Sarah Battersby-Lebarron

I like that very much

Thank you very much! Glad to be here

In tournament, I have sparred with people my own sex but a decade younger and I have sparred with grown men, it's about rank and weight, not sex. In club sparring, I have sparred my 8 year old son, my husband (much to the delight of all watching), women my age, little girls, and one woman I will politely call "venerable." In a club of 25, we have 3 women, two grown men and the rest are little boys. If we didn't mix up ages and sexes, no one would spar. I told one student a while back who made fun of a karate-ka for sparring a girl that "girl or boy, we are all karate-ka, and all due the same respect." Why should we treat each other any different because of what dangly bits we have? Maybe because I am a MAmom, I just don't see the issue. There aren't girls and boys on the mats, there are combatants, martial artists, students. That said, and speaking strictly as a mother now, I DO completely understand what her mother might be thinking. I can't imagine it's easy for her to watch her daughter get slammed to the floor by a guy (even if she slams back). perhaps having mom talk to other girls who have competed may help. If older women or girls who have done this type of competition could talk to mom, help her to understand, she may be willing to make a compromise.

I am a karate mom, and a member. My kids and I are the same rank. And I can tell you, if someone told me I had to witness and sign my kids practicing, I'd resent it. Parents have enough to do. Schools already send home enough make-work projects for parents. There has to be some sort of middle ground. In our club, there are the people who practice nightly. And there are people who do not...their reasons are their own. I try to run our family through a kata or two, a technique or two, every night. But who am I to tell them if they are doing it right or not? I am not their Sempai, not really. How would a parent who doesn't have a clue what a Pinan is, or what a neko ashi dachi stance is, supposed to help their kid? It gets a little tiring, leading the parents by the hand, for their kid to drop out next month.

Greetings and hello ! I am 4th Kyu Shito-Ryu Itosu-Kai. I train under Ted Hall Sensei and Wendy Hawes Sensei at the Tony Agnello Memorial Karate Club, Parry Sound. I was a member in my teens, under Tony Agnello Sensei, but left after a year. A few years back I happened to see a demo at a local fair, and talked up Ted Hall Sensei. Within a month, my entire family were newbies. Now, 3 of our sons, my husband Dan and I are all 4th Kyu. Our other son, who does not feel karate is his thing, is instead one of our club photographers. Along with the usual responsibilities of a good karate-ka (honour, courage, respect, practice), I also do PR for our club, writing articles for local papers concerning our features and local tourneys and run the gi-exchange. At the Tony Agnello Memorial Club, we go for Karate. We find community, support, friendship and acceptance. We are a fully inclusive club with people of every variety and physical ability. I am so glad we joined. We have learned so much and made so many friends. BANZAI and KUMPAI! ~SBL