Yakima Valley Karate

Howdy folks!

We have a select number of 2024/2025 Dojo T-Shirts still available!

We're gonna sell these at $10/ea until they're gone. They are a little wrinkly from storage, but are in otherwise excellent shape!

Sizes available:
Navy Blue
Youth Small x1
Small x7

White
Youth Large x1
XS x2
Small x2
XL x1

As a reminder, the dojo is closed this Saturday.

See you all on the mats!

Jake

If you competed on Saturday, bring your medals down to the dojo! We'll display them for the week so other students can see your accomplishments

We're very proud of those who represented Yakima Valley Karate at today's Othello Tournament!

Special shoutout to Sensei Thomas and his wife, April. They came primarily to support their son, but became key contributors to the success of the tournament. April processed sales for tshirts, patches, and other accessories, while Sensei Thomas helped judge kata, sparring, and weapons for over three hours.

Here are the results!

Connor (Age 12-17 Boys Advanced)
Kata - 2nd Place
Weapons - 1st Place

Pete (8-11 Boys Intermediate)
Kata - 3rd Place
First tournament!!

Sensei Jason (18+ Black Belts)
Kata - 2nd Place
Sparring - 1st Place
Weapons - 3rd Place

Sensei Jake (18+ Black Belts)
Kata - 3rd Place
Weapons - 1st Place

Honorable mention goes to Harper S. This was her very first tournament! While she didn't get a medal, we're very proud of her for pushing past her comfort zone and doing her kata in front of a gymnasium full of people. The person she lost to ended up winning 1st place in their division, she was up against tough competition from the start!

Great job everyone, we're looking forward to next year!

Just a reminder there is no open mat today. We are at the Second Annual Stone Karate Challenge.

Normal class next weekend!

Jake

What a fun experience today at Freewind Martial Arts!

Damion and Jake attended a three hour class that included striking, kicking, distance management, trapping, joint locks, throws, and stick fighting (kali).

-Sho shin (初心) means "beginner's mind". Even though Damion and Jake are both black belts and have a collective 30 years of training between them, they maintained a beginner's spirit and a willingness to learn. This was especially important considering the lesson was not karate - it was a mix of Wing Chun, Kung fu, JKD, Philippino Arnis, and other Arts.

-Neither Jake nor Damion knew anyone there before the seminar. They both left with new friends, phone numbers, and a few bruises 😀
This is the beginning of Buyu (武友), "martial friendship".

Black belt is not the end - black belt is just the beginning. Stopping at black belt is like working hard to get a driver's license then never driving anywhere - you have the skills, now get out there and explore the world!

Hey there everyone! A couple dojo updates:

1. We are open for classes tonight. The exterminator came to the house and we are ant-free! Although every small itch still feels like a creepy-crawly on my skin... it'll pass!
Fun fact that I learned from a dojo parent - ant colonies can have up to 10 queens!

2. No open mat this Saturday. I'm attending a class on controlling distance in martial arts (even black belts have more to learn!) If anyone would like to join me for this seminar at Freewind Martial Arts in Moses Lake from 10-1 please let me know!

3. The bathroom fan is being replaced tomorrow morning. We've been trying over the last few weeks to retrofit a new motor into a setup that is older than I am. Even the pros couldnt find a motor/hardware that would fit in the old setup, so they're breaking out the saw, getting into the ceiling, and installing a brand new fan.

4. Next Saturday, July 18 is the Stone Karate Challenge in Othello, WA. It is a very beginner friendly tournament, I would encourage everyone to compete! Last year we had a student just go to watch, but they got stoked seeing everything, put on their gi and belt, and registered for the tournament right then

5. Stay tuned for info about our dojo's summer pool party!

Hey folks so sorry for the late notice, our house is suddenly covered in ants so we will be closing the dojo so we can take care of that. Thank you!

For this week's Mat Chat, we are telling the story of the Donkey in the Well. This is a story about perseverance, perspective, and not giving up even when life's challenges seem like too much.

Karate is more than just kicking and punching - it's about developing character through life skills. We provide a community where students reach their full potential and have the opportunity to become the best versions of themselves.

Try out karate today! First two weeks of lessons + uniform only $35!

Yakimavalleykarate.com
509-225-9881

Yakima Valley Karate "Building character & community through Karate"

Good morning! We're excited to kick off summer with a special Parents Night Out event next Friday! Be sure to sign up at the front desk. We can't wait to see you there!