23 February 2009

AUSTRALIAN KENDO TEAM SELECTED FOR 14th WORLD KENDO CHAMPIONSHIPS, BRAZIL 2009.

At the conclusion of the Squad Training and Team Selection held over the past weekend in Melbourne, the following teams were announced:

MENS TEAM
Nic Bartlett (QKR),
Stuart Burke (NSWKA),
Michael Henstock (NSWKA),
Ben Kelly (VKR),
Kirby Smith (Team Captain) (NSWKA).

WOMENS TEAM
Sue Bonar (WAKR),
Claire Homsey (VKR),
Chiaki Kobayashi (VKR),
Kate Sylvester (Team Captain) (VKR),
Vivian Yung (NSWKA).

Team Coach, Brett Smith, congratulated those selected and also thanked and congratulated all members of the Squad for their participation and input into the Australian Kendo Squad development over the past two years.  On behalf of the Squad he thanked all those who had assisted the Squad over this time, and in particular those assisting during this weekend as selectors, shinpan and general assistants.

Chairman of Selectors, Yakov Macak endorsed these remarks and congratulated the Team Management Group of Coach, Brett Smith; Assistant Coach, Yuji Sano; and Team Manager, James Saretta on their work so far.

For the selected teams and the Management Group, the run down to Sao Paulo in August now begins in earnest with a series of meetings which commenced today and group work to follow.