C.N.G.K. Family camp was a fantastic weekend of fun, music, a lot of laughs, and of course - exceptional training instruction (led by Kyoshi J. Purdy). Thanks to everyone who was able to participate! More news to follow at www.cngk.ca

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Strong, Confident Girls

Why girls should try karate and/or wrestling:  

Helping to raise strong, confident girls

"She is clothed with strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future."  

Encouraging an active, healthy lifestyle can help young ladies develop beneficial habits that can lead to increased personal awareness and confidence.  Tri-City Training (Gueph Karate, wrestling, and fitness training for adults and kids) offers the opportunity to develop respect for oneself, for others, and for one's environment... leading students to experience strength, dignity, confidence, and happiness.  

                                                  

The karate program gives opportunity to learn SELF-DEFENSE and SELF-AWARENESS. Karate relieves stress and provides an excellent workout.  Additionally, Karate helps to build self-esteem and confidence.  Learning and improving any skill helps to build confidence and the ability to defend oneself adds to this sense of inner strength.

Tri-City Training offers role models that promote an holistic approach to training.  It is important to consider the needs of body, mind, and spirit and this is emphasized both in the curriculum and through the relationships of coaches and students in the karate programs AND wrestling programs. Building a trusting relationship with coaches and instructors is an important aspect of development.  In her article, "Raising Strong, Confident Girls, " Gina Shaw says, "We can't underestimate the importance of adults in girls' lives.  We need to explore how we can help them open doors to their futures by breaking down the stereotypes that hold girls back...Our research tells us that the girls who succeed are the ones who have adults they can talk to or relate to." Sensei Tom Cako is committed to promoting a lifelong healthy lifestyle in his students of all ages.  He is personal and approachable; he strives to help others attain their best in all aspects of their lives. 

From the time the students enter the dojo (training hall), they are taught to respect themselves, others, and their environment through word and action.  Shoes are lined up neatly and before the start of each class students bow in acknowledgement and respect for mutual opportunity in learning.  As time goes on - what these 'little things' mean increases in significance and importance.  Everything matters... how one presents oneself (ie. clean uniform) and how one conducts oneself... and attitude -- all important elements that are emphasized along with skills development at Tri-City.  It is through the development of these character skills and elements of etiquette that students can establish a strong foundation for becoming good citizens, leading to a more empathetic and caring community.  There is mutual respect for each other, regardless of gender.

In a society where girls (and boys) are bombarded with media images of 'who to be', both karate and wrestling programs help them to develop their own identity and positive relationships with others.

Wrestling and karate may have had their roots in a 'male world,' but today there is plenty of room for everyone in a training hall that doesn't differentiate gender.  Of course karate and wrestling can benefit girls and boys alike.  

At Tri-City, coaches are committed to looking at the big picture.  This combination of specialized education and mentoring, an holistic approach to training, as well as an understanding of student's needs, lifestyle, goals, and concerns has afforded a truly unique approach to teaching.

Learning to have strength (inner strength and physical strength) and dignity can contribute positively to the ability to make good decisions and the opportunity to  experience confidence and happiness.  

                

Kids in Sports: Wrestling making moves to come out of the shadows (Ryan Bowman)

Kids in Sports: Wrestling making moves to come out of the shadows

Wrestling moves

Philip Walker,Record staff

Tri-City Wrestling coach Jose Disanto (top) demonstrates a move on coach Tom Cako for young members of the club at the club's facility in Guelph.

By Ryan Bowman

When the International Olympic Committee announced its plans to axe wrestling from the 2020 Summer Games – only to reverse its decision earlier this month – the sport received a rare but welcome rush of media attention.

And while wrestling has lurked in the shadows of the Canadian athletic scene for as long as he can remember, Tom Cako hopes the headlines will begin to shine some light on the sport locally.

"I think with the Olympics and everything more people are talking about wrestling than ever, and I think it's great," says Cako, who operates Tri-City Wrestling in Guelph. "I know first-hand the advantages and the rewards of wrestling and I'm trying to make it accessible to everybody and put it more in the mainstream."

One of the keys to growing the sport, Cako says, is introducing it to kids while they're still young. Cako's classes, held on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, are open to boys and girls aged four and up.

"Starting them early is definitely a huge advantage because it helps develop their motor skills," says Cako, 35, who began wrestling in Grade 3. "The thing about wrestling is that it covers everything.

"You need great flexibility, you need agility, you need reaction time, you need good speed, you gotta have a lot of strength and a lot of skill."

But even more rewarding than the physical benefits of wrestling, Cako says, are the social ones. In addition to stressing the importance of discipline and commitment, it gives kids a healthy attitude toward competition and develops self-confidence.

Amanda McAlpine joined Tri-City's adult wrestling class last winter and enrolled her daughter, Emily, in the youth program shortly thereafter. She says after only a few sessions, Emily began to shed her shell of shyness.

"She struggled a little bit socially when she first started school, and I can already see how she's gained a little more confidence and made some new friends," McAlpine says.

While McAlpine admits she was skeptical – and "a little fearful" – about signing her daughter up for wrestling, she has been blown away by the results.

"I wasn't prepared for all the transferable skills it would offer," she says. "There's the fitness aspect, the stability and control you learn, the coordination and the flexibility. She's an active kid and she loves to play, so I think wrestling is a great foundation for pretty much anything she decides to go into."

