Families that play together - Karate classes add new dimension as recreational sport for entire family - WHILE IT’S. apparent ‘that :., children benefit fromthe - “mental and- physical - discipline associated with organized sport, there’s -ofien no time left over for - the.. things - families used t to “do. together: ; ": By Susan Nakagawa - Contributing Writer -“Alpay Biren holds a biack belt” in ‘karate, and trains together with his sons, Kaan, 15. and QOzan, 10, ‘at’the North Vancouver Gima-ha _ -Karate Club. *. The club meets twice a week at ie Capilano College Sportsplex as riv.of North Vancouver Recre- - ation ‘Commission’s. martial arts {Program - Alpay’ 's children. also play soc- gers” .44f-go to watch afi the games,”” he says, “but it’s a really different experience when they are. into their, own thing,. from when we ¢. involved in something NEWS photo Grad Ledwidge NORTH VANCOUVER karate club ‘members range in age from seven to 47, and many of the adults i one training in theiz 30s or 40s, although most were previously involved in some forma of physica! > exercise. lojo’ -karate. centres” train- gstook on a “more recreational 5; which was “necessary to al- ’ tract’ énough. participants to sur- vive financially.’ Karate B.C. has been a major . influence in “establishing karate as Sa? serious sport -in this province; association membership and the right to participate in official pro- ind .national tournaments — Life in the fast lane: Molson Indy rides again. “secutive: Molson’ indy ‘Vancouver than a sea of umbrellas “appeared throughout - ‘the : “grandstands Sunday at Pacific Place. The third annual extravaganza ended at 3:29 p.m. precisely, . and - by: 3:31 it was pouring rain: Such ‘is :life inthe fast lane — literally + when things are going right... “John Frasco, president L0f: the Molson. Indy. Vancouver, was not happy with the.column that appeared here July 22 when - the question was asked, “‘Will the. ‘third’ annual IndyCar meez Vancouver be the /ast annuaf?’’ <1 suggested Frasco’s relationship and negotiating powers with Con- -cord Pacific, owners’ of: the. race - . Site, were “shaky at best.”’ “It seems,a foyal member of: his . secretarial staff-in Vancouver fax- -ed. him the July. 22 Nerth Shore © _ News column to his corporate law - of-es° in Michigan and word. “dy trickled back that he was, eo ° wh; “agitated, *? ¢© put it mildly. But to: give the man his due, Frasco : was: courteous - enough when we met eyeball-to-cyebail ” on race day. ” _ Of. other ~ in _ charge of the overall management _ limited - to approved = karate sles. National coaching certification is being introduced along ‘the lines sporting. bodies with Sports B.C. affiliation. . One of: Johnson’s students, Frank Mostad, is now a qualified instuctor at the North Vancouver Gima-ha Club. Mostad, who holds the rank of third-degree black belt, shares the view that karate should be en- joyed as a recreationai sport, suit- able for young and old. North Vancouver club members Through the balance of this week, Frasco and John Wister, president of Molson Breweries (Western Division), will ‘continue meeting with the Concord Pacific decision-makers with the hopes of . range in age from seven to 47, and many of the adults began training in their 30s or 40s, al- though most were previously in- volved in some form of physical exercise. Among them are five family groups. Adrian and Alice Swanton train together with their two children David, i1, and Elizabeth, 7. Adrian initially saw. himself. as mentor and guide. But said Adrian, ‘David is a much quicker learner than me, and can teach me ali the se- quences. He’s standing on his own at least getting a commitinent for ome more year before the devel- opment of the Pacific Place lands kicks into high gear. They don’t. have any time to waste. Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), the sanctioning body of IndyCar racing, is holdiug @ spot open for . Van- couver on its’ 1993 calendar, but CART officials have made it clear they want an answer “within the next two weeks.” Life will go on quite naturally without ‘an Indy race in Van- couver, but judging by the thou- sands and thousands of smiling faces this past. weekend on the Pacific Place site, it would be monstrously regrettabie to lose the event if it cannot be salvaged. Talk about ‘smiling faces, the scene Saturday afternoon behind the Pir Suites on the south side of the race track was a sight to bekold. First, you must understand those corporate movers and shakers who buy the $20,000 suites to entertain clients over the three-day auto racing carnival are only human, and when nature calis they have io utilize the ‘now. ‘LE don’t need co look after him any more. His confidence has grown, too.” All parents in the class agree that their children have more con-- fidence, higher self-esteem and better concentration as a result of their karate training. Fred Masaro introduced his daughter Alexis, now 15, to. karate to help her with her school work. **Alexis doesn’t like me teaching her,’’ Masaro says. “She may work a little harder in class because she has a parent there watching, bu: we’re both bathroom facilities that are pro- vided on the grounds ... just like normal folk. ; The suites, where a 26-ounce bottle of Crown Royal goes for $85, don’t come equipped with washrooms. Underneath the grandstand that is: converted into Pit Suites is a men’s and women’s toilet. trailer that is a notch above the normal -Port-O-Let cubicles in the public area. Call it a “‘designer Port- O-Let.’”" Well, Saturday afternoon the women’s outlet sprung a teak and a harassed attendant was left in the awkward position of having to instruct a long lineup of females to wait “10 or 1S minutes” until the plumbing was corrected. One enterprising young lady, who shall remain nameless, recognized that the men’s facility wasn’t being used. She quickly sweet-talked the. at-. tendant into allowing the jittery lineup of females to file into the men’s room, cne at a time, with the next in line standing by as a - guard should a male show up with the need to relieve himself. Sure enough, an unsuspecting doing our own thing. It gives us something in common, something we can do side by side without my actually instructing her, which she finds too intense.”” Alpay Biron found that karate added a new dimension to_ his relationship with his sons. “We have always been a very close family, even outside’ of karate, but usually ''m just: ike another kid, playing together with them. “There’s discipline here, and ! ‘like that. They have to respect me and listen to me.” Karate people like to ensphasize that karate is a non-violent, cour- teous sport with a strong cedé of . ethics. : While acknowledging all that. it. was delightful to hear, my son,.... some vears ago, fighting with a . friend and telling her, **!’m gonna get my mummy io beat up your” . maiummy. -” _ Now he is older, and I hope. our". . being involved together ‘in’ karate’: will add a new dimension. to his” relationship with all women, not just with his mother. | hear he is his class repre- sentative ‘for women's -righis; while continuing to despise -.all girls in his class, like any healthy’ 10-year-old boy.”* Interesting “emotions will art sé when ‘our children, reach. the age* of 18 and enter adult divisions: in competition with théir parents. : One woman found herself fac. . - ing her daughter in the final bout, of women’s sparring at the. annual Gima-ha tournament. . os » AS she pulled on her gloves, she * told me, **This is terrible. f feally. want my daughter to win, but l can’t stand to lose.’’ Master ‘Funakoshi,’ the ° founder. of modern karate. in. Japan, wrote that f beneficial. for people of all ages. from all walks ‘of life.’ -The increasing recognition © of. karate as a recreational - family’. sport in this province is a return” to his original intentions..." gentleman arrived on the scene. and couldn’t quiie figure out why - a dozen or more ladies® were. standing one behind the other -- outside the men’s washroom. ..> the study. of -karate is.- He happened to be roughly six” . fect, six inches tall. And here was: this five-foot-nothing. female — blocking his way, trying to explain the circumstances, The guy didn’t have a chance.’ He was- hissed and booed to the. 2° back of .the. pack . by the chorus | tine of ladies in waiting. it was hilarious ... and not a a photographer i in sight!- Those suites, by the way, are equipped with in-house television - sets where a team of broadcasters expertly relays the. on-track hap-- penings live, as theyhappen. And what a terrific job by. ‘she - foursome that included Phil. Johnson, é Stansfield and Chris McClure. David Kincaid, Eric; Johnson was the anchor man,° | Kincaid was the analyst, and Stansfield and McClure worked live reports from the pits with in-- terviews with the drivers and race Let’s hope they’re alf back next year. It’s too good a show to lose.