Ophir Karate Association

Ophir Hall will commence summer training times from Thursday 1 July. Open throughout the summer except Monday 12 July. Training 6.30 - 7.30 Monday. From September training will be on Monday & Tuesday.

OPHIR WIN THE ALL IRELAND JUNIOR LEAGUE 2010

	Junior competitors fighting in the 2010 Ophir Championships held in Killyleagh
Junior coach Tom Cunningham, referees Siobhan Leckey and Darren Brown with All Ireland League Champions 2010 - Ophir Karate

MORE HONOURS FOR OPHIR

In the recent ONAKAI All Ireland All-Styles Junior Kata Championships, held in Ballinasloe,

County Galway , Ophir students again saw success on the mats:

    Pearse Morrow           gold
    Michael Morrow         silver
    Clar McAuley              gold
    Jason Creane              silver
    Niamh Cunningham   bronze

In 2009 Ophir students formed the Ireland Junior squad competing in the European Championships in Dublin. Previously, Ophir's Tony Thompson had won silver in the Europeans in Rome in 2000; this time the haul of medals was to be greater - to include gold, silver and bronze. Left: European squad - Megan Wilson, Gareth Barnes, Amy Leckey, Pearse Morrow, Sarah Waalsh-Haller, Clar Mc Auley, Rhys Hagan, Michael Morrow and Ophir coach Martin Campbell
European Gold for OPHIR On Saturday 24 October, at the 37th European Wado Championships, Ophir Karate's Pearse Morrow picked up Gold in the individual kumite event. The young squad came away with one gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals to add to their increasing haul of awards gained in the past year.	Above: European gold medallist, Ophir's Pearse Morrow with Sensei Sakagami

The association was founded by Siobhan Leckey and Martin Campbell. They both began training in 1977 and, in 1994, having secured premises belonging to the scout troop at Ophir Gardens (hence the name) off the Cavehill Road in North Belfast, they formed the current group. Siobhan, with her vast international experience on the mats, was appointed chief instructor with Martin looking after the day-to-day administration.

After five years, they decided to join up with the renowned Sensi, Derek Desmond, the national fighting coach for Ireland, based in Dublin with the Wado kai Karate Association of Ireland. Resident in the ALSAA Sports Stadium at Toberbunny, Dublin Airport for over forty years, the WKAI have recently received their charter from Japan conferring on them the status of 'country headquarters' - THE official body for Wado kai in Ireland. That move paved the way for membership of the all Ireland governing body, the Official National Amateur Karate Association of Ireland - ONAKAI - and with it, the opportunity for Ophir members to participate in high level competition, including as members of the national squad and coaching courses, many with senior Japanese instructors such as K. Sakagami Sensi and Harakawa Sensi.
A number of senior members of Ophir have also attended WUKO referees courses, hosted by Tommy Morris, where they gained official status.
Since then, they have officiated at many tournaments including local, national and international, most notably the European Wado Kai Championships in Rome and Dublin.
Bringing a high standard of refereeing to national competition has gone someway in ensuring the success over recent years of the ONAKAI All Ireland Junior League.
With teams from every part of the island competing, it is a "sure fire" way of encouraging youngsters to engage in competition, in a safe and controlled environment, from an early age.
Recently Ophir junior members were delighted, after six years of trying, to eventually win the All Ireland title - a just reward for the many hours training put in by the youngsters, ranging in age from seven to eighteen.

We recommend Training DVDs and Blu-ray discs which are produced by Dupes DVD & Video, BELFAST, a company owned by one of our Dan Grade instructors. CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLES & ORDERS

	(Left) Siobhan Leckey, Martin Campbell and Darren Brown in Ophir Headquarters, North Belfast. Between them, they have over ninety years of experience in Wado karate including competition at World level and officiating at European level. With an emphasis on kata training, Ophir is intent on retaining the traditional aspects of the art form. With considerable time spent on the practiceof basic techniques and the exploration of kata, Ophir sees karate not as a pastime, or something to do for a couple of evenings a week, but truly as a "way of life".	(L) Niamh Cunningham - chidlren's All Ireland Champion (R) Clar Mc Auley - Junior All Ireland Champion

Below & Right Ophir senior instructors pictured at training courses in Dublin with a number of the most senior Japanese Wado masters.				Below: Siobhan and Ophir students at summer training camp in Galway Right: Girls fighting in 2010 Ophir championships

Ophir senior instructors at the Masters' Sports Karate Seminar in Dublin. Hosted by ONAKAI, the two day course, featured world -class coaches Angel Delgado Pozo and Antonio Olivia Seba and Chairman of the Referee Council of the World Karate Federation, Tommy Morris. It was attended by around fifty senior karate-ka from throughout Ireland and Scotland			Ophir junior squad with instructors Martin Campbell, Darren Brown, Tom Cunningham and Siobhan Leckey

Through our membership of the national governing body, we are proud to be associated with the World Karate Federation.

Member of the International Alliance of Martial Arts Schools. We offer a warm welcome to any visiting martial artist.

Members of ONAKAI. The Official National Amateur Karate Association of Ireland. The All Ireland Governing Body for karate.

Members of the European Karate Federation

YOU CAN CONTACT US @ :: admin@ophir-karate.co.uk