Sensei Wessel started teaching Goju Ryu karate-do to one student, Hercus Theron, and now his martial arts school has grown to almost 300 actively training students in branch dojos in George, Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.
Over the years, the dojo has produced many black belts and higher grades.
This year, sensei Wessel (4th dan) and his wife, sensei Elrie (3rd dan), decided to let all the black belts (actively training and retired) hang their special woo-den name plaques in the home dojo, where they will remain hanging in their honour for as long as the school exists.
Thirty students from the school had their names engraved on wooden plaques and were invited to attend the ceremony.
Although all the black belts are special to sensei Wessel and sensei Elrie, a few names deserve special mention, such as sensei Wessel's father Helmut Wilms, who played a big role in motivating Wessel as a child to continue his training and reach his goal, while always being willing to drive him to all the classes, competitions and seminars. Years after the school opened, Helmut decided that he too must achieve a life-long ambition of obtaining a black belt, which he did successfully in December 2009 together with his good friend Mick Pritchard, who will be attempting his 2nd black belt in June this year.
Another special moment was when Jason Kruger's parents arrived to hang a name plaque in his memory. Jason was one of sensei Wessel's first students and grew to be a strong black belt. Sadly, Jason is no longer with us, but he will always be remembered.
The new black belts were welcomed into the family. Neil Lurie and Jurgen Graupe performed outstandingly at the recent yudansha (black belt) grading and received their shodan grades with flying colours.
The students and their ranks are:
Shodan (1st black belt): Jason Kruger, Helmut Wilms, Mick Pritchard, Lenel Richardson, Joshua Fair, Karen Gouws, Jacques Stander, Ian Gracie, Matthew Gracie, Balvindra Walter, Hercus Theron, Jolita Leeuw-ner, Rhiannon Chauncey, Marcelle van der Merwe, LJ Abelheim, Ingrid Morgan-Wilson, Jacques Botha, Badara Diop, Neil Lurie, Jurgen Graup.
Nidan (2nd black belt): Danie Botes, Francine Ruben, Helet Theron, Andre Williams, Charmain Voigt, Karel Lezar.
Sandan (3rd black belt): Elrie Bosman, Paula Viljoen, Wouter Pretorius.
Yondan (4th black belt): Wessel Wilms.
Hercus Theron, sensei Elrié Bosman, Helmut Wilms, Jacques Stander, Neil Lurie The black belts who hanged thier wooden name tags in the dojo are (from left) Joshua Fair, Jurgen Graupe, Jolita Leeuwner, Karel Lezar, Paula Viljoen, Marcel van der Merwe Charmain Voight, Jason Kruger’s parents Zwaai and Carrie, sensei Helet Theron, Balvindra Walter, Mick Pritchard and sensei Wessel Wilms.