Cako agrees that whether kids go on to pursue wrestling in high school or simply use it to cross-train for other sports, it's a great skill set for any athlete to have in his or her back pocket.

"A lot of the things you learn in wrestling can help in other sports, especially gymnastics," he says. "And people who do grappling and combative sports know that wrestling is pretty much a must."

Yet, despite all of wrestling's benefits – never mind its ancient history and storied tradition – Cako says it is often lost in the shuffle of organized team sports. While its popularity has gained limited traction on the high school circuit since his days as a senior, Cako says it still has a long way to go.

Part of the problem, he says, is that unlike personal training, yoga and even the martial arts, wrestling has yet to be marketed as a viable fitness option in a club setting.

"People go to the gym, or they go to cross-fit classes or Karate lessons regularly," he says. "What I'm trying to do is bring that philosophy to wrestling. If you want to wrestle you should be able to come to a club, pay for great coaches and learn a new skill."

And unlike other sports, Cako adds, wrestling doesn't require a huge time commitment or hundreds of dollars worth of equipment. It is also the type of sport you can "jump right into," regardless of age, ability or experience.

Or even size.

At seven years old and just north of 40 pounds, Jesse Beitz joined the Tri-City wrestling club in January.

Armed with an ever-increasing arsenal of sprawls and grappling techniques – including his personal favourite, the double-leg takedown – Jesse says he has noticed an increased improvement since he started.

"I got into wrestling to help with my Karate skills," he says. "I think it's made me stronger and smarter."

Ryan Bowman’s column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at ryanjohnbowman@gmail.com .

Karate: Beyond the Dojo...

Karate:  Beyond the Dojo

Sensei Tom demonstrates Bunkai (application of kata)/Self-defense with Sensei Dave

Some of the benefits of Karate training are perhaps obvious at first and other aspects become more apparent with time spent practicing the art.  The beauty of karate is that a person can train from a very young age and continue to train until the very later years of life.  Karate can help a person to age gracefully.  At Tri-City Martial Arts (Guelph Karate), Sensei Tom Cako emphasizes an holistic approach to training, and karate as 'a way of life'.  

Some of the health benefits can include improved flexibility, strength, speed, and endurance.  Students can expect to increase focus, body awareness, and mindfulness.  Beyond these (and other) physical qualities that karate training offers, are the character elements that are emphasized.  Students learn to respect themselves, others, and their environments.  The 'dojo kun' which includes perfection of character (integrity), faithfulness (loyalty), effort (determination), respect (etiquette), and self-control is greatly emphasized inside the dojo and outside of class.

Learning self-defense is important and respecting one's body to stay healthy is also crucial; however, who we are as citizens, who we are because of karate...beyond the dojo... is what is most important.  We are privileged at Tri-City Training to have a Sensei who will ask nothing of his students that he is not willing to do himself.  Sensei Tom leads by example and his balanced approach in training offers a unique experience that can change a life for the better.  The transferable skills and attitudes are beyond measure!

Contact Tri-City Training - Karate in Guelph -- Tom Cako (Tri-City@cngk.ca) for more information.

Is Wrestling "For me"?

(Article by A. McAlpine)

I wasn't sure if wrestling was 'for me'... I didn't think I had the body type, the knowledge, or the background to be a wrestler... but I decided to give it a try and experienced a few surprises.

One of the goals of Tri-City Training is to “bring wrestling to everyone” … and I quickly discovered that this great sport truly can be enjoyed by everyone.  When I began, I didn't know any technique, didn't know rules, and had only ever watched a few matches in my life.  I was terrified about what to expect in what I knew would be a tough practice.  Although it was challenging and I was asked to try things I had never done before, I ‘jumped in’ with an open mind, worked hard during the practice, had a lot of fun, and ended the night with a great sense of pride at having faced a challenge.  After the first experience with wrestling, I couldn’t stay away.

I was shocked at the incredible benefits offered through wrestling.  I knew there would be some transferable skills... and that the fitness would be intense, but I had no idea how greatly the sport would impact me in such a positive way.  Within only a few weeks I began to notice some of the benefits.  Wrestling can impact balance, coordination, flexibility, stability and control, movement, strategy, endurance, and so much more.  It can provide such an incredible foundation for other sports and be a platform for improved fitness in any person.

It wasn’t long before my 6 year old daughter expressed an interest in wrestling and she started soon after I did.  Kids can benefit immensely from the skills that are learned and the elements of self-confidence that develop through wrestling.  She also thoroughly enjoys the social elements and it is something she looks forward to each week.

I have no regrets about trying something new!  The coaches of Tri-City Wrestling have taught me to work hard(er), gain confidence, and appreciate the uniqueness of my body and my abilities.  

The cool thing about wrestling is that anyone can learn... kids, adults, women, athletes, non-athletes...anyone can benefit from wrestling.  

Dan Gable once said, "More enduringly than any other sport, wrestling teaches self-control and pride. Some have wrestled without great skill - none have wrestled without pride." Although I still have a long way to go...I feel a sense of pride for jumping into it....being willing to work hard, face fears, make mistakes, and have experienced some incredible results.

One of my coaches often says, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."  You can begin to experience change and positive benefits in your life when you take the first steps towards your goals.  There will always be a reason (excuse) not to get started.  It feels incredible when you do...

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