Karate Classes In Action At Palmer Academy

It's Tuesday night and the white-robed disciples of the Montville branch of the Japan Karate Association are at practice again.

The karate program, run by Leonard J. Tyl Middle School math teacher Andrew Bakoledis over the past six years, had rented space on the corner of Route 163 and 32 and had then moved to The Gristmill.

This winter he moved classes into the fold of Montville Parks and Recreation, where he could get space at the Palmer Academy gym. On Saturdays, there are additional sessions held at Connecticut College.

“The business was normal, but I needed more than normal to keep up with the bills,” Bakoledis says.

Beyond reduced costs, there are other advantages to moving into a school building, “I don’t miss cleaning toilets, on top of all the other things I have to do,” he says.

The school practice space also imposes limitations in that he has to time his classes around the schedules of the janitorial staff. He will be looking for more spaces that open up once other winter programs such as wrestling reach their close. Another challenge has been the snowy weather, which has led to several missed classes.

The students bow for an opening ritual and then stand up, begin jumping in place and then side to side, which gives way to fancy footwork and then jumping jacks.

John Listorti, a black belt who trained with Bakoledis at UConn back in 1986, is supervising the classes while Bakoledis is out with a cold. Abby Barrera, another black belt, with six years of karate experience on top of previous martial arts training, leads the exercises.

According to Listorti, Karate is about “perfecting your character through hard work and discipline.”

“If you can do this and endure the pain several times a week, look at someone face to face and stare them in the eye, you can do that outside as well,” Listorti said.

Today, there are four new faces in the ranks of students. Most of the attendants had been there when the program was at The Gristmill. Adults and younger students alike go through the moves together—some of the more advanced members of the group will stay behind after for additional training.

“The spirit is here,” said Listorti. “The students bring the spirit wherever they go, if we have to train in a garage, we’ll train in a garage.”

Even the younger students seem stern and molded, their attention fixed upon following through the exercises with precision and economy of motion. The instructor counts out in Japanese.

Suddenly, the two rows of fists strike out at simultaneously, and everyone shouts at once: “Ju!” which means "10." The shout, brief and fierce echoes off the walls of the room, and everyone starts up again.

“You focus your body, your breath, your breath, your muscles and you’re spirit onto one point,” Listorti says.

All of the students’ energy should radiate out through the one punch, which should make it enough to incapacitate a foe. Indeed, it is easy to imagine that point of energy exploding against splintered boards or breaking bone.

Donna Bernier is sitting to the side, watching her son Brendan practice. At 9 years old, he has practiced in the group for two years now. She believes that Bakoledis’s classes have been a good thing for her son.

“We’re following him because he’s great,” she said.  “He’s great with  children, wherever he moves we’ll go there.

Glenn Sneddon has a daughter, Kaylee, who has already obtained a brown belt at 10 years old. He sees that the classes have given her a faster reaction time when she rough-houses with her father.

“Hopefully it teaches her how to defend herself,” he says, “especially if I’m not around to be the knight in shining armor.”

The students line up in again, in two rows facing one another. One student goes for a punch, only to have the other catch him by the wrist—and aim a punch right at his face.

The white robes they’re wearing crackle with each move.

As the class comes to its close, the students kneel again for the Dojo Kon, which is the code that the dojo follows.

Seek perfection of character.

Be faithful to the ideals and ways of Karate.

Endeavor in the spirited training of Karate-Do.

Respect others in all aspects of life.

Refrain from violent behavior.

For those who are interested in learning more about classes, or would like to see some Karate in action, The Japan Karate Association welcomes spectators. The group still practices at Palmer Academy at 5:30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On Feb. 26, the group will host a winter camp at Tyl Middle School.

It will draw members of the Japan Karate association from as far as Vermont and Washington, D.C., to practice techniques together.

In an earlier version of this story, Kaylee Sneddon's age was reported incorrectly.