SAULT STE. MARIE INTERNATIONAL KARATE DAIGUKU
**************************
A tragic house fire that spread through the roof of the house adjacent to the Sault Ste. Marie International Karate Daiguku (SSM IKD) Karate Club last June left Sensei Chris Troch – a 6th degree black belt – without a business, an income, and a place to teach his students shotokan style karate.
As the owner/operator and instructor at the Sault Ste Marie International Karate Daigaku he is pleased to announce that his club has literally risen from the ashes and in back in full swing with all classes operating once again.
Due to extensive damage the dojo located at 54 Wellington St. W. it has been completely renovated and is back to offering classes for children ages four to six years old (Tiny Tigers), youth, teens, and adults.
Sensei Troch offers classes to home schoolers, students with disabilities and special needs. His students with special needs were dedicated enough to do their training on Saturday mornings at Bellevue Park.
“They all displayed great spirit by being so dedicated and showing up to train in the park, even on chilly days,” he said.
During the renovation time, he improvised and ran classes wherever he could including at Bellevue Park, the John Rhodes centre and St. Basils school.
Even though he ran part time classes out of temporary locations he discovered it wasn’t the same as having a home base dojo with their own equipment and space for his students. He now can offer birthday parties, PD day day camps and his summer Karate camp program, Just for Kicks. All had to be cancelled last year.
Sensei Troch is extremely grateful for all the support from the local community to help his club get through this hard time. He expressed deep appreciation for Tina Neimi (mother of one of his students) for starting a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses and losses at the time.
“It feels good to be back and it’s better than ever,” said Sensei Troch.
Sault Ste Marie International Karate Daigaku located at 54 Wellington St. W.
More pictures and information can be found at his new website or email: [email protected] or by phone: 705-759-8552
**************************