Leadership Team

Mr Parker started his karate journey at the age of 8 under Master Clifton Brown and moved through the grades to Brown Belt, before having to take a break, returning to the fold at the age of 16 and taking his 1st Degree Black Belt two years later. He is the Head Coach at the successful Penlan club and attained his 2nd Degree Black Belt in November 2006, 3rd Degree in November 2009 and 4th Degree in November 2013.

Mr Parker is a member of the WCKA SuperFit 

“  I started my martial arts journey when I was four years old in 2010. I started in the little dragons class making my way through the belts all the way to completing advance little dragons. After moving up to kidzone I started helping out in the little dragons classes at the age of 8 . After working through the belts I achieve my 1st degree black belt in 2018 and then my second degree in 2021 I am now working towards my third degree black belt which I am due to complete in April and may this year.

I started competing late in my martial arts journey with my first outside competition in 2022 this then led me to competing in the Cardiff world championship, achieving a silver medal and two bronzes. I then continued fighting and went to the world championships in 2023 in Canada and came home with one silver and three bronze. And most recently competing in Greece world championships 2024 and achieve two gold medal a silver and a bronze.”.

My kickboxing journey began in 2015 when I was just 6 years old, recieving my 1st degree black belt in February 2020 and 2nd degree black belt in December 2022.

I have been competing in points fighting and karate kumite since the start of my journey almost 10 years ago. I have travelled all over Europe and world wide with the WCKA super fit squad winning:

2 silver medals in the Austria world championships 2019,

British champion in points fighting in 2022,

World champion in points fighting and karate kumite in Wales 2022.

Travelled to Canada to compete in the world championships in 2023 and won a silver medal in points fighting and 2 gold medals in karate kumite

British champion in karate kumite 2023, and that’s just to name a few!

My love for the sport has made me determined showed me I can achieve anything if I put my heart and sole into it and has given me life long friends.

My instructor Mr Daniel Parker is the most supportive person I know, who has always been there for me with the best advice, knowledge and just truly believing in me and making me successful in all that I have achieved.

“I started training way back in the 1980s after being inspired by the Karate Kid movies. I worked my way through the belts and achieved my 1st degree black belt in 1990 and my 2nd degree in 1993. Through this period I successfully competed in competitions throughout the UK.

After a break of over 20 years I returned to kickboxing as I really wanted my daughter, Caitlin, to learn a sport that had given me so much, and so started back training myself.

Five years on and I have now gained my 3rd degree black belt and won 2 World titles along with British titles, and enjoy watching and assisting the next generation of martial artists develop in this sport”

began my martial arts journey back in 1998 when I was just 4 years old. I earned my first-degree black belt in 2011 and trained with various clubs over the years, including WCKA. I’ve competed internationally, winning world titles and taking part in major tournaments like the Irish Open, Austrian Classics, and Athens Challenge.

After a six-year break, I returned to WCKA because of the great history Dan and I share. In 2023, I flew to Canada and came home with two golds and a silver.

Now, being able to share that journey and help guide the kids alongside you really means everything.

I started my martial arts journey late in life,

It was in 2021 at the age of 36. I only started because I was becoming very unfit and felt it was time to change for the better. When I started I remember telling our instructor Dan I had no wish to progress through the belts or fight in competition's and that i only wanted to work on my fitness, that however quickly changed and I'm now hoping to achieve my black belt next year. I also ended up competing in the WAKO GB SLAM this year and actually came away with first place and a gold medal. Now being a member of the leadership team and being able to pass on my knowledge to the other students in the class has been an unbelievably fulfilling part of my journey and one I never thought I'd achieve. I would advise anyone old or young it's never too late to start a martial art.

