Grading joy for DEMAA starlets

PROUD SMILES . . . DEMAA Martial Arts instructor Dave Terry (right) is pictured with (from left): Chelsea Hoy (first dan), Sohail Mahmood (second dan), Amy Sutcliffe (first dan) and Lucy Haslam (second dan).

MARTIAL ARTS: 

DAVE Terry and his students at the DEMAA Martial Arts Academy have enjoyed plenty of success in gradings and competitions.

Oldham College student Amy Sutcliffe (17) is on a high after receiving her first dan junior black belt in kick-boxing. She has ambitions of becoming a police officer, and has been dedicated to her martial arts training for 11 years.

Chelsea Hoy has also gained her first dan in kick-boxing. The 10-year-old Holy Rosary Primary School pupil also plays the drums for the Oldham Scottish Pipe Band and has five years experience in martial arts.

Newman College student Sohail Mahmood (13) picked up his second dan blackbelt in ju-jitsu, meaning his six years of training has paid off in fine style.

Lucy Haslam (13), a student at Middleton Technology School, is jumping for joy after securing her second dan blackbelt in ju-jitsu.

She has also been training in martial arts for six years.

Meanwhile, DEMAA’s Bobby Terry enjoyed a double boost when competing in the Ki and Kickboxing competition at Fallow Fight Academy in Dinnington, near Sheffield.

The 12-year-old’s first contest was in the Ki category, and he did well to beat an opponent who was taller than him.

Bobby, who has been training for 10 years, followed up with victory in a kickboxing clash.

Club-mate Joe Foster (seven) has been training for more than two years and picked up a draw in his third kickboxing bout, while brother George won his fight. Both are working towards their black belts.

Kickboxing newcomer Jamieson Weir made his debut, and performed well in losing a close fight.

Dr Terry is a seventh dan in ju-jitsu and sixth dan in kickboxing, and has now been training youngsters for 36 years.