The National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS) has created the prestigious NAKMAS Star Award; an award of recognition for outstanding talent and abilities within its membership, both adults and children.

Leo Manifold, a 12-year-old from Rugeley, Staffordshire, has received the first of the awards for his outstanding competitive talents in kickboxing tournaments over a period of years. This type of sport is loved across the world with so many people taking it on for multiple reasons from fitness to starting a career. There are tricks and tips that fighters pick up along the way to help them get through their tournament which Leo may have taken on. If he has inspired you to take the plunge and go for it yourself, then you may want to search up some information such as, where do you start? why do fighters use vaseline? what are the best moves? and so on.

Leo has been training with Emil Herzberg at the Pye Green Community Centre in Hednesford from a very young age, and he hopes his next success will be achieving his black belt early in 2019. He is a student at the Heartlands School in Rugeley and his martial arts training has given him confidence and focus for all areas of his life including his studying. If you’re interested in martial arts such as kickboxing or even jiu-jitsu, why not check out https://www.attacktheback.com for more information.

Herzberg said: ‘I’m so pleased for Leo receiving this new award; it’s a big accolade for both Leo, and for the academy. We strive to achieve high standards for our sixty members of all ages, and Leo is one of our longest serving. He is a great role model to our other members as he is a fine and genuine martial artist’.

Members of all ages and all martial arts will be considered for nomination of the NAKMAS Star Award for areas within martial arts including coaching, innovation, dedication, competitive talents, and charity work etc. Each nomination will be judged with principles of fairness and equanimity enabling the awards to be spread out over a wide range of activities for a wide range of recipients.