By: Alieu Ceesay
To mark its 20th Anniversary, Waza United Karate Club, previously known as Walingara Karata Club, held a grand celebration. The event included a strong call to action, urging sports stakeholders to increase investment and provide more support for the development of Karate in the Gambia.
Waza United Karate Club is dedicated to empowering the youth of the Gambia and beyond with the knowledge and skills of self-defense, discipline, and self-confidence. Through specialized training, the group aims to equip students with unique martial arts techniques and valuable expertise in their area of focus.
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the group organized an event on Sunday at Old Yundum Upper and Senior Secondary School Hall. The event provided a platform for combatants to showcase their talent, determine the extent of their training level or standard, and prepare for international competition. With over 70 students, the club has clocked 20 years since its inception in 2004.
Pateh Jobe is one of the longest-serving trainers of Waza United Karate Club. He called on the Ministry of Youths, the National Sports Council, and other relevant sports Stakeholders to support Karata games like other sporting disciplines.
He added that the Karate game is beyond self-defense. While emphasizing the discipline aspect of the game
” We are more than willing to develop Karata, so the Ministry of Youth and Sports should consider us a sporty entity. Through courage and support, we can bring metals(Olympic medals) to this country.”
He also noted that with the support and courage of these Stakeholders, athletes in the Karata arenas can equally win international gold medals through the international Olympics game.
Modou Sallah is among the club’s co-founders. To him, the club has achieved its goal by training and nurturing young, talented stars who dream of becoming Karate men or women in their respective arenas.
Sallah, who also doubles as a master in Karate, writes that financial constraints are one of the most significant changes, with little or no support from the government.
” Celebrating our annual Anniversary alone is a success for us, and we participate in several competitions with our little token even elsewhere. I think bringing other Karate Clubs both inside and outside the Gambia is something great.”
Abdoulieu Secka, a member of the Karata Club, urges colleagues to emphasize the level of discipline at all times.
“Here, we are not only taught how to do karate, but we are also trained to be disciplined at all times because karate is like other sporting activities, so we are to maintain discipline at all times.”
Despite their limited resources, Waza United Karate Club invited other Karate Clubs within the subregion of Africa, and Senegal and Mali Karate Clubs were in attendance.
Several participants went home with medals, while others clinched trophies as awards.
With support, these young people would continue to pursue Karate as their profession, which requires the support of stakeholders.
