What an EPIC day it was at HAITO Karate Club yesterday! Belt grading day brought out the determination, resilience, and spirit of our incredible karatekas, and the dojo was buzzing with energy and excitement from start to finish. Let’s break down the highlights:
10th KYU: The First Step to Mastery
Congratulations to our 10 new 10th KYUs (orange belts) for taking that all-important first step on their karate journey:
- 🔶 Ksenija
- 🔶 Zina
- 🔶 Adam
- 🔶 Vedanti
- 🔶 Ayorinde
- 🔶 Pritam
- 🔶 Arjun
- 🔶 Jasmine
- 🔶 Elizaveta
- 🔶 Simas
Your grading focused only on basics (kihon), which are the most important to learn at this stage. With one hour of dedicated practice, you showed such dedication and composure, and we couldn’t be prouder! This is just the beginning—osu! 🌟
9th KYU: Progress with Grit
Stepping up a level, we have 2 new 9th KYUs (orange belts with a blue stripe):
- 🔶🔵 Timi
- 🔶🔵 Mija
This grading took 2 hours, involving 3 sparring rounds and higher technical challenges. Both of you crushed it—your precision and stamina were remarkable. Keep up the amazing work! 💪
8th KYU: Mastering the Blue
Big congratulations to our 3 new 8th KYUs (blue belts):
- 🔵 Zainab
- 🔵 Mithran
- 🔵 Lola
Your grading required 3 hours of intense kihon, kata, and 5 sparring rounds. You’ve embraced the challenge with discipline and focus. Well done on earning your blue belts—it’s a big milestone! 👏
7th KYU: Building Momentum
Shoutout to our 6 new 7th KYUs (blue belts with a yellow stripe):
- 🔵🟡 Devesh
- 🔵🟡 Milana
- 🔵🟡 William
- 🔵🟡 Kotryna
- 🔵🟡 Bartosz
- 🔵🟡 Ilze
You powered through 4 hours of testing, including 7 sparring rounds and advanced kata sequences. Your perseverance is inspiring—fantastic effort, everyone! 💪✨
6th KYU: The Yellow Belt Achievement
A special moment for HAITO Karate Club as we celebrate our first fully in-club trained 6th KYUs (yellow belts):
- 🟡 Calvin
- 🟡 Darius
- 🟡 Dominika
Your grading pushed boundaries with almost 6 hours of kihon, kata, kumite, and 10 sparring rounds. This milestone represents your relentless effort and commitment to your craft. You’ve set a benchmark for others to follow—osu! 🌟⚡
Reflections on the Day
It was truly inspiring to witness the courage, grit, and growth of every student yesterday. Grading day is never easy. It’s long, it’s intense, and it demands every ounce of effort—but it’s in these moments that we discover our true potential.
As always, a massive thank you to everyone who supports HAITO Karate Club—from parents and guardians to our dedicated team who ensure everything runs smoothly. Together, we’re building a community that thrives on respect, discipline, and the joy of learning.
Remember: The only limits are the ones we place on ourselves. Let’s continue pushing beyond them to discover how far we can go.
Osu! 🏆✨