Community centre welcomes new karate instructors
Posted Jan 15, 2010 By Sheena Bolton
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EMC Sports The Canterbury Community Centre has welcomed new karate instructors for the winter session who will focus not only on the skills of martial arts but also on self-defense. 
Submitted
(Left to right) Morgan Duchesney, Richard Ouellette and Andrew Bell are the three main karate teachers who will be instructing at the Canterbury Community Centre this winter. They are from the Ouellette Team of Karate Instructors.
The Ouellette Team of Karate Instructors will be offering programs for children, youth and adults.
"Right now classes are for people ages eight and up," said Nancy Novitsky, program administrator at the Canterbury Community Association.
"Our hope is that in September our program development will be able to go to the younger children."
Offerings by the new instructors at the community centre currently include beginners' courses for children and adults and an advanced course for those with previous martial arts experience.
"The children's course is typically for those eight to 14 years old and we are going to focus on basic skill development, physical development and mental development," explained Richard Ouellette, instructor and owner of Ouellette Team of Karate Instructors.
For children, he explained, the program will be focused on striking, shielding and, most importantly, having fun. Though self-defense components will be minor, the children will learn techniques such as how to react so as not to get hurt if pushed to the ground.
The beginners' course for adults will focus on self-defense, as well as proper karate techniques.
"We will focus on building the basic skills so in later levels we can teach them how to react in different self-defense scenarios," explained Mr. Ouellette.
During the advance karate classes, participants will play out different self-defense scenarios.
A resident of the Canterbury community, Mr. Ouellette said he is thrilled to be a part of the community centre.
He started the Ouellette Team of Karate Instructors approximately 20 years ago with his brother, Don. Together, they primarily taught out of a downtown school for 15 years until Don moved out of the country five years ago and Richard assumed control of the group.
Mr. Ouellette uses an eastern philosophy during his classes that builds on people's patience and persistence. If someone can't do a technique the first time, they are encouraged to continue to try until they succeed.
"In children and many adults we see a very big build up in their self confidence," said Mr. Ouellette.
With martial arts traditionally among the most popular classes at the community centre, Ms. Novitsky said she is excited with experience and offerings the new instructors will bring.
"Although we have offered martial arts at our centre in the past, so we know there is a desire in the community, we decided to try something different by adding the self-defense," she explained. "When looking around for instructors we came across Richard and ... we are excited for what they have to offer."
For more information on the Canterbury Community Centre, please visit www.cca-acc.ca.
sbolton@thenewsemc.ca
