Not Just for Kicks: Life is Full of Meant-to-Be's

As Robbie and I walked through the door of my Dad's house today, our last stop before leaving together for the airport and then Senegal, Dad had an urgent question: "We just got a request from Maison de la Gare to send six of the dojo talibes to a karate tournament in Kaolack on Friday. Will you be able to raise the money?" 

Kaolack is in the south-central region of Senegal, near the border with The Gambia. The drive we will take to the Northern city of Saint Louis from Dakar tomorrow is about  four hours on a good, direct road. Kaolack from Saint Louis seems to be about double the distance. I wonder what the roads are like? This is a distance Robbie's international tournment team might travel to compete. Unlike on our team trips, I am certain the bus will not be air conditioned, and the ride will not be direct. Talibes, travelling with the tournament team to compete! Of course we'll find the money! as an afterthought, I asked..."how much?"

 

Since Robbie started the karate program at Maison de la Gare two years ago generous families from Douvris dojos in Ottawa have been sponsouring talibe boys who demonstrate committment and passion in the morning karate lassons offered at the centre. Amazingly, as more and more kids want to be and are ready to be registered at the Saint Louis dojo, Sor-Karate with Sensei Ignety Ba, more and more Douvris families have been ready to sponsor them to do so. The sponsorships include initiation, belt testing, the occasional seminar, and monthly fees. The kids attend karate classes every day but Sunday. But, as every Ottawa Douvris Tournament Team parent knows, tournaments are something more.  More money and more Awesome for the kids. 

 

Omar, Bouaro and Souleymane on the MDG tournament team

Tournaments test limits, push envelopes, and shine a spotlight on effort, failure and success. Tournaments are stressful events, in the very best way. Kids able and willing to work harder than they knew they could come to normalize that hard work. And, success and failure alike drive them to train even harder. They know because you are good does not mean you can't be better. And, if you don't win that does not mean you're not good. Successes are shared with teamates, and each win brings the karate family even closer, allowing each member to feel the glory. Or, the pain. How can confidence not thive? How can success in life possibly not follow? Again, of course we'll find the money!!!

Which is why it was just meant to be when Brigitte Pellerin, a third degree black belt and WKC Team Canada member and World Champion, from our dojo, Douvris Martial Arts made an astonishing offer only yesterday. Brigitte has written a book, with her young daughter, Catherine, also a Team Canada member, Not Just for Kicks, which describes the phoenonenon of being part of a karate tournament team and competing at the World Championships. Brigitte is generously donating part of the proceeds of her book to support the karate program at Maison de la Gare. The very day after learning of this good news, I learned of the opportunity for the Maison de la Gare karate kids to lanch their own dreams of competing. Brigitte had reminded me of the awesome potential for character development and self awakening that competing provides young people (and anyone) and offers a means of contributing to financing at just the perfect moment. To read Brigitte's own blog about her book and her support of the talibe and to purchase her book, please follow this link:

http://www.brigittepellerin.com/books/we-can-all-do-our-bit-for-these-eager-karate-students/ 

  

Robbie Hughes on the podium (right) at WKC World Championships