Children from around Hammanskraal now have the opportunity to learn karate in their own backyard. This came after sensei Hendrick Moeketsi, a master in teaching Kyokushinkai – a full contact style of karate, opened a karate club in the area.
Moeketsi said he was determined to discover new talent and polish it to be world class. It has been his life-long dream to have his own karate club. He is now teaching a group of boys and girls from the area. The practice sessions takes place at the Themba stadium’s indoor hall.
Moeketsi stated that his love of the sport made him to keep on training young people in the area. He said his objective was to produce karateka (practitioner of karate) who could compete on international level. “I have been teaching boys and girls here at the Themba stadium. Karate is a sport that also helps young kids to be active in their daily lives. The only challenge that we encounter is the lack of resources, but I hope we will get support from the business people in the community very soon,” he said.
Deidre Myburgh, who was Moeketsi’s trainer, said the Hammanskraal-born Moeketsi had always been passionate about karate, which he started learning at an early age. She stated that he could not fulfil his passion whole-heartedly because of financial problems. “His primary objective has always been to contribute to the development of the youth through the vigorous and disciplined training of karate. He struggled to get money to pay for transport, belt grading, attending camps or taking part in competitions. This is the same obstacle that his club is experiencing,” said Myburgh.
Most of the young karateka are beset by a challenge of finance. They are not able to buy karate suits or karate belts for their newly acquired grading. Moeketsi appealed to the residents to donate karate equipment (karate suits, belts, safety equipment and mits) to the club.
