Sensei John Childs
2nd Dan
I have been training with Tekki since 1995. I began as an enthusiastic 13 year-old with a small build who looked about 9! I had teeth which stuck out so far I’m sure they were in a different time zone. It got worse when I had a brace, having to juggle gum shields and braces at competitions; I got into many saliva situations coming off the floor after kumite. I was so small, I remember sparring with Xenia and although she was the same age as me, it was like being attacked by the 50ft women – she did however make me work hard and taught me to use my legs quickly when stepping back!
My interest in taking up karate originates, like most kids back then, from films such as the Karate Kid, and Jackie Chan movies! I watched the artists bounce around fighting at great speed and agility, and thought it was amazing - I wanted to be able to do all that too!
I was soon ringing around Leisure Centres and looking at notice boards for advertisements on anything to do with Martial Arts. I found a karate club which was based at my local leisure centre, and met up to train four times a week! I thought this was perfect, and went down at the next available session to give it my all. Before even entering the Dojo I somehow knew that this was the sport for me. I’ve always been a fan of individual sports – didn’t ever do team sports, probably due to my ‘handicaps’ and I was always (and still am) rubbish with balls – catching, throwing, kicking, my god even holding them!!
Anyway, when I entered the hall, it was full of people of all different shapes, sizes and abilities, and I didn’t have a clue what to expect! I was firstly shown to Isis who took me through kihon kata before the lesson began. We were then instructed to ‘line up’ by a bald man who seemed to fill the hall with his authority and wild character. His name was Roger Sayce, chief instructor of Tekki. It was at this session he took me aside and did some 5 step sparring with me, as he said I has a fair bit of speed when I blocked – I was just however shitting myself and moved back as fast as I could as he came in! Since this lesson I have never looked back and then prevailed through the belts. Roger helped me through some hard times while I was growing up – through my parents’ separation, where he would pick me up and take me training down Aberaeron and Llanidloes which helped me get my mind off it all – he also helped me succeed for a placement at university. I had one ‘A’ Level and therefore no uni offers; it was a reference from Sensei that got me in! Although I was very pleased with this I later found out that uni wasn’t really down my ally (I did complete it…just), however it was definitely worthwhile, as I met Lindsey within my first week, and as you know we’ve been together ever since… a rocky beginning involving police, a riot van and her ex! (I’m sure I’ve told you the story before). Anyway, I brought Lindsey down to Tekki – and she was hooked, and did well for herself. She has competed for the club many times with great results and competed (against her will) on the Welsh Squad (ladies team) at the time when it was Tekki girls (Alice, Kaley, Lindz) taking on the English team (who are currently the European Champions)…. Ah memories of Tara Cummings flattening noses! Lindsey is currently being amazing helping me with the Tekki clubs I have down south.
My first hurdle in karate was gaining a position on the Welsh Squad in 1997. Being only 14 and a green belt I was, and still am, the lowest grade ever to be selected ;-) Next was my 1st Dan black belt grading, which I achieved at 16, then my 2nd Dan in 2003. Most recently I was selected to represent Wales in the 2005 European Championships for Kata, which was an experience.
As you know a new chapter began for the club in the summer of 2001 due to the sad and sudden loss of the great Sensei Roger Sayce. The club was handed down to Sensei Simon Thompson, who had been with the club right from the beginning. The last 5 years have been very eventful for the club. It was great to be part of Tekki achieving best club at the Welsh Championships 2002 and 2003. Simon has been a great leader for the club in all aspects, from teacher, morale leader, motivator, and friend. Like Roger, Simon has also helped me through various struggles, as well as giving good advice over a pint (which he always insists on buying!) – I do buy him the occasional drink but only on special occasions as he can’t handle the luminous multiple chemical pints which I learnt to fuse together during uni!.
It was at this time (2001) that Simon introduced me to teaching, and I became one of two assistant instructors (along with Euros) to Sensei Thompson and Tekki. Over the last 5 years I have taken quite an active role in the club; it gave me a purpose so to speak – which was important during my university years where I felt I was about the intellectual equivalent of a toilet brush!
With Tekki I have done many competitions over the years…. but its not really the events/winning/losing/medals that you remember but the people who you’re surrounded with and the social aspect of it all. The early mornings, wrong directions, car pooling, eating out after the comp, sharing each others pack lunch, moaning at the St Johns medics, to mention a few. With regards to actual competing I recently totally mucked up in the finals at the Nationals in team kata alongside Alice & Euros (I think it must have been the bright lights shinning down on us or something.) Well I aint ever doing Sochin in a team event again! It’s nice to be part of a club that accepted my mistake and moved on …
As for life at the moment I’m currently training to be a Stunt Artist! I spend many hours training in horse riding, gymnastics, and trampolining. I have to obtain a certain level in each of these sports and more in order to obtain a position on the UK’s Stunt Register and work as a qualified stunt artist. This is something I have been determined to do since the days of watching those films, and I have organised myself to take up the specific training needed to become a stunt man.
In the spring of 2005 I moved to Hay on Wye (to aid stunt training) to stay at Lindseys parents for a bit…. Well we’re still there, but I manage to get back to Aber for weekend training/teaching almost every weekend. I recently opened 3 clubs near where I live. The clubs at Clifford, Gwernyfed and Peterchurch are part of Tekki, and as such I hope to bring something of the friendly, family atmosphere, that Tekki has always been. These new clubs are rooted in the experience and support of both Tekki and the KUGB.
As for the future…… Well it would be great to achieve 3rd Dan…..eventually!!! And I’ll keep competing. Its weird, when you’re a kyu grade you strive for your next belt with black belt being the ultimate level, heck I never looked beyond it, and you don’t realise it until you gain your first dan, but your right back where you started, a whole different level. My first black belt session was a Tekki squad session in Aberaeron, just after Torbay, I got smacked in the face by Andrew Jones! I guess that would put many people off or for me was a leaning curve. Getting back to the point, I don’t think I ever imagined that I would reach this point yet there’s always so much more to learn, practice, understand, perfect, get faster at and more powerful at it all.
With regards to the club, it’s great to be part of ‘an extended family’ so to speak. To have a hobby that you love to do with people who I’m sure are the nicest people in the world is great. It’s the personalities that make a club what it is and that’s a major reason why I come home at weekends back to Tekki.