I began training with the WCKA when I was 7 years old. My dad, who trained with the club during his youth, encouraged me to get involved as well. As I grew older, I started helping out with the Lil Dragons and Kid Zone classes. In 2022, at the age of 10, I won two world titles at the WKU Kickboxing World Championships. The following year, I participated in several external competitions and returned to the WKU World Championships in Canada to defend my titles—this time winning three gold medals in points, teams, and kumite. In 2024, I continued to compete in various events, earning multiple gold medals across different categories and securing three more world titles at the championships in Greece. By the age of 12, I had achieved a total of eight world titles.

Sophie started training in Llandarcy when she was 4 years old (2014). Over the years kick-boxing with WCKAslam has been incredible for building Sophs self confidence & self esteem. Sophs joined the leadership when she was in kidzone and loved helping out with the little dragons. Sophs now teaches in the Llandarcy Lil dragons and kidzone class.

For many years Sophs kickboxing journey focused on perfecting her technique and completing gradings. It would be fair to say Sophie avoided any type of sparing until 2022 when she decided she wanted to try and get train for the WKU world championships in Canada, and this where her fighting journey began!

My kickboxing journey started in 2021 when I joined with a group of friends. I started going to the Llandarcy class on a Tuesday. Over the next few months all of my friends I had started with stopped coming but I persevered and kept going. Now four years on, I am a brown white belt and starting preparations for my black belt. I have also been helping in class and it has helped my with my confidence but also allowed me to make new friends in different classes across the club

Liam began his kickboxing journey with WCKA in September 2016. At age 6 Liam joined Little Dragons, at 6 Liam was incredibly shy and very quiet, kickboxing has given Liam the confidence and self esteem to progress in all aspects of life.

Early into joining Liam competed in his first interclub competition placing 1st.

After this Liam started to achieve his belts and entered more interclub competitions.

He later moved up to Kidzone, where he continued to compete and work through each belt, gaining more and more experience.

Liam was asked to be part of the leadership where he could share and help pass on his knowledge and experience to the younger students

After this Liam moved to the adult class where he began to compete in outside competitions and at the Cardiff World

Championships placing 1st in Kick Light and 2nd in Light Contact.

Continuing to compete at National comps he then went to the World Championships in Canada placing 2nd in Light Contact, 3rd in Kick Light and 3rd in points.

In 2024 Liam won the British Open in Kick Light and achieved his 1st degree black belt.

ello, I’m Casey Jones and I train at WCKA Ammanford.

The reason I joined WCKA was to initially start a new hobby, boost my fitness levels and to meet new people.

I started training in the kids zone where I develop the skills I needed to achieve my orange /black belt.

After this I progressed onto adult-zone where I further devolved and achieved my halfway to black belt in December 2024. I also took part  in my first inter-club competition, this was a huge accomplishment for me and helped hugely with boosting my confidence. I am looking forward to competing more in 2025.

Towards the end of 2024 my leader Mr Parker asked me if I would assist in the lil dragons and kid-zone classes and later be a part of the leadership team. I am so grateful to Mr Parker for this opportunity as not only has it boosted my confidence further it has helped me develop personal skills and self discipline. I am 100% committed to the leadership team and training and cannot thank the other coaches and Mr Parker enough.

WCKA is a welcoming, friendly club where I have made great friends. It has helped me grow as a person both at the club and outside. I have developed skills and discipline that will assist me throughout my

I joined WCKA in 2019, just before the COVID lockdown. After attending one live session, I trained weekly via Zoom and earned my first four belts online. My first competition was the GB Grand Slam in April 2022, followed by the Welsh Rumble in July, where I became Welsh Champion in Points Fighting. I also competed in my first World Championships that year in Cardiff.

In 2023, I retained my Welsh Champion title and remained undefeated in Points Fighting. I competed in Bath, Birmingham, and Nottingham—earning a 3rd place in Kick Light and a chance to represent the WAKO Team GB squad. In October, I traveled to Canada with Team Wales and won Silver in Continuous Teams vs. Germany.

In 2024, I earned Bronze at the GB Grand Slam (Bath) and Telford, with Oxford and the World Championships in Rhodes still to come. I’m going for my Brown Belt in September.

