During this period we recommend people in full bogu practice at OCB Dojo (Tue/Thu 7-9pm) or Costa Mesa Dojo (Mon/Wed 7:30-9pm), especially if you are entered in Morihai and Steveston. Email norwalkkendo@gmail.com if you have questions, or if you are interested in practicing at another SCKF dojo.

We received permission from the karate group to use the dojo on Mondays (we will use the area next to the mats, without disturbing the mats). We will use this time to conduct practices for beginners, and will need some volunteers to be motodachi. We will also experiment with some videotaping. Practice time 7:30-9pm on 1/12, 1/26, 2/9.

Good job everyone, and congratulations to the following trophy winners: Kim Esther (2nd 5-4 kyu), Nagasawa Jeffrey (3rd 3-1 kyu), Kim Alex (2nd 3-1 kyu), Chung Alex (1st 3-1 kyu), and Yoon Brian (3rd adult kyu). Chung Alex also won the perpetual trophy for 3-1 kyu!

Videotaped kihondosa (added sayu do no uchi) and uchikomi keiko. Attendees included Kodama Jean, Kariya Yoshijiro, Yoon Brian, Huang Michael, Wang Chialeh, Yoon Courtney, Kim John, Kim Patrick, Kim Esther, Huang Cody, Wang Alex, Park Richard, Wang Kelvin, Broshears Nicholas.

Many thanks to the Wang family for bringing Chinese New Year's gifts, including delicious rice cakes made by Mrs Wang!

Dojo trip to San Diego Kendo Bu's Saturday practice at UCSD (see map and directions). Attendees included Kim Esther, Kim John, Kim Alex, Mr and Mrs Kim, Yoon Courtney, Yoon Brian, Lim Mitchell, Domen Sumi, Chang Jeffrey, Kariya Yoshijiro, Kodama Jean.

Met at the dojo at 8am to carpool and beat the traffic, lunch at food court in Westfield mall, keiko from 12-2pm. Afterwards went to Balboa Park to watch an IMAX show and play with the science museum exhibits.

Congratulations to trophy/plaque winners Yoon Courtney (3rd place 10 and under) and Kim John, Kim Esther, and Yoon Courtney (3rd place junior team members)!

Afterwards we enjoyed delicious homemade mochi and zenzai, sushi, and numerous other dishes. Many thanks to the parents and everyone who pitched in!

Be sure to see important information regarding the seminar and review tournament notes, especially the sections on valid strikes and match pronouncements.

Thank you to the parents for preparing curry udon, inarizushi, and an-mochi strawberries. It was soooo good!

Congratulations to trophy winners Yoon Courtney (1st place 10 and under), Kim Alex (3rd place 14 to 17), and Chang Jeffrey (member of SCKF yudansha team, which won). Yoon Courtney, Kim John, and Kim Alex were members of the SCKF kyu team which almost won. By all reports, everyone did very well, with Kim Esther, Amano Shotaro, and Chang Jeffrey almost making the semi-finals in their divisions. Good job all!

Happy birthday to Hahn Lance, Mrs Domen, and Hahn Rex, and thank you to the Hahn family for the delicious birthday cake!

Also, thank you again to everyone who helped out at the Recognition dinner last Saturday; extra chicken cordon bleu (due to a boxes-vs-cartons miscalculation) were distributed by the Center.

Thank you to everyone who came out to help with the spring clean up at the Center!

We were also visited by Murakami sensei and members of All Nations Church Dojo, plus we had kata practice during ato-geiko.

We also had kata practice during ato-geiko for yudansha.

Thank you to the parents for preparing hiyashi chuka (cold noodles) and other delicacies!

Thank you to the parents for preparing the delicious okonomiyaki!

Also, welcome back Lee Christopher and Lee Joshua!

We had a special barbecue afterwards as a surprise graduation party for Kim Esther. Congratulations, and many thanks to the parents for the wonderful kalbi and side dishes, and the amazing balloon sculptures by Yoon Kay!

• We have setup toban so everyone please arrive at 7am
• We also have court duty on court E
• SCKF has cancelled bento orders for this and future events at Wilson Park
• Be sure to review the shiai reference page and SCKF tournament regulations

Congratulations to the following trophy winners: 5-4 kyu division: Kim Patrick 3rd place; 3-1 kyu division: Nagasawa Jeffrey 2nd place, Chung Alex 1st place; women's kyu: Chi Joyce 3rd place, Chang Hannah 3rd place; women's dan: Domen Sumi 3rd place.

Thank you to everyone who came to help out! (please provide list)

Congratulations to trophy winners Kim Esther (2nd place, 11-13), Chung Alex (1st place, 14-17), and Azama Eric (3rd place, adult kyu)!

Congratulations to the following trophy/medal winners: Yoon Courtney, Kim Esther, Kim Patrick (0-4 kyu team) 2nd place; Kim John, Nagasawa Jeffrey, Kim Alex (3-1 kyu team) 1st place; Hahn Rex (3 dan) 3rd place; Domen Sumi (women's dan) 1st place. Well done everyone!

Congratulations to the Team USA women's team for placing 3rd, and to the men's team for placing 2nd, both teams only losing to the 1st place Japanese teams. Awesome! See full results on the SCKF site.

Due to the tournament running late (started yudansha group at 9pm), kata practice was shortened and did not include mock examination as originally planned.

Congratulations to youth kyu team 1 (1st place), adult kyu team (1st place), and women's team 1 (3rd place). All the teams did very well, with many exciting performances by individual members (to name a few: Kim John's 2-point win over his Torrance opponent in the finals, Kariya Yoshijiro's win over his Gedatsu opponent to win the match for Norwalk, and Yoon Brian's gyakudo to win the tie-breaker in the finals). Norwalk's team spirit was awesome!

Thank you to all dojo members who came out to help us host both the keiko and the barbecue lunch after keiko (see rsvp list). Special thanks to Mrs Domen, Mr Yoon, Mr Yoshimura, and all the officers for your hard work that day and in the weeks prior! Thanks also to all the other SCKF parents who helped, especially Mrs Yang and the Torrance Dojo moms, and thanks also to SCKF for underwriting the lunch.

Thanks to everyone who helped to put on the Christmas party. As usual, the food was great, and a good time was had by all! Special thanks to all the officers and the party committee (Yoon Brian, Kim Kay, Domen Sumi, Chang Jeffrey, and Nguyen Emi), for the party planning, gifts and wrapping, wonderful decorations, and the entertaining slide show, program, and games. Thanks also to Ralutin sensei for posting his party photos.

We are also very grateful to the outgoing president, Mrs Domen. We sincerely thank you for your many years of leadership and hard work supporting Norwalk Dojo!