We were nearing the end of another wonderful and rewarding year at West Island Karate/Karaté de L'Île.  The dojo had been particularly busy for the past couple of months as we had an event scheduled EVERY Saturday since mid-October!  But now, it was finally time for our annual Karaoke Holiday Party!  We certainly had a LOT to celebrate with our dojo family (just take a quick glance through all the News entries below).  So this year, we went BIG(!)...big stage, big sound system, big lighting, big fog (courtesy of a smoke machine), 6 microphones and 1300+ songs.  It gave Sensei John, the Sempais, the students, and all their parents and friends the opportunity to get loud, proud and just a little bit crazy (ok, maybe more than just a little bit :-))!  It was quite the party including a fabulous potluck supper and a surprise visit from "Sempai" Santa (photo courtesy of Sempai Steve).  We ate, talked, laughed, sang and danced into the wee hours.  It was a great way to mark another awesome year at the dojo and spend a fun evening with our "extended family".  Click on the picture above to see all the photos from the party (courtesy of your humble webmaster) that were posted exclusively on our WIK/KDL Facebook group.  We also have a video of the kids singing "Titanium" (courtesy of Sempai Vince), a video of the ladies (and Sempai Vince :-)) singing "Dancing Queen" (courtesy of Sempai Steve), and a video of Jeffrey leading some of the kids through improvised interpretive dance numbers (courtesy of Nathalie Gareau)...many thanks everyone.  Yup, pretty nutty party. :-D  Happy holidays to everyone and all the best for the new year!  Osu!

It was the second long Saturday afternoon in a row as Sensei John held a black belt shinsa (grading) today, a week after our shinsa for the kids and other adults.  The candidates were Meryem and Sempai Witold for 1st Kyu and Sempai Susie, Sempai Dave and Sempai Mike (your humble webmaster) for Shodan.  In the days leading up to the shinsa, Sensei had emphasized that this particular type of grading was closed to spectators because it was a very personal experience.  It was all that and more, as our strengths - and weaknesses - were laid bare in the most revealing and humbling way in front of all our teachers and fellow students.  It gave us an even greater appreciation and deeper respect for those who had come before us.  Many many thanks to Sensei John, Sensei Steve and all the Sempais at WIK/KDL for guiding us through the years of hard training to get us to this milestone, emphasizing the nitty-gritty details, encouraging us when we struggled, and pushing us beyond what we thought we could endure time and time again.  I would also like to extend a big thank you to all the Shihans, Senseis, Sempais and students from other schools with whom we have had the great honor to train over the years.  We have learned from all of you and we are grateful.  The Kyokushin Karate community consists of the most incredible people (and I'm not talking solely about their karate skills).  I am extremely proud to be part of that community.  I know I speak for Sempai Dave and Sempai Susie when I say that we will continue to train hard, pass along what little we have learned, and do our best to represent the dojo with honor and distinction.  To all the brown and black belts who came out to support us (and struggle with us)...much respect.  Domo arigato gozaimashita.  We literally could not have done this without you (we will definitely be there to return the favor one day :-)).  Congratulations to all the candidates.  Omedetou gozaimashita.  OSU!

It was a long Saturday as Sensei John conducted a shinsa (meaning "inspection" or grading) for all ages and levels beginning at 9 in the morning and stretching until 5:30 in the afternoon.  As always, Sensei tested every aspect of his students' karate, including their fitness, knowledge of Japanese terminology, execution of kihon and kata, practical application of these techniques and level of endurance during kumite, and most especially, their Kyokushin spirit.  Gradings are always very revealing to both teacher and student.  Sensei designs the test so that only students who have worked diligently and consistently throughout the year are up to the challenge.  Indeed, as Sensei emphasized prior to the start of the shinsa, the choice of candidates and who would most likely negotiate the test successfully was all but pre-determined based on their performance during "regular" training classes.  The grading is almost a mere formality, but of course each candidate must still pass the test - no mean feat when you're put on the spot in front of all your fellow-students and a huge gallery of parents and friends.  Congratulations to all the candidates who earned their next Kyu.  Omedetou gozaimashita!  Click here to see Yvonne's photos, Sempai Anne-Marie's photos and your humble webmaster's photos of the shinsa.  All of these photos are available ONLY on our West Island Karate/Karaté de L'Île Facebook group.  Join today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive content not found on our website.

