Behind the Scenes

[Nidan Melbourne]

This is more for the Chief Instructors, Dojo Owners, or those responsible. What does your daily work look like outside of teaching? 

So my business isn't just with Karate Instruction, but relates to Sports Officiating as well! 

Being 9:30 pm on a Saturday as I write this; and listening to some of my favourite music off Youtube. I chose today be a day of laziness and do the bare minimum in regards to work; so just responded to texts from people in regards to next week to be scheduled in. 

For instance Monday; I have a fun day even behind the scenes. Not Teaching or Reffing so I have a longer day. 

• 9:00 - 10:30 Meeting with Former Referee Advisor (Basketball) 
  • Help format Excel Document for Referee Evaluations
  • Pressure Test document to see how effective it is 
• 11:30 - 12:30 Meeting with Life Coach (Personal Time) 
  • Gotta see him weekly  
• 1:00 - 2:00 Online OA Meeting (Personal Time)  
  • OA is Overeaters Anonymous 
  • I find it so beneficial to attend
• 2:15 - 4:00 Online Meeting with several Instructors (interstate)
  • Feedback on Grading Template (Supplied last week)
  • Feedback on Instructor Assessment Template (Supplied last week) 
• 4:30 - 6:00 Gym Training/Swimming (Personal Time) 
• 6:15 - 8:30 Referee (Basketball) Assessment (Audit) 
  • Review Matches (x2) 
  • 'A' Grade Mens + Championship Mens 
  • Both Referees (over 18); both current 'B' Grade Officials (Successful promotion to 'A' Grade which will allow them to officiate Top Tier Juniors mid 2026)
  • Both already successfully passed Fitness Exam (Beep Test) + Theory Exam (95% & 98% Respectfully)

 

I would finish at 5; but since I'm taking lunch (30 mins), OA Meeting (1 hr), Life Coach (1 hr) and Gym (1.5 hr). But I might do the Ref Assessment done on Tuesday, depending on what it looks like. 

[sensei8]

I’d say that your Monday’s are quite busy . No time for much, if any, idle time. Thanks, Nisan Melbourne, for sharing a glimpse of your behind the scenes.

[Nidan Melbourne]

@sensei8 I can imagine when the SKKA was operating of how busy you would have been! How many dojos were you responsible for in some way?

[Nidan Melbourne]

Here was one of my Teaching/Reffing Days from 2014  (totally happy that I don't mix the two anymore)

07:15 - 07:45 Travel to Dojo

07:45 - 8:00 Safety Inspection

8:00 - 10:00 Karate (Balwyn Dojo) 

• Had to be a tad selfish and leave straight away due to reffing commitments 

10:30 - 11:00 Get to Office (Kew)

• Find Stadium Bag,
• Count Float (Referee Payments)
• Pre-Fill Referee Cover Sheet (Names) 
• Check Referee Roster
• Make calls to fill in gaps (where possible) 

11:00 - 11:30 Travel to Stadium (Ashburton)

11:30 - 11:45 Arrive @ Stadium 

• Check in with Centre Staff 
• Set Up Reception Desk 
  • Scoresheets 
  • Newsletters 
• Pull Out Equipment (Arrows/Balls) 
• Walk Through of Courts 
  • Check Scoreboards (Turning On/Working) 
  • Check Floors (no leaks from roof, no damage etc)

11:45 - 11:55 Toolbox Meeting

• All Referees for first Match (x4) + Myself 
• News from Management, Additional Rules Implemented (i.e. Heat Policy)
• Additional Training - Referee Coaching (either brought in or by me)
• Issues raised by Referees 
  • Previous Week 
  • Current Issues (injuries) 

12:00 - 7:30 Game Day 

• Oversaw a 2-Court Stadium 
• 20 Matches Total (10 Matches per court) 
• Liase with:
  • Referees (where issues arose) 
  • Coaches (usually the problematic ones)
  • Spectators
  • Centre Staff 
• Referee Matches (Rostered of course)
• During the last my last "OFF" Match 
  • Balance Float 
  • Organise remaining referees pay

7:30 - 7:35 Pack Up (Refs to bring ball, arrow + scoresheet to front bench)

7:40 - 8:00 Travel to Office 

8:00 - 8:30 Office Time 

• Balance Float (Treasurer was there; She had a strict "No balancing only at stadium rule") 
• Report issues or promotions 

8:30 (if no other issues needing attention) - Travel Home 

 

When I was in School; swap teaching for school sport which rarely impacted my ability to get to stadiums on time. As the person that was responsible for allocating supervisors; took into account if the person had School Sport on. 

