Story of a Karate School Housed in a Ski Base

It is more than a sports school — it is a living legend of Chelyabinsk. Here, in the dojo hall that was once built by hand by citizen enthusiasts, ordinary kids are raised into champions with character and a will to win — athletes for the Russian national team. Over three decades, more than three thousand students have passed through the school of traditional Japanese karate, and the familiar walls have witnessed rises to world podiums. How was this unique school, located in a ski base building in the northwest, created? What is the strength of a training ground with history? And what does the developer «Brusnika» promise to build in place of the sports cluster under the KRT project, read in the photo report.

A School Built on Strength of Spirit

The history of the karate school in Chelyabinsk began in 1992 — with the initiative of people for whom this sport became a lifelong pursuit. Its founder Valery Balashov witnessed those distant times when boys would run after school to sections in basements poorly suited for sports activities. But his desire to master karate and develop this sport was simply boundless.

«Today in the school, everyone finds something to strive for — one becomes a champion, another strengthens their health and gains confidence, a third hones discipline. When a child first crosses the threshold of the dojo hall, their understanding of karate is quite vague. In their training, there will be difficulties, pain from intense workouts, and mistakes in bouts. Those who do not give up and continue training will be able to withstand any task in their life, regardless of its difficulty, and see it through to the end,» says the director of the sports school of karate Valery Balashov.

The hall where adults and children from various parts of the city now train was created through the efforts of a team of like-minded individuals for whom karate was a life«s work; enthusiasts renovated the empty space with their own hands. Thus, the sports school was born, and its history has continued for over 30 years.

«The school»s history is rich with events; the walls of the dojo hall have witnessed the growth of many titled athletes,« continues Valery Ivanovich. »The high level of training is confirmed by the achievements of graduates on the all-Russian and international arenas: the Russian national team«s medal haul includes a significant share of »Chelyabinsk« medals.»

Pupils and Their Mentors Create History

Currently, more than 400 children train at the main sports school and its branches. Among them are members of the Russian national team, young athletes competing at the amateur level, candidates for master of sports, and masters of sports.

Training is conducted by experienced specialists. Nine teachers at the school have the highest coaching category. These instructors have successfully passed exams and are officially recognized as international instructors by the Japanese karate association. The school is one of the few in Russia that collaborates with karate sports clubs at Japanese universities, invites Japanese specialists to Chelyabinsk, and the coaches have teaching experience at the sports campuses of Takushoku University in Tokyo (Takudai Takushoku University), Dokkyo University, and Komazawa University.

«I was nine years old when I first crossed the threshold of this hall. Twenty-six years have passed, and I am still here. Since 2006, I gradually became involved in the training process, starting by helping with newcomers and young children. Since 2014, I have officially been conducting classes with professional athletes. We achieve our set goals: we prepare masters of sports, the guys earn the coveted black belts, which for many is an important aim in practicing karate,» said coach-instructor of the sports school for traditional karate, finalist of the 2024 World Championship, three-time winner and four-time medalist of European Championships, 11-time winner of Russian championships and cups, 10-time holder of the Russian Cup, and multiple medalist of all-Russian competitions Sergey Nedbaylo.

When Opportunities Bump Against the Walls

Over the years, the coaching staff and school management have learned to adapt to any conditions — changing the format of classes, adjusting the load, literally feeling the hall and its capabilities. The experience accumulated over decades allows them to maintain a high level of training. But the school«s team strives to move forward and grow. Cramped space, outdated utilities, and worn-out engineering systems increasingly create obstacles in the educational process.

«During general training sessions, when between twenty and fifty people train simultaneously, the area of the hall does not allow for comfortable accommodation of such a number of athletes. There are also problems with ventilation and conducting full-fledged training. We have to alter lesson plans, reduce the intensity of exercises, adapt methods,» notes school director Valery Balashov.

Even the administration and medical service of the school are cramped in two offices — simply because the building lacks necessary work areas.

«In recent years, a serious problem has emerged with the building»s sewer system. During the spring, summer, and autumn seasons, when there is no frost, heavy rain or downpour causes wastewater to enter directly into the sewer system, creating unsanitary conditions. The problem is exacerbated by the outdated communication network: electrical cables laid earlier cannot handle the load. Just in the last six months, the electricity has gone out three or four times,« shared coach Sergey Nedbaylo.

New Building — A New Chapter

In December of last year, it became known that the old ski base building would be demolished, as the territory fell under the KRT project. The developer «Brusnika» announced plans to build a new sports center with an area of over 3,000 square meters in place of the popular sports facility among citizens. For the karate school, a separate specialized building will be constructed from scratch — with halls, changing rooms, showers, modern engineering systems, and work premises for staff. It is expected that the training base will increase in area from the current 180 square meters to 300 square meters. According to the developer, the school«s relocation will occur as soon as construction is completed.

«Frankly speaking, the news initially shocked me and my comrades. However, after we were told about the changes awaiting us, when everything was explained, we were satisfied. We understood that the training conditions will become better,» shares former pupil of the karate school, nine-time winner of European championships, two-time winner of the European Junior Championship, multiple medalist of all-Russian competitions Artem Khamatdinov.

The project for the reconstruction of the ski base territory under the KRT program is being developed by the architectural bureau of the developer «Brusnika». The company promises to present visualizations already in spring, and by the end of the year, the developer intends to complete the objects fully. «Brusnika» has extensive experience in creating sports infrastructure. One of the most well-known sports centers is the «Sibiryak» complex in Novosibirsk, as well as outdoor fields for mini-football and streetball in Tyumen, closed and open sports clusters in other cities where the developer is present.

It is fundamentally important that the new building of the traditional karate school will not become commercial. After construction is completed, «Brusnika» has agreed to transfer the building to the municipality. This means that the school will retain its status, accessibility for children and adults, continuing to raise a new generation of champions.