Every once in a while, we give the parents at our dojo a well-deserved break by offering a night of inexpensive babysitting.  While the parents enjoy an evening out alone, their kids get to partake in a fun karate class, a delicious pizza dinner, and a screening of a popular (kid-appropriate) Hollywood movie complete with big picture and big sound.  The students can even bring their friends if they want to join in the fun!  We call it Parents Night Out and it's always a big hit with our parents and kids alike.  For our last Parents Night Out of the year, we decided to have a screening of a movie that many of our students had been requesting...FROZEN!  Perhaps because of the movie selection, the kids were really up for it and came out to the dojo with a rare energy.  Despite how hard Sempai Alain and Sensei John made them train, the kids still had loads of energy in reserve.  After the training, they enjoyed their pizza dinner plus some special Frozen-themed cupcakes and brownies that Lisa-Marie generously baked for the occasion (thanks L-M!).  Some of the kids even donned their "Elsa" and "Anna" costumes for the movie ("Anna" even trained in hers :-)).  Needless to say, the kids had a fantastic time.  Click on the picture above to see all the photos of the evening (courtesy of your humble webmaster) posted on our Facebook group.  Join our Facebook group today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive content not found on our website.

Sensei John rarely teaches Tameshiwari (the last time was 5 years ago), so when he decided to give a course on breaking in mid-November, many people jumped at the chance to try it!  The course actually consisted of 2 classes over consecutive Saturday afternoons.  In the first class, we practiced various breaking techniques on a makiwara, which in our case was a duct-taped, burlap-covered phone book (those Montreal directories and yellow pages are nice and thick...and they can take a beating :-)).  Sensei emphasized that proper technique was extremely important to not only have a better chance of a successful break, but to condition the impact points on the body and prevent injury.  Finally in the second class, we got the chance to actually break some one-inch thick, pine boards.  We tried a variety of striking and kicking techniques on handheld boards as well as on boards braced against concrete cinder blocks.  Most of us were trying this for the very first time and the feeling of a successful break was exhilarating.  On the flip side of the coin, a failed attempt was a very humbling (and sometimes painful :-)) lesson, as it quickly revealed flaws in our kihon.  It was a "gentle" reminder that the small details in technique that Sensei emphasizes every class, even during warm-ups, are CRITICAL for all things Kyokushin...kihon, kata and kumite.  As the day went on, it became evident that neglecting those seemingly insignificant details, and perhaps compensating with brute force, would only get you so far.  In essence, "the board does not lie". :-)  Click on the photo above to see 36 videos of just some of our many breaking attempts during that fun and eye-opening day.  Also check out Marie-Hélène's photos as well as Gillian and Anna's photos in the Photos section of our WIK/KDL Facebook group.  Join our Facebook group today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive content not found on our website.

Because we wanted to support the Quebec Kyokushin Karate Championship once again this year, we postponed our Halloween Training until the day after the tournament.  Despite being scheduled two days after Halloween, the kids turned out in force (and in costume :-)) for our annual event.  Maybe the kids (as well as the parents) were aware of our Halloween Training's reputation for being one of the craziest and most fun dojo events of the year.  Or perhaps it was just a good excuse for the kids to don their Halloween getups one more time and score some free candy. :-)  Whatever the case, they came out on a Sunday afternoon dressed up in a bewildering array of hilarious and/or scary costumes.  Perhaps the most disturbing character was Sempai Victor who disguised himself as some kind of swamp-thing/zombie karateka.  And as usual, he stayed in-character (much to the delight of the kids and parents :-)) throughout the training as he grunted out garbled commands which the kids somehow understood(?).  Sempai Victor was flanked by Sensei John in his baby blue onesie (complete with pacifier), Sempai Manon as a green-faced walking-dead zombie, Sempai Anne-Marie as Gumby and Sempai Vince as He-Man armed with his legendary magic sword.  Together, Sensei and his Sempais made quite the sight.  Even Sempai Nancy came out as a surgeon and assisted during the kumite portion of the training.  As expected, the kids had a blast and so did the Sempais (especially during the nausea-inducing "spin-o-rama" relay race :-)).  Everyone certainly earned the sweet treats that Sensei handed out at the end of the training.  Click here to see all of the photos from the Halloween Training (courtesy of your humble webmaster) which are posted on our Facebook group.  Join our Facebook group today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive content not found on our website.

