{"id":244762,"date":"2020-04-08T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/244762\/tebbutts-love-for-his-sport-and-students\/"},"modified":"2020-04-07T14:19:34","modified_gmt":"2020-04-07T12:19:34","slug":"tebbutts-love-for-his-sport-and-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/sports-news\/2020\/04\/08\/tebbutts-love-for-his-sport-and-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Tebbutt\u2019s love for his sport and students"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many Germiston residents the name Tebbutt\u2019s Mixed Martial Arts Academy is synonymous with excellence and stand-out performances.<\/p>\n

The students of the Lambton-based academy often make the news having brought home medals from a number of national and international competitions.<\/p>

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But who is responsible for training these students?<\/p>\n

This duty falls on kanchu Alex Tebbutt, who fulfills his duties with passion and pride.<\/p>

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ALSO READ: Tebbutt\u2019s students start their year on a high<\/a><\/h4>\n

Tebbutt began teaching in 1980.<\/p>\n

\u201cI opened Tebbutt\u2019s Mixed Martial Arts Academy, only it was based in Primrose at that stage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

However, his love of contact sport started long before 1980.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoxing and judo were my go-to sports as a child, while as a teenager I did kung fu,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an adult I moved to Rondebult in 1976 and there was only one karate club named Funakoshi.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was run by Des Whitehead and having always loved contact sports and wanting to continue with it I joined his club.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the years went by Tebbutt slowly moved away from karate and became more involved in mixed martial arts.<\/p>\n

He said though his disciplines changed over the years his core passion for the sport never wavered, and his ambition kept him pushing forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still love doing and teaching the art today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For 47 years Tebbutt has remained dedicated to the craft.<\/p>\n

\u201cI began my journey in 1976,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved through all my belts from white to black.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I had achieved my black belt I moved on to my black belt duns then became sensei, shihan, hanchi and am now a kanchu.\u201d<\/p>\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Tebbutt\u2019s makes history<\/a><\/h4>\n

Tebbutt said the highlights of his career have been watching his students earn their Springbok colours and representing South Africa at international competitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love to teach children and see their growth and make them champions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is such a privilege to see children grow within themselves and believe in themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat truly is my biggest reward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tebbutt plans to compete and train students for many years to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no plans to stop or retire from my sport at all, it is my great passion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will keep on competing and training until I can\u2019t anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kanchu Alex Tebbutt, of Tebbutt\u2019s Mixed Martial Arts Academy, with some of the certificates, medals and trophies he and the students of the dojo have won.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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