Warrior Camp 2009

Shihan Tim Reilly’s Thoughts on the 2009 Warrior Way

Hi to all

After a hard 12 months of planning and upgrading, I have finally seen a lift in self esteem and confidence.  The DVDs and EBooks are working with not much difference in techniques evident between Dojos.  Keep on passing them on to your students – it is making a difference for all to see.

I would like to say that the under 13 years Kata and non-contact sparring was well done. A big pat on the back for those Instructors.  The sparring was great to watch as they demonstrated control and a variation of technical moves which I have not seen for a long time.  Elbows, knees, grabs, spinning kicks and so on.  I did miss them breaking the bricks, but luckily someone had videoed it for me. How good was that?   I let the 13 year olds go a bit heavier on the sparring and didn’t we get a show with our higher grades giving it to each other. WOW watch out in the future.  Well done

So on to the 1 4years to 18 years.  Sparring!  What can I say but they are the future warriors of ZCR.  I put my hands together for a job well done for those Instructors and the students who showed so much courage.  Kata work was well done.  Brick breaking unbelievable – World Titles are coming.

Adults well done.  As they all found out it, is not easy at the top with women and men training side by side.  All grades from yellow to black came together as one – helping and encouraging each other to make it through the weekend.  The techniques and Kata were as one. A couple of minor things may need an adjustment, but if we look at the DVD we can fix it in seconds.  It was great to see not only young warriors but old ones as well.  Mixing it and helping each other from 18years to 65years. We don’t see much of this outside of ZCR.

Sparring was well done with control displayed and technical moves demonstrated.  Great to see the women giving it to the men and some of their expressions said everything.  Well done to those Instructors for getting them to that stage.

Tournament Fighting.  There have been a few comments on fighter safety during full contact tournament fighting.  The only guarantee of safety that you have is – “do not compete”.  It is voluntary only. This is why we have separate grading sparring and then voluntary tournament sparring. Both are completely different.  The Way of a Warrior is to survive in any situation. Concrete, glass, rock, water, sand floors – it does not matter.  If you are a true warrior you will survive in and on anything.  There is no guarantee of safety on the streets – you must be ready at all times.

Thank you for a great weekend and I will talk to you all soon

Shihan Tim Reilly

Results of the Zen Chi Ryu National Titles

Our 2009 Warrior Way camp was held over the weekend of 6th to 8th November at the Yarrahappinni Youth Adventist Centre, which is located approximately 50 km from Kempsey N.S.W.  It was an amazing weekend and the weather was atrocious.  The rain never let up which added to the mental and physical challenge of the camp, gradings and competitions. Approximately 200 Zen Chi Ryu students and Instructors from the East Coast were present at the event.  Some travelled as much as 14hrs to be there.

A big congratulations to Renshi Debbie Swanson for Kempsey for a well run event.  The accommodation, service and meals were excellent!

Shihan Tim said that “next year will be harder, so look out!”

Here’s a taste of some of the weekends activities…. just a taste…. you had to be there to know all that went on!

Videos of some of the events will be posted on our YouTube site soon

Warrior of the Camp – Marty Stuart (Gladstone)
Junior Warrior of the Camp – Tyisha Duke-Holten (Melville Dojo)
Black Belt of the Camp – Rob Avery (Melville)

Junior Warrior of the Camp -  Tyisha Duke-Holten
Adult Black Belt of the Camp -  Robert Avery

 

Renshi Debbie’s Warrior Way Report

Warrior Way 2009

Well, what a camp we did have. I think the theme of the camp “Courage and Duty” was demonstrated by all, throughout the weekend. The Mid North Coast of NSW, really turned on the weather for all our visitors and this area was declared a Natural Disaster Zone because of the amount of rain, flooding and damage occurred. But in true Zen Chi Ryu style we took on the challenge of the weather and achieved!!!

For the West Kempsey dojo, the weekend was a massive experience for us and all my students were honored and privilege to be able to participate in such an event. I need to congratulate all students from the West Kempsey Dojo, on their behavior, humility and on their new belts.

A big thank you to everyone who helped and supported us in organizing the Warrior Way at Yarrahapinni this year.

I need to mention our sponsors for the weekend:

• Andrew Lahey from Lahey’s Construction Kempsey – who donated $500.00 towards the cost of the Hebel Bricks.
• Brian Ross from East Coast Masonry in Port Macquarie – who was able to sell us the Hebel Bricks at cost price.
• Michael Reid and Scott Wheeldon from Clybucca Earthmoving – who supplied the truck and organized the disposal of all those broken bricks.

I would also like to say a BIG thank you to the Yarrahapinni Adventist Youth Centre, who provided us with a wonderful complex to hold the Camp in, along with great food, service and meals!!!!

It was wonderful to catch up with old friends but it was just as equally wonderful to meet new friends, and extend our Zen Chi Ryu Family. Thanks to everyone who travelled from afar to make this year’s Warrior Way, what it was….. challenging, inspiring, hard and awesome.

My ankle is a result of how tough of a weekend it was, with it having to be x-rayed recently (a week later) at Kempsey Hospital (its only sprained!!). When I had to explain to them why my ankle was all swollen and bruised, I told them I was at a Martial Arts Camp and the response I got was …. “This camp wasn’t at Yarrahapinni was it ……….. what were you guys doing up there! Wow, not sure if I want to mess with you guys.” I believe our reputation has preceded us which was probably a result of Rob and his visit to our local hospitals!!

Another funny thing that has happened this week, was I had to go and pick up the rest of the bricks that were left up at Yarrahapinni and when I arrived another Martial Arts group was there having their annual camp. I asked a few questions of course, and Richard the Manager, told me that “They don’t do anything like you guys did!” So that made me very proud to be a part of a unique and one of a kind Martial Art.

We will take a lot of memories away from this year’s Warrior Way Camp, but we will be looking forward to the challenges of the 2010 Warrior Way.

Until next time

Yours in Zen

Renshi Debbie