BLOG: Reflections on the Army Karate Team relationship with Kanzen
Since 2018, Scottish members of the British Army’s Karate Team have trained and represented Scotland at Karate. We have seen Soldiers and Officers compete at high profile events with the World Union of Karate-Do Federations (WUKF) across the UK, in the USA and across Europe, which have included World and European-level events, under the Army and Kanzen banner.
As well as offering our Soldiers and Officers a vehicle to represent at a high level, Kanzen has provided opportunities to train, mentor and role model the British Army’s behaviours and values to the Kanzen team members. Some of these young people have even gone on to join the Army themselves and, in turn, become the mentors and role models to the next generation of aspiring Kanzen Karate athletes.
Indeed, Kanzen provides a pathway for young people to grow as leaders and role models through its own athlete programme, applying Karate as a vehicle to improve the lives of their athletes and the communities they are active amongst.
Why does this work so well? Kanzen’s leadership team, whether they realise it or not, share a set of values that resonates with the British Army’s core Values and Standards.
British Army Values: Courage, Discipline, Respect for Others, Integrity, Loyalty, Selfless Commitment, Lawful, Acceptable Behaviour, Professional
Kanzen Values: Dauntless, Consistency, Inclusive, Accountable, Driven, Respectful, Collaborative, Aspirational, Excellence, Passionate, Inspiring.
Our Soldiers and Officers fit in amongst the Kanzen Scotland community and team because these values are lived every day, whether it be at squad training or when the team is deployed to compete at a competition anywhere in the world. They train hard and compete hard…. I think I’ve heard that phrase said by the Army about itself! Karate is a martial art and Kanzen, like the Army, teaches and expects its people to respect the capability to use force.
Reflecting on everything I have written in this blog, I have to remind myself that Kanzen wasn’t founded and isn’t run by ex-Army people.
Yet, as an Army Officer I feel instantly at home when I walk into a Kanzen dojo or when I report to the Head Coach at an International event when I am representing Scotland with Kanzen. It isn’t the Army – it’s a people-focused, quietly professional team focused on delivering excellence and success every time they compete. Exactly the same mindset the Army has.
This is why the partnership between the British Army Karate Team and Kanzen works so well.
Major Ronnie Harley – BSc (Hons) PGCert CMIOSH MCIEH REnvH FRSPH
Oic Army Karate / Kanzen Karate Scotland Coach