In the early morning hours after Halloween, Sensei John travelled with a team from WIK/KDL to Quebec City to compete at and support the Quebec Kyokushin Karate Championship.  Hosted by Sensei Jonathan Ouellet, this tournament featured kata, semi-contact kumite and full-contact/knockdown competitions.  It was another well organized tournament and our team did a great job.  Congratulations everyone!  Many thanks to Sensei Jonathan and to his team of volunteers for providing another excellent experience for our students.  Osu!

The 2014 Budo Giant Challenge marked the beginning of the tournament season and our West Island Karate/Karaté De L'Île team was anxious to compete in and support the tournament.  This annual competition is hosted by Sensei Hugo Perez and features kata, semi-contact kumite and full-contact/knockdown kumite.  This year's edition was very special as Shihan Daigo Oishi of Japan was in attendance as an honoured guest.  Shihan Oishi is an 8th dan black belt and vice-president of the So-Kyokushin organization.  During a mid-day break in the tournament, Shihan Oishi gave an impressive kata and tameshiwari demonstration.  His technique, flexibility, precision, speed and cat-like movement were remarkable, especially in light of the fact that he turned 64 this year!  He is living proof that the continued study and diligent practice of Kyokushin Karate can be a fountain of youth.  Under Shihan Oishi's watchful eye, our entire team acquitted themselves with honor and distinction.  Congratulations to all of them.  Along with Sensei John, many WIK/KDL students came back the next day for a very informative seminar with Shihan Oishi where he emphasized attention to the tiniest details and clean execution of various techniques.  It was truly an honour to train with and learn from Shihan Oishi.  Oishi Shihan, domo arigato gozaimashita.  Many thanks to Sensei Hugo and his team of volunteers for organizing another excellent tournament.  Osu!  Click on the picture above to see all of the photos from the tournament (courtesy of your humble webmaster) which are posted on our Facebook group.  Join today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive content not found on our website.

Tonight we had an awesome training with Sempai Julia Ziemska of Switzerland!  She competed at the Diamond Cup in Belgium this past June (the same tournament in which Sempai Kimm competed) and has trained with some of the best karateka in the world.  A good friend of Sensei John's, she was visiting some friends in Ontario and made a special trip to Montreal to teach a fun and informative fighting class at Karaté De L'Île.  Julia Sempai, thank you so much for taking the time to come to our dojo and sharing your knowledge with us.  Domo arigato gozaimashita.  Hope to see you again soon.  Osu!  Click on the photo above for a closer look.

Sensei John and all of the Sempais are parents themselves, so we know how stressful and trying being a parent can sometimes be, especially as the kids return to school around this time of year.  After taking care of all the necessary tasks for them, there's usually not a lot of time leftover for ourselves.  Consequently we introduced "Parents Night Out" at the dojo where the parents can drop their kids off for several hours while the parents enjoy a well-deserved evening out.  The kids get to partake in a fun karate class followed by delicious pizza and refreshments.  For the finale, we turn the back room of our dojo into a make-shift movie theatre and treat the kids to a Hollywood movie complete with big picture, big sound AND popcorn.  All of this costs a paltry $20/child.  That's 4 hours of "babysitting" which is already an awesome deal in itself (try finding babysitting for $5/hour), but we throw in a karate class, a pizza dinner with refreshments AND a Hollywood film!  Our dojo parents know a great deal when they see it, so it's no wonder that Parents Night Out has become a very popular event!  To top it off, friends of our students are also welcome to join in the fun.  Sempai Alain led the training on this evening and the kids responded with incredible energy (he even "photo-bombed" a few of the pictures...see above :-))!  Click on the picture above to see a fun video from our September Parents Night Out and then check out all of the photos from that evening (both courtesy of your humble webmaster) which are posted on our Facebook group.  Join today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive photos not found on our website.

To celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the opening of Karaté De L'Île, we held another Open House.  As luck would have it, Mother Nature provided a beautiful day for us, so we were able to train outdoors in the parking lot adjacent to the dojo.  As always, we welcomed any novices who wanted to partake of the free classes.  These brave souls had a lot of fun participating in a typical warm-up, the practice of kihon (basics) and even some light sparring.  Click on the picture above to see all of the photos from our Open House (courtesy of your humble webmaster) which are posted on our Facebook group.  Join today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive photos not found on our website.

As we did last year, a sizeable contingent of students from West Island Karate/Karaté De L'Île put on a demonstration at this year's Firemen's Day, an annual event sponsored by the town of Pincourt.  It begins with a boisterous parade consisting of firetrucks from Pincourt as well as from firehouses in its neighboring boroughs.  It's quite the sight as the firetrucks wind their way through the streets of Pincourt with sirens blazing.  The parade terminates at Bellevue Park in Pincourt where citizens can take a closer look at the vehicles and talk to the firemen.  In the park itself are a plethora of activities for the whole family to enjoy.  From live bands on a huge stage to various rides for the kids; there's something for everybody.  In the midst of all this, our band of merry karateka were led by Sensei John through a typical class on the grassy field under the bright sunshine.  Things really got fun when we asked (or conscripted :-)) some of the onlookers to join in.  The demonstration gave the appreciative crowd a good sense of what karate, especially at West Island Karate/Karaté De L'Île, is all about.  Click on the picture above to see all of the photos from our demo (courtesy of your humble webmaster and Julie) which are posted on our Facebook group.  Join today to keep apprised of the latest goings-on at WIK/KDL and to see exclusive photos not found on our website.

At West Island Karate/Karaté De L'Île, we often travel out of town to participate in tournaments.  We've coined the term "karate vacation" to describe such a trip. :-)  It affords our students the opportunity to test their mettle against new opponents and perhaps observe differences in style and technique.  As such, these "karate vacations" are an incredible learning experience (not to mention crazy fun).  Best of all, they allow us to bond further with our extended dojo family - a family which includes not only our students, but their family and friends as well.  Whether they involve a road trip several hours away, or a journey abroad to exotic Japan, these shared adventures invariably build unique, indelible memories.  The most recent of these "karate vacations" took place during the third week of June when we flew to Belgium for the 2014 Diamond Cup in Antwerp.  This was to be Sempai Kimm's first taste of knockdown (full contact) fighting at the international level.  As an added bonus, Sempai Dave who also came along decided to compete in kata (against Sensei Bert Janssens no less!).  Both Sempais Kimm and Dave did an awesome job which further contributed to our most memorable "karate vacation" to date.  Click on the photo above to read a blog of our entire trip courtesy of your humble webmaster.  Go to the Photos section of our Facebook group to see all the photos from the trip.  To all the students/parents at WIK/KDL, we sincerely hope you can join us for our next "karate vacation".  Osu!

On the last day of May and into the first week of June, Sensei John held gradings for many of his students at every age and level, beginning with the kids and culminating with the adults.  Sensei's approach to teaching has always been to continue what Sosai Mas Oyama advocated when he founded the style of karate known as Kyokushin.  Sosai maintained that to be a good karateka (a karate practitioner), it is imperative to be a well-rounded one.  A true karateka must strive to be adept at ALL facets of karate, and not just focus on particular aspects while neglecting others (not easy to do when the human ego is involved).  In karate terms:  kihon, kata and kumite are inextricably linked.  It is to this end that Sosai's teachings include a regimen of physical fitness, a detailed focus on kihon, the execution and study of numerous kata, and finally the consolidation of all these crucial elements into kumite.  Sensei's gradings are designed to test all of the aforementioned requirements of Kyokushin training.  It reveals to him, and most importantly to the STUDENT, a karateka's strengths as well as his/her weaknesses.  The latter is particularly significant in that it gives the student a target area for improvement moving forward.  It is also obvious that each student has their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses.  Consequently, Sensei always reminds his students (and their parents :-)) that gradings are INDIVIDUALIZED.  It is for this reason that attempting to draw comparisons between students in an attempt to measure their relative abilities via a single "absolute standard" is impractical and pointless.  Sensei is keenly aware of his students' limitations by spending countless hours training with them on the dojo floor.  Thus he is uniquely qualified to decide whether a particular student is really ready for the next level in their development.  Indeed, advancing a student before they are truly prepared, both physically and in particular mentally, can have very detrimental effects.  Consider that some of our dojo's finest students did not always pass every grading the first time and/or advance through the ranks at the fastest possible pace.  It's an old cliché, but the study of karate is not a sprint.  It's a marathon...and patience (particularly with oneself) does have its rewards.  Congratulations to all the candidates who earned their next kyu...omedetou gozaimashita.  Please click on the pictures above or go to the PHOTOS section of our West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île FACEBOOK Group for more photos from the adult gradings.

