Meet the black belts you know and love!!!
1st EDITION: MAY 2000
CHRIS HOGG - TRING CLUB
Shodan
Chris has got to be the lightweight out of all the Dan grades at the age 17 he weighs a minute .... And as a result won't be fighting Men's Black Belt Kumite - can't think why. Chris is a member of the Tring TASK Club and gained his Shodan in October, 1999. He was one of the founder members of the Tring club which opened in March 1994. Chris attends Aylesbury College and is studying for an Intermediate GNVQ in IT when he actually turns up! Chris enjoys surfing the Internet, watching South Park and tormenting his cat, Jimmy. He also expects to take his driving test sometime in the near future even though his height barely clears the 5ft mark.
FRANCESCA NEW - TRING CLUB
Shodan
FJ is one of the younger Junior Dan grades being only 13. She managed gain her Shodan in October 1999 and is also a member of Tring TASK Club. She is also one of the remaining founder members. Being the daughter of her Sensei, she is beginning to show the fighting traits and trademark kia of her mother! FJ is in her third year at Tring School and is frantically revising for her Year 9 SATS. She is also going to be performing in Oliver! in Tring. FJ also enjoys playing ho ckey and has recently come back from a ski trip in France. At the current championships she is defending her Team Kata title with Matt O'Reilly and Katy Harrison.
KATY HARRISON - TRING CLUB
Shodan
Kate is another founder member of Tring TASK Club and gained her Shodan in October 1999. She can be a vicious fighter and is defending both a Team Kata title and Girls 13-15 Kumite - a title she won by default (there was no one else in her age group!) Kate attends Tring School and is in Year 10. She is currently battling with her GCSE coursework and is convinced that her teachers are against her! Kate enjoys playing hockey and going to the cinema. She also has a reputation in her club for making younger beginners cry!
AWAITING NEW PICTURES
MATT STEERS - TRING CLUB
Shodan
Matt is another Tring TASK Club founder (how many more are there?!) and was also amongst the seven who gained their Shodans in October 1999. For a long time Matt had a tiny kia that had to be bullied out of him, not that you'd know it now. Matt is also known to be a bit too cocky for his own good. Still, most people get their own back e.g. Mr Bristow who made him do the warm-up at a Kyu grading for calling him by his middle name. Something very petty but something that 4th Dans take exception to! Matt is at Tring School in Year 9 and has also just completed his SATS. He is also on the County Rugby team
JENNY BROMLEY - TRING CLUB
Shodan
Jenny is the last of the Tring TASK Club founders and gained her Shodan in October 1999. Jenny is an avid hockey player and plays for County and the local town club. Jenny is a tough fighter who dishes out exactly what she gets! Jenny is at Tring School in Year 9 and has finished working on her SATS. She has recently come back from French Exchange. Her team will be challenging the defending Team Kata champions who unfortunately come from the same club!
KYLE RICHARDSON - TRING CLUB
Shodan
Kyle is the youngest of all the Dan Grades and changed clubs from Berkamsted to Tring a few years ago. He gained his Shodan in October 1999. Kyle will be starring in Oliver!, a play being performed in Tring, as The Artful Dodger. Kyle is known for being a bit noisy and cocky and has been given numerous rounds of press-ups for it! Kyle is now infamous among his friends as "That Kid in The McDonalds Advert". He can been seen in the McDonalds advert with the Millennium Dome eating a chip at the counter.
ROBERT SHAW - BERKAMSTED CLUB
Shodan
Rob is the abnormally tall (standing at over 6ft) Shodan who took his grading in October 1999. He says everyone else is too short but we think otherwise! Rob was formally a member of Chesham TASK Club but switched to Berkhamstead following its closure. Rob is in Year 11 and seems to have been to practically every country on the planet! Rob is also training in Spirit Combat whose painful arm locks have been demonstrated on unwitting Shodans.
MARK JAMES - BERKAMSTED CLUB
Shodan
Mark recently passed his Shodan grading in March 2000 despite cutting a kumite partner above the eye which required six stitches! Mark is a member of Berkhamstead Club and is going through the period in \line which your Sensei rips your technique to bits in an effort to encourage 'spirit!'
AWAITING NEW PICTURES
NO PICTURES
JULIAN WARDEN - BERKAMSTED CLUB
Sandan
Julian, who even though is a member of Berkhamstead club, regularly trains at Tring Club. Julian recently passed his Sandan grading in March 2000. Someone who keeps himself to himself but is known to loosen up after a few drinks but that's another story... Julian is very proud of the fact that he goes cross country running (The countryside other people call Tring High Street!!) every weekend even though an intensive kumite session can leave him gasping for breath.
TERRIE FORD - BERKAMSTED CLUB
Sandan
Terrie is a member of Berkamsted club and recently passed her Sandan in March 2000. She is a tough fighter with a reputation; she broke a Dan grade's cricket box at her Nidan grading and wiped the floor with four other men in freestyle kumite at her Sandan grading. She took over Chesham TASK Club last year but earlier this year it had to close and most members joined Berkamsted club.
AWAITING NEW PICTURES
NO PICTURES
ALAN BRISTOW - BEDFORD CLUB
(INSTRUCTOR TO BERKAMSTED
Yondan
A well-known instructor whose tough style of training quickly weeds out small kids who can't take it! A dangerous fighter who is capable of running rings around