UPDATE:
I am waiting for word from the
Governor and Parish President, but it looks like Phase I of the reopening plan
will begin in Louisiana on or about May 1. This involves reopening
businesses, groups and schools that will have less than 10 people gathered.
Phase II, which should be 14 days later if all goes well in Phase I, will allow
for groups of up to 50 people. Phase III will be business as usual.
We should fit into Phase II, so my current assumption is that we should be able
to re-open the dojo by Friday, May 15, if all goes well.
This is a best case scenario, but fits with my
assumptions regarding reopening. I will await the final word from
governmental officials, but if these expectations are accurate, then:
- Dues will again be suspended for May (we lost half of
March from the closure, so the half of May we can train will make up for
that time -- otherwise, we will prorate the dues for the first month back
accordingly);
- Expect training to resume on May 15 and increase your
at home training to try to regain your “karate shape” and conditioning;
- I, along with input from the other black belts and the
instructors in Lafayette, will evaluate where the students are upon
returning in order to determine when we will have our next test.
Obviously we are missing the test that should have been this Saturday and
our next test is scheduled for August 8, so we need to determine if all or
some of the students should test between now and then to keep everyone on
track.
I am sorry for all these modifications, but I am
sure that most all clubs are in the same situation. We will do what
Karateka do in difficult situations, we will adapt to changing
circumstances.
On a personal note, I know that many of you have
had changes in employment status given these closures and the plunge of oil
prices, which may or may not be temporary. I can empathize because this
has directly affected me and my family. Given this, there have been
remarkable few parents and students who have contacted me regarding their
status as members of the club. I very much appreciate your patience and
your continued support of the school and your student’s participation in our
Karate organization.
On a sad note, one of the senior JKA instructors
died yesterday of complication from COVID-19. Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki
(June 22, 1931 – April 21, 2020) was a tenth degree black belt in Shotokan
Karate, as well as the founder and chief instructor of the International
Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF). Along with Gichin Funakoshi and Masatoshi
Nakayama, Okazaki helped found the JKA's instructor
training program and our chief instructor, Sensei Takayuki Mikami, was the
first graduate. Sensei Okazaki was a great influence on my Karate and
life and I encourage you all to research the life of this important figure in
modern Karate. His life greatly mirrors the advent of modern Karate in
the United States.
On a final note, I really miss you all and learning
from my students. I have been working out at home and have been doing
virtual classes online and on zoom daily to stay in shape and to get new class
ideas. I hope you all are still training too. If you have, it will
show when we conduct our evaluations. If you haven’t, you still probably
have a few weeks to catch back up. I look forward to seeing you all very
soon.
OSU.
Sensei Scott
