Grading and Nostalgia

Earlier today I received an email from Sensei with a link to a photo album. Not really reading the title, I absentmindedly clicked on it and went back to studying. When I came back, I was pleasantly surprised; the album contained pictures of the 2007 A Beginner's class. My class of 2007. We hadn't yet earned our right to wear hakama, and there were some familiar, though now sadly absent, faces in the group pictures. I couldn't help smiling when I thought about those earlier days, back when I had absolutely no idea what it was exactly that I got myself into. Days when, after our beginner's class, Awa, Clem, and I would go out to the cricket pitch on the sports field and do our own reviews of the basics.

The 2007 A beginners, minus a few members -
photo courtesy of Marleen-sensei

A nice little walk down memory lane, especially in the light of the 2008 A Beginner's grading.

On Thursday, this year's batch of beginners (who are a highly impressive group, I must add) did their hakama and 10th kyu grading. Since I'm usually there to help out, I came as well to give any last minute tips or assistance. I ended up being on the judging panel to replace Robin-senpai, who left his reading glasses somewhere. I sat alongside Clem, Awa, Henry-senpai, and Richard-senpai (who was our chief judge)

For the first time, I'd be sitting in front of my kohai and observing them. Not a position I'm most comfortable in, I admit, given that I'm either usually a standing little bit to the side or observing from behind, sneaking up on people to give them pointers :D. Also, I'd have to write down constructive comments for most of them, again something I haven't done much of. Hahaha.

It was a bit surreal sitting there, watching the beginners perform and writing down comments that would hopefully be useful for them. I mean, it wasn't that long ago when I did my hakama grading, along with Clem and Awa. Sensei, Jeffrey-senpai, and Terry-senpai sat in front of us, watching our moves. I could picture myself as one of them, tense, nervous, and more than a little bit stiff. Their footwork, their swings, their kiai really brought me back to that first grading.

The beginners performed quite well given the length of their training, at least better than what I remember from my own experience. Some were real good, some could use a little bit more training or confidence, but everyone impressed the heck out of me. Seriously. Kudos to them.

The grading itself went pretty smoothly, don't recall any delays. Starting with kamae, they went into footwork, the basic suburi, and jumping suburi, before finishing off with the first two bokuto keiko and a short written exam. It's a pity that we were on a pretty tight time constraint, as a little comment session would have been good, while the memory of their grading was still fresh.

In the end, all 14 of the attendees (there was supposed to be 17, but three didn't show up) passed the grading, and will hopefully continue learn with the rest of us now that they've earned the right to wear hakama. Well, I certainly hope so. Sparring with some of them will definitely be exciting.

Also, looks like I won't be going to the Winter Camp this year. Oh well.

Cheers, all.