This weekend was a very special one at the dojo as we were honored once again by a visit from our old friend, Shihan Marc Van Walleghem of Belgium.  It's been over 4 years since Shihan Marc last came to our dojo to share some of his 40+ years of Kyokushin Karate knowledge.  Shihan Marc holds the rank of 6th Dan and is known for his uniquely creative and challenging teaching methods.  He has trained with some of the largest figures in Kyokushin Karate and has coached some of Belgium's top fighters.  During this visit, we were lucky enough to have him teach our Saturday and Monday adult classes as well as give a 4 hour seminar on this particular Sunday.  Each time, it was new and different - and very challenging.  His lessons are generally based on kihon taken from many of our kata, but recombined in imaginative and instructive ways.  The emphasis is always on TECHNIQUE - down to the smallest detail - something which any karateka knows separates a martial art like Kyokushin from simple street fighting.  Admittedly, the tempo and pace he sets is a shock to the system at first and most are immediately thrown out of their "comfort zone".  In short, it's a very humbling experience.  But if you can put your ego aside, not give up, and make the effort to adjust (all of which are demanded of us by Kyokushin training anyway), the rewards can be great.  As overwhelming as Shihan Marc's classes may be at times, you WILL learn something significant even if you only retain a small portion of what he transmits.  Shihan Marc's lessons remind us that Kyokushin is a challenge for the mind as well as the body, and that the two go hand in hand.  For this seminar we were joined by our friends Sensei Jacques Dupont, Sensei Hugo Perez and Sensei Eric Ratelle plus a few of their students.  It was truly a pleasure to train with all of you.  Marc Shihan, many thanks for the eye-opening lessons and for being so generous with your knowledge - domo arigato gozaimashita.  We look forward to seeing you again soon.  Osu!  Click on the pictures above to see larger versions.

Our dojo parents are BUSY people.  Sensei and the Sempais can certainly identify with that because we're all parents as well.  Between taking care of our kids' basic needs and ferrying them to school and/or to their various activities, there's little time (and energy) left for ourselves.  Consequently at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île we came up with something called "Parents Night Out" to give our dojo parents a short breather to recharge their batteries.  On Parents Night Out, we take care of your kids for you (at a ridiculously low cost compared to hourly babysitting) while you get to enjoy a blissful evening out. :-)  The kids in turn have a blast at the dojo.  They have a fun karate training followed by a pizza dinner with refreshments (and sometimes a surprise dessert generously supplied by some of our parents), and finally, they get to enjoy a Hollywood movie with big picture, big sound and popcorn.  This time around, we held a poll on our website and allowed the kids (and parents) to vote on the movie of their choice.  The Disney classic, "Mulan", was the winner and the kids enjoyed it thoroughly.  Click on the photo above to see more shots from this Parents Night Out (courtesy of your humble webmaster).

