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Tiffanie Vik Mendez of San Fransisco preforms a Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan Kobudo style of martial arts during the three-day 17th annual California South International Martial Arts Camp early Saturday morning at the Quechan Casino and Resort in Winterhaven. (ERIC MILLER PHOTO / November 4, 2012) |
For the instructors of the traditional Okinawa Karate — Shorin-Rye Shorinkan — the martial arts is more than self defense.
“It teaches confidence, it teaches discipline and this will carry from youth to the highest level,” said Robert Sabella, a seventh-degree black belt Sensei or instructor from Antioch Dojo in Antioch.
They also take pride in passing on their knowledge.
“It is important for us to pass along our teachings that we learned from the original masters in Okinawa,” Sabella said. “Very few people have trained from the original masters in Okinawa; we are proud to claim that and we would like to pass it to as many people as possible.”
It’s that dedication that has made the 17th annual California South International Martial Arts Camp the biggest it has been so far.
With more than 300 participants from across the nation and from other countries, the camp coordinated by eighth-degree black belt Sensei Nabil Noujaim of El Centro, has grown immensely.
“The love for the traditional form of karate that originated in Okinawa started 17 years ago at Central Union High, we outgrew that,” Noujaim said. “We went to Southwest and now we’re at the Quechan Casino so it gives me a lot of pride and joy to bring people from all around the world.”
Those in attendance include three special guests — seventh-degree black belt Sensei Eiroku Saijo, eighth-degree black belt Sensei Yukihiro Maeshiro and the son of the Grand Master, 10th-degree black belt Sensei Minoru Nakazato — all coming from Okinawa.
“We’ve brought the son of the Grand Master and we also brought two other high-ranking students,” Noujaim said. “Plus we have many high-ranking instructors from across the nation … they all have come to congregate here.”
The camp started Friday and will conclude today. It had plenty to offer for students of all levels and ages.
“It’s a lot of fun, a lot of fun, good experience especially if you haven’t done it before,” said Imperial Valley College freshman Brigitt Lopez, 17, of El Centro and a student at Noujaim’s Dojo in El Centro. “You meet a lot of people from around the world, you learn a lot of different things from a lot of Senseis.”
Eva Atiles, a fourth-grade teacher at Heber Elementary School, is another student at Noujaim’s Dojo since 2000 and has attended the camp since.
“I think it’s great, the turnaround has been wonderful. It’s the largest group of people that have come together to train martial arts, especially Okinawa traditional karate,” she said.
While the camp continues to grow and draw new students every year, there’s also a group that has been attending the camp since it first started, including Sabella, who at one time was Noujaim’s Sensei.
“Sensei Noujaim was one of my first students in Chico in 1972. I had a Dojo underground in a basement and he was my top student,” Sabella said. “I did not miss one camp. I’m so proud of him, I’m really proud of his achievement. It’s like a father watching his son becoming better than him.”
“It teaches confidence, it teaches discipline and this will carry from youth to the highest level,” said Robert Sabella, a seventh-degree black belt Sensei or instructor from Antioch Dojo in Antioch.
They also take pride in passing on their knowledge.
“It is important for us to pass along our teachings that we learned from the original masters in Okinawa,” Sabella said. “Very few people have trained from the original masters in Okinawa; we are proud to claim that and we would like to pass it to as many people as possible.”
It’s that dedication that has made the 17th annual California South International Martial Arts Camp the biggest it has been so far.
With more than 300 participants from across the nation and from other countries, the camp coordinated by eighth-degree black belt Sensei Nabil Noujaim of El Centro, has grown immensely.
“The love for the traditional form of karate that originated in Okinawa started 17 years ago at Central Union High, we outgrew that,” Noujaim said. “We went to Southwest and now we’re at the Quechan Casino so it gives me a lot of pride and joy to bring people from all around the world.”
Those in attendance include three special guests — seventh-degree black belt Sensei Eiroku Saijo, eighth-degree black belt Sensei Yukihiro Maeshiro and the son of the Grand Master, 10th-degree black belt Sensei Minoru Nakazato — all coming from Okinawa.
“We’ve brought the son of the Grand Master and we also brought two other high-ranking students,” Noujaim said. “Plus we have many high-ranking instructors from across the nation … they all have come to congregate here.”
The camp started Friday and will conclude today. It had plenty to offer for students of all levels and ages.
“It’s a lot of fun, a lot of fun, good experience especially if you haven’t done it before,” said Imperial Valley College freshman Brigitt Lopez, 17, of El Centro and a student at Noujaim’s Dojo in El Centro. “You meet a lot of people from around the world, you learn a lot of different things from a lot of Senseis.”
Eva Atiles, a fourth-grade teacher at Heber Elementary School, is another student at Noujaim’s Dojo since 2000 and has attended the camp since.
“I think it’s great, the turnaround has been wonderful. It’s the largest group of people that have come together to train martial arts, especially Okinawa traditional karate,” she said.
While the camp continues to grow and draw new students every year, there’s also a group that has been attending the camp since it first started, including Sabella, who at one time was Noujaim’s Sensei.
“Sensei Noujaim was one of my first students in Chico in 1972. I had a Dojo underground in a basement and he was my top student,” Sabella said. “I did not miss one camp. I’m so proud of him, I’m really proud of his achievement. It’s like a father watching his son becoming better than him.”
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