JKA South Africa

Becoming a black belt.
For many it is a strenuous process aquiring their first dan .
From there being a blackbelt means that you never stop training, you continuously follow a path and a journey of self discovery ,you will have an immense spirit and understand that having the warrior spirit is a continual road of self discovery ,and with it the need to improve the character of one self .

We learnt about Jacques when the doctors diagnosed him as terminally ill.
Jacques had three wishes, he wanted to see the sea, he wanted to play at a well known local Midrand eatery.
Most importantly ,and the most selfless wish of all was that he wanted to feed the hungry animals at the SPCA.

Some of our seniors and juniors got on their bicycles and joined a group of cyclists with Jacques and his family in a campaign that dropped off food to the Midrand SPCA.

We immediately fell in love with this awesome young man .
We followed Jacques along every step of his battle .
Jacques showed us that he had an incredible fighting spirit .
Jacques represents a great warrior, the kind of warrior that never gives up .
Two years ago in June we called his mom Lizel Esterhuizen and told her that we wanted to present Jacques with an honorary black belt .

Jacques will always teach us that even in the smallest and weakest of bodies, there can live an incredible warrior .
You fought hard till the very end Jacques .

From all of us here at JKA South Africa, we would like to pass our condolences to family and friends and we pray for strength .
We will miss you but we will never forget you Gebed vir Jacques
Oss.

Thank you to all the karateka that attended our annual Gasshuku .

Oss .

Training our fitness .

Day two has begun and we had an absolutely glorious start to our day - Oss .

Oss up and early tomorrow morning to the same place for an awesome days training .

We had our first training in to the sunset this evening at our annual Spring Gashuku at Rocky Bay Resorts this evening, what a pleasure to be training in such a splendid setting with fellow karateka .

An inspiration to all !! And a reminder to be grateful for all our blessings

Feel privileged to be part of this. Well done!! Jacques did fantastic.

Tonight at Friendsan dojo we felt very privileged and honoured to award a junior Shodan to one of the gutsiest fighters we have come to know.
Little Jacques became known to us when we learnt of his struggle with Neuroblastoma cancer, last year the doctors gave him a 15 % chance to live, this young man has fought and battled on, guts and glory can not even begin to describe his incredible battle.
Tonight we had the honour of welcoming Jacques in to our family with a very happy and excited Sensei Dave.
We are very privileged and proud to say we know this young man .
Oss .
Gebed vir Jacques