The Ely, Newmarket and Soham Shotokan Karate Clubs are family clubs that were established over 10 years ago. The club has students ranging from the age of 4 up to an adult level, where all ages are mixed in classes together maintaining a good family atmosphere.
In the lessons we cover three main areas:
· Kihon (Basics)
· Kata (Forms)
· Kumite (Sparring)
As well as covering these three areas we focus on building fitness in lessons, whilst still enjoying training. Throughout the year gradings are held regularly, where students take an exam for their next grade, with many young students this promotes self confidence and a sense of achievement.
Aside from gradings there is also an annual competition held internally, which gives students the opportunity to compete against other members of TISKA from around the country.
The resident instructor in Ely, Newmarket and Soham Shotokan Karate club is Mrs Stockley, a 5th Dan black belt who has been training for over 29 years with TISKA.
Mrs Stockley and her son began their training at Kettering Shotokan Karate club under TISKA’s Chief Instructor Shihan Sahota (9th Dan), later her daughter also joined. Since, Mrs Stockley has continued her training and she has achieved the level of 5th Dan black belt (Godan) at a course held in La Manga, Spain 2018.
As Mrs Stockley has always trained in Shotokan Karate with her family, this idea has been maintained through all of her clubs where she promotes a good family atmosphere where all students train hard, keeping fit and having fun.
Gusharan Sahota
Gursharan Sahota was born in Kenya, East Africa but moved to the UK at the age of 12. He took up Karate at the age of 14 in the local Bedford club and was awarded black belt 1st dan (shodan) four years later.
Now a 9th Dan, Gursharan has competed in a multitude of kata and kumite events, many at national and international level. But the most significant event in his career was the visit he made in 1984 to Japan. There, he fulfilled a great ambition by training in a Japanese dojo under the instruction of Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa.
This experience proved to be a turning point for Gursharan. On his return to England, he realised the trip had been the inspiration he needed to dedicate his future to training and teaching karate as a way of life.
Gursharan’s first club was opened in Luton/Dunstable in 1981 and this is now the association’s hombu (HQ). Having been a teacher of the art for many years, he formed his own association in 1993 – TISKA (The Traditional International Shotokan Karate Association) which is now one of the biggest associations in the UK.
Gursharan’s love of karate has never diminished. He still teaches over 35 classes a week in the UK and regularly takes master classes internationally. All in all, he has brought hundreds of students of all ages up to black belt standard and beyond.
He is also involved in charity work, helping to subsidise trips for surgeons to third world countries to operate on underprivileged children. He has, for many years, funded many projects in India, and is at present helping to fund the building of a new school.
Gursharan lives in Buckinghamshire and is happily married with a son and daughter who already show signs of following in their daddy’s footsteps.
Contact your school instructor to get started
