Croydon's First Red Belt
By Croydon Instructor Nick Evagorou, 2nd Duan
June 2005At the end of August this year I will have been teaching Tang Sou Dao at my Croydon class for four years.
Croydon Instructor Nick Evagorou (2nd Duan) with Students at their regular training venue - Bedford Hall, Croydon Voluntary Association for the Blind, 72-74 Wellesley Road, CroydonI cannot believe it has been this long; it seems only yesterday that I took my first class, especially after seeing those photos on this Tang Sou Dao website.
As most of you instructors know, when building up a new class you see many students come and go. But there has been one student of mine who has been there right from the very beginning, from when I took that first class at West Croydon Christ Church. If you look closely, ignoring my cheesy grin, at the picture above he is at the back on the right with a shaven head. Well, he had to look the part being in Croydon!
At the Region Two Grading in Haywards Heath on May 22nd 2005, Barry Fisher achieved his Red Belt (1st Ji) grade. This is my first Red Belt Student and hopefully the first of many. Nevertheless, Barry and my other senior grades are fully aware that there is still a long way to go on their journey in reaching that stage when the real learning begins - when they eventually obtain their 1st Duan grade. I am in no doubt that they will in the not too distant future.
Instructor Nick Evagorou (2nd Duan) congratulating
Barry Fisher on his 1st Ji Red Belt examination
and being Croydon's first student to reach red belt (1st Ji)Barry is a father of two sons aged 13 and 7, who also practice Tang Sou Dao under my instruction and his eldest, Jake who was also at my first class is hot on his fathers tail achieving his Blue Belt (2nd Ji) grade at the same grading. Barry has suffered many injuries over the last few years and through his martial art training has gained the will power and determination to get over them. This is why I feel very proud of his achievements so far.
Barry and other students practice cher chuai ti (side thrust kick)Like Barry and a lot of my other senior grades, I do not see them as just my students, some have become good friends and there is much mutual respect between us. They may learn and develop their Tang Sou Dao skills from my teachings but I certainly learn a lot from them too. Being only 24 years of age myself at 2nd Duan, I know I still have lots of progress to make in both life and in Martial Arts. The more I learn, then the more I can share with my students meaning they can progress along with me.
Juniors and Seniors following the classGrandmaster Loke and in particular my instructor Master Goward are big influences in the way I train and especially the way I teach. I now have over 40 students who train regularly with me. I believe the success of my classes has been achieved by following similar teaching methods to Master Goward and gaining advice from Grandmaster Loke on how to explain techniques and their application.
Student Nuria Sanchez demonstrating hou chuai ti
(back thrust kick) for the class
Chean ti (leg stretch)I feel honoured to be a student and an instructor of Tang Sou Dao and hope to train more of my own students in the future to add to the Family!
Tang Sou!
Article By Nick Evagorou, 2nd Duan
© Ren Yi Wu Kwan Tang Sou Dao, All Rights Reserved