As spring finally arrived in Montreal, West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île brought a team of more than 20 karateka to the Yukan Karate Championship.  An annual event hosted by Sensei Denis Cordiero of Montreal Kanreikia Karate, this tournament features kata, weapons kata and semi-contact kumite for kids and adults.  The hard training and preparation that our team put in prior to this competition was clearly in evidence on the tatami...and they were rewarded accordingly.  To be clear, those rewards were not solely in the form of trophies.  First and foremost, our students' improved their karate skills through their preparation and gained invaluable "real-world" experience with those skills in a competitive environment.  At WIK/KDL, we truly believe THAT "trophy" is the most important reason to compete (beyond just having some serious fun of course :-)).  It's a tangible reward that will stay with a karateka long after a competition is over.  Many thanks to Sensei Denis Cordiero and his hard-working volunteers for providing another wonderful tournament experience for our students.  Congratulations to our entire team and in particular to our adult contigent this year of Yvonne, Vu and Sempai Dave who all did an awesome job.  Click here to see a few videos of our team in action (courtesy of your humble webmaster).  Osu!

At West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île, we know that being a parent is the most demanding job in the world.  Sensei and most of the Sempais are parents themselves.  It's a full-time job supporting your kids' endeavors and making ends meet in today's fast-paced world.  So every once in a while, we'll hold a very special evening at the dojo to give our parents a well-deserved evening out WITHOUT the kids. :-)  We like to call it Parents Night Out.  Basically the parents can drop their kids off at Karaté de L'Île for a fun evening of training, a delicious pizza dinner and a Hollywood film with big picture and big sound.  We even throw in popcorn for the movie if the kids train hard. :-)  Parents Night Out is always a big hit with the kids and they can even bring their friends if they like.  Sempai Alain led the training, assisted by Sensei and several of the Sempais.  It was an exceptional evening because the kids brought an UNBELIEVALBLE energy to the dojo floor....the KIAIs were deafening!  After the training, the kids changed out of their dogis and enjoyed a delicious pizza dinner with refreshments.  There was even a surprise dessert!  Then they got comfortable in our make-shift movie theatre for the film.  It was a great way for the kids to spend a Saturday evening while their parents enjoyed a break from their hectic family duties.  Click here to see a couple of fun videos from this particular Parents Night Out that will put a smile on your face.  Then click on the picture above to see some photos from this memorable evening (videos and photos courtesy of your humble webmaster).  Needless to say, everyone went home happy (especially the parents :-)).  Osu!

On the first Sunday in April, West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île attended Sensei Jacques Dupont's Semi-Contact Junior Championship for the very first time.  This marked the third "new" tournament in a row for us, after having just attended the North American Cup and the Fighting Spirit Championship in recent weeks.  I can only assume that Sensei John has been seeking out new experiences and challenges for his students.  The kumite at this tournament was advertised to be of the LIGHT semi-contact variety, in order to encourage younger and/or less experienced karateka to try their hand at competition fighting.  It must be said that Sensei Jacques Dupont's team of referees did an excellent job of enforcing these light-contact rules and applied them consistently on every tatami.  As a consequence, it was a very safe environment for those who competed in kumite as they (and their parents and coaches) knew exactly what to expect.  One of those competitors was Cristina (pictured above).  She first competed at a very young age in 2007, but left our dojo shortly after for other pursuits.  Recently we were very happy to see her return to train with us at KDL.  She's been training hard so she decided she would give kumite a try.  Undaunted by the fact that she would have to fight BOYS (there were not enough girls in her age bracket to form a separate girls division), she waded in and did an awesome job!  The rest of our nine person team enjoyed equal success as well.  Congratulations to all of them...well done!  Many thanks to Sensei Jacques Dupont for welcoming us to his tournament and providing an excellent experience for our kids.  Osu!  Click on the picture above to see some photos of our team in action (courtesy of your humble webmaster).

A week after attending Shihan André Gilbert's tournament, West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île brought a small, but eager team to the North American Cup.  This tournament was hosted by Shihan Alain Bordeleau, director of a ShinKyokushin dojo in Greenfield Park, and took place at the Cegep Edouard-Montpetit in Longueuil.  Our kids displayed the form and technique that is the hallmark of WIK/KDL and made Sensei John and the rest of our dojo very proud.  Although our students' accomplishments at this tournament and others are always considerable and impressive, you may notice that we typically do not focus on placement when reporting on tournaments in which our kids participate.  For one thing, Kyokushin karateka know that this would be diametrically opposed to Sosai's dojo kun which emphasize humility.  Perhaps most importantly, Sensei tries to instill an awareness in his students that the true and most valuable rewards of competing lie far beyond earning another trophy for the mantle.  At WIK/KDL, we know this is a key life-lesson that will prepare and propel them forward for many years to come.  Congratulations to our entire team and thank you to Shihan Alain Bordeleau...OSU!  Click on the photo to see more shots from the North American Cup courtesy of Sempai Dave (thanks so much Dave).

