Golden State Open, Black Belt Promotions,
In-class Shiai and More!
Parents’ and Kids’ Night Out
Our monthly Kids’ Night Out will be on Saturday, June 8 from 6 PM to 9:30PM. We’ll be watching, The Disney Classic Bambi, eating pizza, playing games, and having fun! Cost: $35 with $5 for pizza (optional). Please RSVP by 5 PM on Friday June 7.
Summer Camp Discounts
All Hanabi Judo members get 1/2 off of their monthly tuition if they enroll in a week of Hanabi’s Pokemon Summer Camp during any summer month this year. We have 11 weeks of camp in Albany starting on June 10 and going through August 23. We’d love to have you with us! Register at: https://hanabijudo.com/summer-camp-2024/
Chris Sensei Has Arrived!
After a short stay back home in Minnesota, Chris Sensei has arrived at Hanabi Judo after teaching English to Taiwanese kindergarteners for the last four years. Chris will be helping out with our summer camp as well as at Parents’ Night Out and our many other Hanabi activities.
Thursday Honto Time Change
Our Thursday Honto, “Real”, judo class will now be starting at 5:00 pm and going until 6:30 pm. We continue to focus on fun, active judo that prepares our little ones to be strong judo players and strong people.
Black Belt Countdown Club
The Black Belt Countdown Club will have a meeting next week on Wednesday, June 12 after the completion of our Honto class, about 8:10. We will be reviewing the requirements to get a black belt at Hanabi and invite you all to become members of our exclusive Black Belt Countdown Club.
At Hanabi our goal is for each of our students to complete their black belt by the end of their senior year in high school. The Black Belt Countdown is designed to accomplish this. Beginning in 8th grade, over a 5 year period of time, there are 10 steps that each student must accomplish, including things like helping teach classes, helping at tournaments, being a member of Team Hanabi and learning the Nage-no-kata.
But there is more. And we will review that in more detail next week on Wednesday.
And we will also be checking in on the status of our current members: Isaiah Charles is going to be senior this coming fall and he is on track to earn his black belt next May.
Shuhan Awarded with Nanka Achievement
Shuhan, our 10 year old national champion (who likes to dance in the dojo) was awarded the Achievement Award from Nanka, our Black Belt Association. (Nanka was founded in 1928 in Los Angeles by Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo). Congratulations Shuhan!
High School Graduation
Marty, our ikkyu brown belt, (one step below black belt) graduated from Albany High School yesterday, June 5, and he walked straight from the graduation ceremony to Hanabi to let us know. Marty, who is now 17, is truly one of our Hanabi Judo kids: he began with us 12 years ago when we he was 5. Marty we are so very proud of you!
