“We’re still alive and kicking”
BUSHIDO Clondalkin is working hard to adapt to the challenging times the club now faces with the Coronavirus threat.
Already dealt a heavy blow by the effects of the pandemic, the club has lost about a third of its membership, but chief instructor Ilija Salerno and his team are rising to the test.
BMA’s Ilija Salerno and Karyna Nikitina
Indeed Bushido is now providing live online classes for both its Clondalkin and Naas outlets whereby members can download an app, ‘Zoom’ and log in for various class times.
Classes are being run from Monday to Friday with morning, afternoon and evening sessions each day.
Salerno is very pleased with the response of his members to this initiative, but fears that a further drop off in numbers could be awaiting them down the line as the economic effects of Covid-19 sink deeper.
Indeed the national kickboxing calendar has been decimated while even the World Junior Championships, scheduled to take place in Serbia in August, are threatened.
The second round of the National Senior Championships, which were to be run alongside the junior equivalent, were also due to be held in Newry for the first time this weekend.
Still Salerno is remaining positive in the hope that he can keep his club afloat with the support of the local community.
“We just trying to get the word out there that we’re still alive and kicking. We’re 20 years serving the community and we’re hoping for local support right now. I know times are tough, but this is when communities really come together” he said.
