March has been an exciting and active time for Jennings School of Karate, with our athletes competing at both national and provincial levels and representing our dojo with dedication and determination.
Senior National Karate Championships
The Senior National Karate Championships were held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from February 20–22. JSK athlete Olivia Deane competed in a very challenging division filled with top National Team athletes and brought home a bronze medal.
Olivia had an impressive run through the tournament, competing in six matches and winning five to advance to the finals. The final match ended in a draw, and the result came down to a judges’ decision, which was awarded to the other athlete in a close 3–2 split vote.
Sensei Jim attended the event as Olivia’s coach and supported her throughout the competition. We are very proud of Olivia’s outstanding performance at this national-level event.
Karate Ontario Tournament – March 1, 2026
Karate Ontario held its 7th and final selection and recreational tournament on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Haber Recreation Centre in Burlington.
JSK athletes Rosie Vella and Isabella Conflitti competed in an intense competition alongside athletes hoping to qualify for the Ontario Team. Both Rosie and Isabella fought extremely well and earned bronze medals in their respective categories. Both athletes qualified to attend the Junior National Championships in Calgary this coming May. Isabella will be travelling to the competition, while Rosie has declined due to other commitments.
In the boys’ 8–9 orange/green kata division, Henry Tusa, Zayan Islam, and Everett Fraites all competed, and each brought home bronze medals.
Asiya competed in the girls’ 10–11 green to purple kumite division for the first time, gaining valuable experience in her debut competition.
Veronica delivered a strong performance and won a silver medal in the girls’ 12–13 brown/black kumite division.
Keithred also fought well in a tough match in the boys’ 12–13 green to purple kumite division.
A special thank you goes to Coaches Sophie and Rik for their excellent work coaching and supporting our JSK athletes throughout the tournament.
January was off to a strong and meaningful start at Jennings School of Karate, marked by tradition, achievement, and competitive success.
We are also honoured to share that Sensei Trish Jennings received the prestigious recognition of 7th Dan from the Tsuruoka Karate Association. This is a remarkable milestone and a significant moment for our dojo. This honour reflects decades of dedication, leadership, and contribution to karate, and we are incredibly proud to learn from and train under Sensei Trish.
On January 4, we proudly held our Kagami Biraki ceremony, an important annual event that symbolizes reflection, renewal, and commitment to the year ahead. During this event, five athletes from Jennings School of Karate were awarded their Black Belt – 1st Dan. This is a significant milestone that represents years of dedication, perseverance, and hard work. We are extremely proud of Ilona Bardos, Thamika Sendhooran, Manveer Aujla, Sophie Young, and Olivia Harrison for this outstanding achievement and the effort they have consistently put into their karate journey.
Photos from the Kagami Biraki event have been published in our JSK Gallery. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to Anastasiia for capturing and sharing such wonderful photos from the day. The gallery can be viewed here: Gallery
A second gallery has also been published featuring highlights from the Markham City Open tournament and the Karate Ontario Elite competitions. You can view those photos here: Gallery
January also included a busy and exciting two-day tournament weekend. On Saturday, January 10, our students competed at the Markham City Open. Everett Fraites competed in the boys 8–9 intermediate kata division and earned a bronze medal. In the boys novice kata division, Zayan Islam also brought home a bronze medal. Henry Tusa attended his very first tournament and made an impressive showing, winning one of his three matches and gaining valuable experience.
On Sunday, January 11, Isabella Conflitti, Mathew Talia, and Rosie Vella competed at the Karate Ontario Elite Team Qualifier. All three athletes faced very challenging and exciting divisions and each returned home with a bronze medal.
We are proud of all our athletes for their hard work, commitment, and sportsmanship, and we look forward to more strong results as we move toward upcoming provincial and national competitions.
OSS
Senpai Val E.
We are excited to announce that Jennings School of Karate will be hosting the Tsuruoka Karate Ontario (TKO) Fall Clinic on Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Jennings School of Karate, 16 John Street West, Bradford, Ontario.
Doors will open at 10:00 a.m. The participation fee is $20 per person, and a pizza lunch will be provided.
This special training event welcomes students aged 10 and up, Yellow Belt and above. It is a wonderful opportunity to train together under the Tsuruoka Karate Ontario banner, share knowledge, and strengthen our Karate-Do spirit.
“As a mirror’s polished surface reflects whatever stands before it and a quiet valley carries even small sounds, so must the student of Karate-Do render their mind empty of selfishness and wickedness in an effort to react appropriately toward anything they might encounter. This is the meaning of kara, or ‘empty,’ of Karate-Do.”
— Gichin Funakoshi
Come ready to train hard, learn something new, and be inspired.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the clinic!
Oss,
Jennings School of Karate
2025
Dear Jennings School of Karate Members,
We regret to inform you
that all classes scheduled for today are canceled. We sincerely
apologize for the short notice and any inconvenience this may cause to
your plans.
All classes will resume as scheduled tomorrow. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our dojo community.
Sensei Jim Jennings
