11 Apr 2022

Karate is more than just improving self-defence. It also helps mould athletes into responsible citizens.

Speaking at the National Gashku and Grading event in Mahalapye on Saturday, Mahalapye West legislator, David Tshere encouraged Karatekas to remain steadfast to the principle of the sport by avoiding unnecessary fights.

“The basic rule in Karate is that we teach you how to fight, but you don’t fight although you know how to fight. 

It’s a simple rule that you don’t start a fight because fighting is dangerous and can end lives. 

And in case you get to a point where you have to fight, then you have to end the fight before it begins,” he stressed

Mr Tshere commended parents who enrolled their children to train for Karate, saying the sport would help them refrain from social ills, as it groomed them to focus on their goals and achieving them.

The grading ceremony, Botswana Shukokai Karate Union (BSKU) chief instructor, Sensei Socca Moruakgomo said was meant to assess the level of Shukokai technique, confidence and potential as well as grade cub members to the right belts.

“We have more than 40 children here today who mostly are beginners. 

So, our ultimate goal is to assess their techniques, look for room for improvement and level of confidence, then upgrade them by grading them accordingly to certain belts as per their potentials,” he said.

“Beginners start with the white belt and continue moving up to higher belts according to how they understand the basics. 

So, from the white belt, they upgrade to yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, the three brown belts before proceeding to the black belt,” said Sensei Moruakgomo, also founder of Socca Karate Academy. 

For his part, Sensei David Mathe commended all the Karatekas for their grading and thanked parents who graced the occasion for continuously supporting the children, saying that also contributed towards helping Botswana Shukokai Karate Union realise its mandate.

The grading session was divided into beginners, advanced youth and adults who had been practising the style and were due for grading.

Members from all active clubs practising Shukokai technique, being one from Mahalapye, two from Gaborone and one Selebi Phikwe graced the grading ceremony. ends