I’m now a team leader, which I really enjoy. I’ve made great friends, gained confidence, and am proud to be part of this amazing club

i started my kickboxing journey in 2015 when i was 7 and in kidzone. i kept consistent and started working my way up throughout the belts doing a few interclub competitions in between . in 2022  i then started  helping out and  joined the leadership team and began to help younger students in kickboxing in their journey in martial arts. after doing many assessments i finally achieved my first degree blackbelt on the 2nd march 2024. my whole kickboxing journey is something i am really proud of and helping younger students has taught me many important life skills.

Hi i’m Summer Holt. I’m 14 years old and I began my kickboxing journey at age 5 in lil dragons. I graded for my first belt , red belt white stripe, then earned my red belt black stripe by 2018. After a break, I returned in 2021, learning and grading for my yellow belt. I started teaching kids and moved to adult class , competing in interclubs. In 2023, I gained confidence to compete in outside competitions , placing 2nd in the GB grand slam and later becoming a world champion in the points teams category in the WKU World Championships in Canada. I faced setbacks with surgeries in 2024 but plan to focus on my fitness and grade for my black belt white stripe in June, and then aiming for my 1st degree black belt.

Hello, my name is Melody and I'm part of the leadership team for WCKA. I take great pride in helping the younger students in the classes. I'm 17 years old and I started kickboxing when I was 12 years of age and have fallen inlove with the sport ever since. I took part in the Kidzone class for the first 2 years of my time with the club. I'm currently a black white belt and am due to get my black belt in May 2025. I have achieved many titles within the sporting competitions such as 1× Gold world Champion title for 15-17 years kicklight teams , Bronze medallist in points fighting, points teams and kicklight individual medals in the WUK world Championships Greece 2024. Finally, I have been helping lead the kidzone classes for around 2 years and have achieved many new skills through the journey.

Oscar began kickboxing in 2017 at just 4 years old, joining the Little Dragons Classes as a quiet and shy boy. He quickly showed passion and dedication, earning 7 out of 8 belts with distinction. By age 6, he advanced to Kidszone, continuing to develop his skills and strive for excellence. In March 2024, just before turning 12, Oscar achieved his proudest milestone: earning his 1st degree Black Belt.

Oscar has competed in points fighting and kumite at both interclub and external events, including representing Wales at the 2022 World Championships in Cardiff. While wins have been few, his effort has never faltered.

Since December 2022, Oscar has been helping teach Little Dragons, and from March 2024, also Kidszone. This role has boosted his confidence and helped him grow. Thanks to the support of Mr. Parker and WCKA, Oscar has flourished and now enjoys passing on his knowledge to younger students.

I started in kid zone when I was 7 in 2017. At 13 I Achieved my 1st degree black belt.

I have fought in 3 world championships  (Cardiff, Canada & Greece) where I have won 6 world titles. I’ve competed in numerous competitions up around the country, recently winning 2 golds in the WAKO nationals and qualifying for the European Championships Which takes place in Portugal this August.

Being on the Leadership Team has helped me get out my comfort zone by learning to help others and gaining more life skills to help me along the way

I started kickboxing in Ammanford, 3 and half years ago when i was 8 so I missed the lil dragons classes, but I have been helping teach the lil dragons class in Ammanford for 4 months, when my little brother started. I haven't done any competitions yet but I am looking to participate in my first interclub in July.

I have recently started helping in the Lim Dragons Classes and became a member of the Leadership Team, I enjoy helping the students and it’s helped a lot with my confidence.

Hi, I’m Cambria, I’ve been a part of WCKA Ammanford since 2021.

In my first year I got student of the year and haven’t looked back since.

I don’t really like competing but enjoy class so much that I’m 2025 I started helping out in lil dragons. I started out in the Kidzone so getting to experience lil dragons through teaching is a surreal experience.