Gambatte!!!

Dear all,   I would like to congratulate everyone who has been selected to represent SAUK and the British Universities in the forthcoming aikido festival in Kyoto.   When I was asked to coach the SAUK team I was determined to raise the standard of our players. I do not just mean the technical standard but also the physical and sports psychological standard of our top competitors. I put in place a series of criteria players would have to meet in order to be considered for selection. The players responded! The SAUK team have been training hard for a year and a half now and have shown great determination to be the absolute best they can when they step onto the mat in Kyoto.   I was also determined to select a student team that would feed into future national teams based on meritocracy. The students also responded! Sheffield University aikido club has a bursary and this year we are able to help Maggy to take part in the championships in Japan. She has been doing aikido for a year and a half and is the current national women's randori champion!   I know that both teams will perform to the best of their ability in Kyoto and I wish them every success!!   Scott Allbright SAUK coach British Universities director