom Cottis, Jasmine David, Nick Hostler, Savannah Ottaway, Thomas Padfield, Vicky Phillips, Saifur Rahman, Matthew Roud,Daniel Smart and Joshua Vernon all won the prestigious Jack Petchey Achievment Award and received their medallions from James and Ian.

Various students and parents were also recognised for Outstanding Conduct, Outstanding Contribution and Dojo Awards by the Kaizen Academy before the main awards for Best Newcomer, Best Ettiquette, Most Improved and Student of the Year were presented to Chris Seth, Rian Branton, Josh Sabiniano, Sunit Jogia (junior) and George Mitchell (senior).

Also in attendance lending his support to the event was Sensei Colin Wright from KWWK Karate in Newmarket. He was on hand to recognise the members of the Kaizen Ryu National Squad for their incredible achievements over the last year; most notably bringing home an impressive medal tally from the Munich International Open in March as well as winning every event they entered in the Malympex World Martial Arts Championships.

Finally, special honours were given to Rob Ullah and Tyrone Briscoe for their tireless work in finding backing and gaining exposure for the Squad and the rest of the club. Ullah got an Outstanding Contribution award and Briscoe won the Kaizen Academy Award for services to martial arts; the highest accolade given by the Kaizen Academy.

Both Cook and Napa share a strong belief in giving back to the community with Academy founders Marie Anonuevo and Indran Tanabalan. They rounded off this truly important event with a talk to the kids. Everyone was inspired by their stories and words of advice. The message from Cook, Napa, the Metropolitan Police, the Jack Petchey Foundation and the Kaizen Academy was clear; in a time of dwindling youth centres groups like Kaizen Ryu play an important role in keeping kids off the streets, out of gangs and away from destructive drug and violence culture.