36th European Junior & Cadet Championships, Paris, France 2009
Live reports from Paris
Posted 27th January 2009
Day 2
2nd Day in Paris and it was an early start for the squad, meeting up before breakfast at 7am to head off to the training venue, which is located within the competition stadium. After travelling to the stadium the squad got ready for the warm-up session which was taken by Assistant Kumite coach Davin Pack. The squad then divided with Kata Coach Jonathan Mottram taking the kata students to one end of the training area, leaving Juliette, Greg and Davin to commence the kumite training for the remainder of the squad.
The squad worked on drills and techniques before Juliette gave the team a moral boosting pep talk. This was the first morning training session at the stadium in Paris and the coach’s were keen to get the squad mentally prepared for the championships.
This was a light but focused training session and when the session ended the squad headed back to the hotel for a late breakfast: you have never seen croissants disappear so quickly!!!!
The hotel staff have been very accommodating, keeping the breakfast area open later for the team and ensuring the squad are well-fed which is just as well as they worked up quite an appetite.
After a few hours rest the squad met up again at 2:00pm for round two of their training schedule. This session was a fully padded up session which gave the cadets the opportunity to train in the new WKF protective body armour and face mask protectors. The session was focussed on technique with the Kumite competitors were put through their paces by coaches Juliette, Greg and Davin with Jonathan concentrating on the Kata competitors once again. The Kumite squad was eventually split into three groups with one coach working on each of the groups. The session ended with each coach sitting down and having a pep-talk session with their group, Jonathan included.
Finally it was back to the hotel and a chance for the squad and coaches to freshen up before another hearty three course meal served up in the hotel restaurant.
It’s been fairly quiet in the hotel so far but the coming days will see another 3 or 4 national squads turn up which should make things a little busier.