I can't believe the youth karate class has been running for 2 months already. It must be true that time flies when you're having fun; at least I'm having fun, but I think the students are, too.

We certainly spend time with our basic techniques. It's probably a result of my primary instructor when I started training karate with this club (thank you, Sensei Lane), but the technical details are important. The kids require a little different approach to visualizing and practicing those details. Our core group of students have really paid attention to those details and improved a great deal in our 2 months together. The execution certainly still has a long way to go, as it does with anybody with just 8 weeks of training, but even if they can't always execute a perfect technique, they can tell you how it should be done.

We also enjoy some general movement and space awareness games that require careful listening and attention to direction. I just have to say the words "ichi, ni, san" and I hear whispers of "yes" throughout the room. The kicking pad is also a favorite. The annual Youth Tournament is coming up in October. I've helped with judging that event the past several years and always enjoy it. Maybe we'll have some competitors from Lafayette this year!