This year, West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île attended the Fighting Spirit Championship for the first time ever.  This annual event is hosted by Shihan André Gilbert, a very well known and respected member of the Kyokushin community worldwide, and in particular, in Montreal.  It was an excellent opportunity for our tag team of Sempai Kimm and Niki to test their mettle against karateka whom they had never previously encountered before.  Niki had the daunting task of facing off against two black belt opponents.  She was able to win her first match in convincing fashion against a tough fighter from St-Eustache, but lost the decision in her second bout to a well-conditioned adversary from St-Luc.  Sempai Kimm faced a wily, experienced fighter from St-Bruno in the full contact, lightweight category.  It was a hard-fought contest in which they exchanged some spectacular head kicks, but on this day, Sempai Kimm's opponent was awarded the fight.  Despite the decision, the fight was an invaluable learning experience for Sempai Kimm and another stepping stone in her journey towards the Diamond Cup world tournament in Antwerp, Belgium, this summer.  As always, we were very proud of Sempai Kimm's and Niki's performances - they represented WIK/KDL with distinction.  Click on the picture above to see more photos of Sempai Kimm and Niki in action, courtesy of Sempai David Boily (thanks Dave).  Finally West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île would like to extend our gratitude to Shihan André Gilbert for welcoming us to his tournament...it was truly an honour.

For 2014, our annual tournament was rechristened the WEST ISLAND KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.  This new name reflected the fact that for the first time, we would feature kata and semi-contact kumite for ADULTS in addition to our usual competition for juniors.  Consequently the 13th edition of our yearly event was all the more special as adults were also afforded the opportunity to test their mettle on the tatami.  In addition, we found a new home for our tournament at the Centre Communautaire Paul-Émile-Lépine which is located in Île-Perrot.  This beautiful and spacious facility once again allowed the spectators to be very close to the action, facilitating the taking of photos and the recording of video, while they cheered on the competitors.  As always, the level of competition was very high as the best junior - and adult - karateka displayed their Kyokushin skills and spirit for the enthusiastic and appreciative supporters.  The kumite portion of the tournament built to a crescendo with a very exciting "one-match" between Sempai Kimm and Sempai Anick Boivin, a student of Sensei Jonathan Ouellet's of Karaté Kyokushin Québec.  They made the journey from Quebec City to attend our tournament and give the spectators a taste of what full-contact/knockdown Kyokushin fighting is all about.  It was a hard-fought, thrilling contest with both women trading some punishing strikes and kicks delivered with precise technique.  In the end, Sempai Kimm managed to secure the victory by being awarded the decision in both of the first two rounds, thus making the third scheduled round unnecessary.  Nevertheless, Sempai Anick can be very proud of her performance and we are truly grateful that she made the trip to compete at the 2014 WIKC.  Osu!  As is the case every year, we could not have put on this tournament without the help of the Senseis and Sempais in attendance who provided top-notch, impartial refereeing, and most importantly, ensured the safety of all the competitors.  Our dojo's volunteer parents also play a huge role in organizing and running this tournament every year...something Sensei John is always very grateful for.  Their selfless donation of time and energy is directly responsible for the positive experience that all the competitors, coaches and parents enjoy at our tournament year after year.  We salute and thank you!  We would also like to recognize the staff at the Centre Communautaire Paul-Émile-Lépine who were beyond helpful and accomodated our every need.  Lastly, we would like to convey a heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors (Scotia Bank, Investors Group, Pizzalinni da Francesca, Soothing Hands, Peintre Manon Lafrance, Restaurant Nicolina, Restaurant Le Blaks No. 1 and E Burger) for helping to support our humble tournament.  Their generous contributions to our efforts to provide the best experience for all involved, in particular the kids, are greatly appreciated by them and us.  Many thanks to everyone for your support and we'll see you next year at the 2015 West Island Karate Championships!  OSU!

