2020 was a challenging year as we all adjusted to living, teaching and training in a completely new way during the Covid 19 pandemic. The Instructors and Leadership Team would like to thank our wonderful Gorseinon & Killay students, parents and grandparents who helped us all get through an unprecedented time in the 13th anniversary year of Gorseinon and Killay Martial Arts Academy. Thanks to modern technology, our students continued their Martial Arts journey in Kickboxing and Karate via Zoom from their front rooms and back gardens in Gorseinon, Llanelli, Dunvant, Killay, Neath, Port Talbot, Gower, Carmarthenshire, covering not only Swansea and surrounding areas in Wales, but across the border in England too when people were able to travel again. We even welcomed new students and were delighted to see the return of students who had trained with us previously. Our gradings went ahead without disruption to the usual schedule, belt collections and certificates were awarded.
Once we were allowed back in the Dojo we exceeded Welsh Government guidelines to make training as ‘normal’, but safe as possible. Additional wash basins were installed, along with automatic hand sanitisers on the walls, temperatures monitored, ‘pods’ were created for students to have their own socially distanced space, a one way system introduced and new staff taken on to help implement the measures that we put in place. Videos and lesson plans went online to view at your leisure and enable our Kickboxing students to train at any time of day and night at their own pace. World renowned Martial Artists from overseas and the United Kingdom gave up their time without hesitation to train our Fighting Team on a Friday night. We welcomed our local Member of Parliament Tonia Antoniazzi for Gower to the Dojo and Rebecca Evans the Finance Minister for Wales. Our students and families nominated Mr Hux for a Gower Hero award and sent many messages of support during a difficult time. “Thanks for all the amazing care and leadership you demonstrated this year for the Club and every individual.” “Thanks for all you’ve done on Zoom and the Dojo. It means so much to us all. We are setting our goals already for 2021!”
Finally, several times in 2020, Mr Hux enjoyed being Quizmaster at our G&K Quiz nights! He can’t wait for our 2021 Karaoke nights too, as we had to cancel the last one that we had booked as we were still in Lockdown. Whether our students and families live in Gorseinon, Killay, Dunvant, Gower, Neath, Port Talbot, Ammanford or Llanelli we have kept connected with them and thank them for their support and commitment to their training programmes and Gorseinon and Killay Martial Arts Academy.
Classes start back after the festive break next week, so get fit, make friends, gain confidence and focus your energy for 2021. As usual during a Lockdown period, your family members can join in for free and find out how much the community spirit of G&K helps us all get through these difficult times.