28/08/2026
One of the greatest privileges Libby and I have as karate instructors is watching children walk into the dojo for the first time at five, six or seven years old—and then having the privilege of teaching them throughout their childhood until they leave for university.
Over those years, we see firsthand the benefits that traditional karate can have on a developing child. We watch their confidence grow, their discipline improve and their character develop. They learn resilience, respect and the importance of continuing even when things become difficult.
Recently, several of our black belts have left the dojo to begin the next chapter of their lives at university. It is always bittersweet. We are sad to see them go, but incredibly proud of the young adults they have become.
Hopefully, in time, they will look back and realise what those years in the dojo gave them. Hopefully, too, they will appreciate their parents, who brought them to class week after week, year after year—sometimes for well over a decade.
To have played even a small part in their journey, and to have watched them grow up right in front of us, is something Libby and I will always consider a privilege.