West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île sent a select team to the Coupe des Samuraïs tournament hosted by Sensei Alexandre Haché of Karaté IDS.  This tournament features "one matches" in which each competitor fights against one opponent for three rounds and tries to win 2 out of 3 of those rounds.  All the matches take place on a raised stage under colorful, dramatic lighting, creating a fun experience for competitor and audience alike.  As expected, all the participants competed hard and our team was no different.  But it must be said that in the heat of battle, it can sometimes be easy to forget the true purpose of competing in the first place.  Sensei John always reminds his students that the ultimate intent is to test their Kyokushin skills, development and spirit against like-minded individuals.  In the process, you learn some important lessons about yourself and get the opportunity to build relationships with others with whom you share a common bond.  Sensei emphasizes that these are the REAL rewards of tournament competition.  When seen in this light, a student is already a winner for simply competing.  Sensei summed it up best in his post on our West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île Facebook group about Sempai Kimm's match at the Coupe des Samuraïs (pictured above):

"Good job to Kimm and her opponent Joanie Verrault for their one match.  They have fought one another before in the past and have developed a mutual respect.  They were chatting before their match and were seen chatting amicably and laughing afterwards on stage.  This is something I hope all the kids notice.  There are no such things as enemies in Kyokushin Knockdown - just people that are a part of your development and growth.  We should all be as humble, respectful and grateful to all our opponents as Kimm and Joanie.  OSU!"

Many thanks to Sensei Alexandre Haché and his team for providing another wonderful tournament experience for all involved.  Osu!  Click on the picture above to see photos of our team in action at the Coupe des Samuraïs courtesy of Sempai Anne-Marie Lemieux (awesome photos A-M...much appreciated).

It was time to shake off some of the rust (and extra calories :-)) that had accumulated from the holidays at our annual Kagami Biraki (New Year's Training).  Over the years, our Kagami Biraki has earned a reputation for being a demanding and challenging training, but Sensei John makes absolutely no apologies for this.  To paraphrase Sensei, "challenging" is what Kyokushin Karate is all about.  It's the reason we use the word "OSU" around the dojo.  That word embodies the entire principle of Kyokushin:  pushing yourself to your limits, enduring, persevering and expanding those limits with each new challenge.  A true karateka (practitioner of karate) embraces this principle, and as Sensei reminded us at the next class back at the dojo :-), we should always SEEK OUT difficult trainings in order to improve and excel.  In short, as Kyokushin karateka, THIS IS WHAT WE DO.  To ring in 2014, we were honored to have many Senseis and their students from other dojos and associations join us this year including Shihan Max Ferraiolo, Sensei Jacques Dupont, Sensei Luciano Paparella, Sensei Richard Labonté, Sensei Alexandre Haché, Sensei Francis and Sensei Benoit Poirier.  In addition to leading the training, the Senseis generously shared their many years of knowledge by breaking up into "stations" and giving a short 30 minute lesson at each station.  It was a rare opportunity (and a real treat) to train with and learn new techniques from each of these very knowledgeable instructors while we had them all in the same room together!  Every student benefitted greatly from this incredible learning experience, so Sensei John will likely make this a regular part of the Kagami Biraki from now on.  This will literally only happen once per year, so don't miss this golden opportunity next year.  Sensei John would like to thank all the instructors for coming out again and for being so generous with their time and knowledge.  We greatly appreciate the support of all the students who attended as well; in the end, you benefitted the most.  This year, Sensei John donated all the profit from this event in the name of Kyokushin Karate to the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation which directly supports the CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center.  With your support, we are thrilled to announce that we raised over $500 for this very worthy cause.  Thank you!  Click on the photos above to see larger versions of these pictures.  On behalf of everyone at West Island Karate / Karaté de L'Île, we wish you all a happy, prosperous and successful new year!  Osu!

Click here to read what happened at West Island Karate / Karaté De L'Île in 2013