The Camosun Karate Club is a new opportunity for students to learn about the martial art and to practice with some familiar faces. Camosun College president Lane Trotter, Social Sciences chair and Sociology instructor Peter Ove, and Information Technology Services supervisor Tyler Lane are all instructors in the club.
Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) clubs and events assistant Amy Lee-Radigan has tried a few Karate Club classes and has really enjoyed her experience. One of the contributing factors to an all-encompassing learning environment is the teacher-to-student ratio, says Lee-Radigan.
“It’s been getting more and more popular. We’re going to continue it for [this] term on the same days and just hoping to get more and more students out,” says Lee-Radigan. “We always have at least two instructors for each day, and some days we have all three. It’s been fantastic because of the high instructor-to-student ratio. You move quite quickly because there is a lot of one-on-one work, they’re able to kind of watch everyone and correct movement.”
Lee-Radigan believes that learning self-defence movements is an added benefit of practicing karate. She explains that the muscle memory you inherit from repeating movements would come in handy if necessary, although students are taught to de-escalate first and foremost.
“It’s also beneficial because they spend so much time working on blocks. And a lot of it is repetition so you get that muscle memory,” says Lee-Radigan. “So, one thing they kind of stress is if someone comes at you with a punch it’s going to be your reflexive movement to just block it. Primarily, it’s based on de-escalating the situation. It’s not based in aggression; it’s all based on de-escalation.”
Joining a club at Camosun is also a way for students to potentially meet new people. Lee-Radigan points out that a good way of creating bonds is through a shared experience, especially one that can offer a boost after sitting in class all day.
“It’s been really nice to connect with some of the students on campus,” says Lee-Radigan. “I think it attracts people from all areas, so people in different programs, people in different classes. It’s nice because you’re doing a shared activity. With a lot of martial arts, there is that aura of respect. So, whenever you are doing any one-on-one practicing with another partner you always bow ahead of time. It’s a very nice, safe atmosphere of respect and mutual learning, really.”
While it may surprise students that such comprehensive training is completely free, club founder and Camosun College president Lane Trotter has a personal philosophy of passing down knowledge to future generations.
“We’re doing it because we want to do it, nobody’s getting paid… It’s why I’m in the college side of the house, is to pass on the knowledge you have so that people can go on their journey and have the tools to be confident in their life,” says Trotter.
From personal experience, Trotter knows that every journey is unique. He reiterates that respect for others, oneself, and the community is of the utmost importance while learning karate.
“It’s about respect, and it’s about community,” says Trotter. “So, we don’t do Cobra Kai, to put it in Karate Kid terms. We’re teaching more than the Aikido philosophy, which is the philosophy of self-reliance, that’s the philosophy of the journey. So, what I would say to somebody is: come in and see. Everybody’s different, there are those who pick it up really quick and those who it takes a little bit longer. But if you stick with it, it will come. Again, you have to have a foundation, you have to understand how your own body mechanics work, and that takes time.”
The karate club has classes at both campuses. Newcomers are welcome, as the club promises a safe learning environment for any martial arts skill level. Classes at Lansdowne will run from 4:30 to 5:30 pm on Tuesdays in the Young Building’s movement studio. Classes at Interurban will take place on Thursdays at the Power Dome at PISE from 4:15 to 5:30 pm.