As there were only a handful of stadiums that had a 10:30 start, they went to the people that had already completed school. Which I did the following year once I finished High School. 

[sensei8]

8 hours ago, Nidan Melbourne said:

@sensei8 I can imagine when the SKKA was operating of how busy you would have been! How many dojos were you responsible for in some way?

Just my dojo. The SKKA had no direct responsibility of any dojo within their network, just the administration of any and all Testing Cycles.

I was only responsible for the Hombu/SKKA but only when I was the elected Kaicho and Hombu CI. When I wasn’t the elected Kaicho, I was part of the Regents, a privilege I had for 25 years, of which our responsibilities were very wide ranging with our main focus was that of the Student Body and the like; the Regents reported to our Soke and Dai-Soke and the department heads reported to the Regents.

Between my own dojo, being part of the Regents, and being the elected Kaicho kept me extremely busy.

[Nidan Melbourne]

5 hours ago, sensei8 said:

Just my dojo. The SKKA had no direct responsibility of any dojo within their network, just the administration of any and all Testing Cycles.

I was only responsible for the Hombu/SKKA but only when I was the elected Kaicho and Hombu CI. When I wasn’t the elected Kaicho, I was part of the Regents, a privilege I had for 25 years, of which our responsibilities were very wide ranging with our main focus was that of the Student Body and the like; the Regents reported to our Soke and Dai-Soke and the department heads reported to the Regents.

Between my own dojo, being part of the Regents, and being the elected Kaicho kept me extremely busy.

I'd love to sit down one day with you to hear stories about your Soke + Dai-Soke. Everything you have said about them makes me think that they were wonderful people. 

Also I'd love to see what makes the Shindokan tick

[sensei8]

5 hours ago, Nidan Melbourne said:

I'd love to sit down one day with you to hear stories about your Soke + Dai-Soke. Everything you have said about them makes me think that they were wonderful people. 

Also I'd love to see what makes the Shindokan tick

Yes they were, wonderful people, that is, on and off the floor. 

What makes the Shindokan tick?!? How do you mean?!?

[Nidan Melbourne]

On 6/29/2025 at 11:41 PM, sensei8 said:

Yes they were, wonderful people, that is, on and off the floor. 

What makes the Shindokan tick?!? How do you mean?!?

Is it not a term that is used in the US? 

like what makes the Shindokan the Shindokan. Just like what makes Goju Goju.

Edited yesterday at 06:50 PM by Nidan Melbourne

[sensei8]

5 hours ago, Nidan Melbourne said:

must not be a term you Americans use at all (or ever?). 

like what makes the Shindokan the Shindokan. Just like what makes Goju Goju.

What makes Shindokan tick is:

1) Our close range fighting; we always want to get behind our enemy in order to inflict damage.

2) One of the very few Karate styles that teach grappling but not in a passing by way.

3) 85% hands…15% feet.

After that, Shindokan is an Okinawan style, and its methodology and ideology in many small ways are in line with other Okinawan styles.

Edited Monday at 02:31 PM by sensei8

[Nidan Melbourne]

Quote

One of the very few Karate styles that teach grappling but not in a passing by way.

Thats something I have noticed in a lot of clubs; where they don't teach the grappling side of things. 

My club teaches it but not as part of the curriculum. Even though I've stepped away from the dojo for the time being, I have noticed so much more in terms of kata especially in the terms of grappling and throws/takedowns. 

Even the lowly introductory kata like the Taikyoku Series, I have found so many golden nuggets of things in them.