The History of The Kimberley Shotokan Karate Club
Kimberley Shotokan Karate Club is a martial arts club which has been established in and around the Kimberley area since 1989.
The club originated from Annesley and was formally called Annesley Shotokan Karate. At ASK, there was a core membership of around twenty-five students which were all interested in studying the true aspects and syllabus of shotokan karate. These lessons consisted of a four hour session which for those current members you think your sessions are tough! These sessions also took place outside on the concrete because of the limited space the club had to start off with. However in the mid to late eighties the club was forced to close because of the lack of funds and lack of regulars. This was mainly because of the miners strike which was taking place. This prompted the opening of a new club and a new Dojo, located at the Old Ex-Servicemen's club in Kimberley. K.S.K.C, more formally known as Kimberley Shotokan Karate Club was established in 1989 as a non-profit making organisation and has recently celebrated it's 30th anniversary. |
In 1989 the cost of a training session was 50p. These funds were used to purchase new equipment, cover the cost of the rent of the room, and organise social activities for all students. The number of students grew until space in the Dojo was at a premium, this prompted the club to look for a new location to cater for the demand of students.
The club was able to find a new Dojo situated at the Kimberley Leisure Centre on a Friday night. The students thought the Dojo was amazing. It had mirrors down one side with stretching bars, a sprung floor and matting. This was very different to the previous location and the first time in the clubs history that we had suitable and comfortable conditions in which to train. Due to a another growth in the number of students the club had to find another location to host extra training sessions. Fortunately we were very lucky to find an alternative Dojo, the Nuthall Temple Centre. This is where the club is now situated for all training sessions. we have assisted the Temple Centre in the redevelopment of the Sports Hall to make sure it is comfortable for our training needs and we are still continuing to grow. Here at the Dojo we do not just consider K.S.K.C a club, we consider it a family and host many fundraising and social events that we like everyone to get involved with. We also offer numerous demonstrations throughout the year to raise the club profile and demonstrate skills that have been learnt throughout the training sessions. |