The 2010 South Island Youth Camp was held in Gore in May. The following is an article about the camp published by Newslink.
ABOUT 40 young karate club members made the most of expert teaching from black belt instructors at the South Island Karate Club training camp in Gore at the weekend.
And they’re likely to have picked up some especially solid arm movements from senior instructor for the weekend, sensei John Marrable, of Dunedin, who is wheelchair-bound.
Sensei Marrable has been a paraplegic since the age of 10, after defiantly climbing a cliff and falling.
He lived in the United Kingdom then, and while he tried to learn unarmed combat so he felt less vulnerable in his wheelchair, he had difficulties convincing anyone to teach him karate there.
It wasn’t until he emigrated to New Zealand in his late teens that he got tuition.
Even now as a black belt, he’s always trying to improve his technique and be better with his arms than anyone else.
The two-day training camp held at the St Andrews Church Hall was the second hosted in Gore and Sensei Gabriel Phillips said the event was only going to get bigger.
“I’m looking forward to next year.”
It was one of only about three karate training camps held throughout the country, he said.
Emma Carle
NewsLink Reporter