Hughes Annual Report 2007

This has been a year of ups and downs, there were some issues this year that directly impacted Maca, myself and our Branch. We should remember what we are here for: we are here for our students - to pass on knowledge, to be positive role models, to provide our students with useful life skills, to have FUN and for ALL who wish to enjoy learning our style of jujitsu.

Most of the year has been quite successful. Maca and myself have been happy to be involved in helping set up the Sydney Branch in Castlecove. Over the last few years we’ve put forward several proposals to start a club in Sydney as we’ve had several students move there from the Hughes Branch & they kept hassling us to get something started. We almost were successful when Don from Queensland moved to Sydney, unfortunately he moved back the day it was supposed to open! Throughout this time we’ve nurtured a training group of 5 or 6 current and ex Hughes students training regularly. Earlier this year we were contacted by Jen, a Black belt from Port Maquarie, after she read last year’s annual report, where we had talked about the little training group. She then informed us that she was a Black belt but hadn’t trained for some time, and was super keen to join us! We put her on to Damo, who was heading up our little training group, and Maca and I spent a dozen or so Sundays in Sydney to welcome her back into the fold, and sharpen up her techniques. Thankfully she has been happy to start the Sydney branch for us with the assistance of Damo, our Black belt in training. So we want to thank Damo for doing all the running around in organising a location, insurance, and mats, and Jen for accepting the responsibility of starting the Branch. Woo hooo! Well done guys, persistence paid off.

The Junior class has been quite successful this year with 25 to 30 kids showing up each week - at one point I had 37, with 15 of them being white belts! I have a good range of belts with three more Grading to Blue, four to Green, four to Orange and five to Yellow. I had four attend the Junior Seminar in Kaleen this year, unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it, but I understand that they all had a great time, and one received a team award.

I do have to say next year will be a little more difficult running so many junior classes, as we may be losing three of our valuable seniors who are training for their Black belts to Wednesday night Black belt training. I’m hopeful that the Club can find a more flexible arrangement that will allow our Browns to continue assisting our Branch whilst further developing their teaching skills. I still do have a number of seniors that come regularly and help out, and I would like to thank all that have helped out over the year. ?

I had a number of awards for the Juniors at the end of the year:

Excellence in Tsuki & Geri Natasha Fenton Blue
Excellence in Basic Steps Hugh Swann Yellow
Excellence in Breakfalls Alexander McAlister Blue
Excellence in Techniques Mickayla delaRue Yellow
Most Improved David Luong Yellow
Renshi’s Award Molly Vincent White

The senior class was a good combination of regulars and itinerants, with a few new starters who have stuck around. We’re anticipating a few old faces will be returning next year, a number of juniors will be graduating, and increased marketing efforts will see continued growth in our senior ranks. We had a couple of seniors successfully Grade throughout the year, and we’d like to thank the training partners and senior belts for their contributions leading up to, and during the Gradings.

We were proud to nominate three of our Brown belts for Black belt training this year. Sam, Kris and Damo have all taken it on with great enthusiasm, and are loving their focussed training with Burgy ?. Our group, which includes Dante, make up more than half the Black belt course this year in Canberra! Dante’s been with us for a couple of years now, and Sam and Kris have been with us for over seven years, both starting as basics. All of Sam’s brothers and sisters have trained with us at some point also, following in their father’s footsteps! Damo started with the Queanbeyan juniors at the age of 6 before moving to Hughes as an Orange belt. We’re incredibly proud of all four of our Browns, and we wish them all the success that they deserve for taking on 16 months of gruelling training.

We had a good crowd from Hughes (and Hughes II, aka Castlcove) attend the National Seminar this year, and we had the most fun we’ve had at a Seminar for quite a few years. We were one of the biggest contingents there, which surprised us considering half our group came from Sydney. We didn’t win any awards as such this year, though Natasha did pick up the endurance prize for dancing all night long! Tuck unfortunately has been a bit crook, and wasn’t able to be as involved in the seminar as much as usual, or in fact most things this year as he would have liked.

2007 has had plenty of highlights. These include a range of successful Gradings, with three more junior Blue belts. The arrival of Jen and the establishment of our Sydney branch at Castlecove has been an absolute joy. Having Brown belts joining the Shodan training program has been an absolute highlight – they’re our first in over 15 years! And this year’s seminar was highly successful and very enjoyable.

2008 is Hughes’s 30th Year anniversary of training at Hughes. We are very proud of that achievement Thanks to Renshi Kevin Barrie for starting the Branch in 1974, and running the whole Branch until Renchi Simon MacNab (Maca) and Sensei Caroline Webber took over the club in 1992 when Mr Bazz retired to Queensland. In 1994 Renshi David Tuckfield (Tuck) took over as CI for Juniors when Sensei Caroline Webber retired. Over 50 years of combined Black belt instruction at Hughes Jujitsu, the Hughes Centre of Excellence, the Hughes Branch of the Peter Morton Academy of Judo, Jujitsu, Karate.

We’re wrapping up 2007, and putting it behind us. 2008 is a year for continued teaching, celebrating milestones, and striving to work with other Branches to make this a better club. We sincerely wish all a hugely successful year next year!

Cheers, and Be Masters of Yourselves!

Renshi Simon MacNab
(CI Seniors)

Renshi David Tuckfield
(CI Juniors)