Martial Arts @ MindSay 
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I won't say we did excellent at our first TKD tourny but we did really well for being one of the bigger Regional Tournies in our area!
Hell there were ppl all the way from FL that showed up outside of Omaha to the Tourny! It doesn't suprise any of us that we had ppl down from MN, ND, SD, IA or even up from MO, KS, and AK. But it did shock a lot of folks that we had folks from FL, CA, OR, GA, and a couple from CO! Why the FL one shocked us over the West coasters and the GA folks, is because the person was a lil 7 year old 1st Degree Black Belt! I even talked to his mom (sittin next to each other during the Adult and Tiny Tot's BB competitions before opening ceromonines!). This lil boy's mom flys him all over the states for TKD tournies! This weekend they were of course in NE, last weekend AJ (my assistant instructor) saw him in St. Paul, MN and the weekend before they were in NE again at a smaller state Trouny! Must be nice to be 7 years old and being flown all over creation by parents with money!:P I don't begrudge them doing that but I'll be dayumed I fly anywhere for a tourny unless my kids eventually make it to one of the big ones out in Las Vegas. Even the World Championship ones we won't ever fly too! That is only down in Little Rock!
Anyway, AJ is waiting on BB point standings to be released Monday morning to see if he made it to the World Champinship (Only those in Leadership Status can collect points and go on to World Championship or get any State Championship or REgional Champsionship). Mr. G (his first tourny also) placed in the BB also with forms and got a Victory Medal (basically 4th place -they only place 1-3) on his weapons.
The kids and I weren't up till after opening ceromonies. Which by the way was kick ass KEWL! Master K not only owns the Bellevue NE school (outside of Omaha) but owns 3 other schools in NE also, so they of course always host regionals and he went out of his way this year because they got some High Ranking Masters to help judge this year. A 1979 Triple Crown NE State Championship and World Champioinship Woman (can't remember her name) who is also on the ATA Board of Directors was there, along with the Current 7th to 9th degree Master who is currently the Triple Crown Holder for World Champioinships and one of the retired World Championship Head dudes that helped our Founding TKD Org and TKD Style Master Lee with some of the forms was there. They were all there to help judge! Not to mention a few other high ranking TKD folks who were helping to judge. Then for opening ceromonies after all the chitter that irritates ppl, they had a Korean group come in and did a whole Korean Dragon show with 4 dragons. It was AWESOME!
I managed to watch all of DeLaney's section and she did EXCELLENT for her first tourny! A Victory Medal (again 4th place) for forms and a 1st placing in Weapons out of 5 girls. She was the only ranking in her group. All the rest were higher ranking and a total of 8 girls ages 8-10. Sparring will come as we do more torunies. I didn't get to watch Coltin's because my section was called up and gettin started at the same time Coltin's was. So i relied on DeLaney to take pictures for me. Coltin also did EXCELLENT! He got a Victory Medal for 4th place in forms and got 3rd in Weapons out of 4 or 5 boys. There were three other boys the same ranking as he was and a total of 15 boys ages 8-10 that he had to compete against. Alas though Coltin wasn't able to spar. The ignorance of a Mamma and not knowing that lil boys had to have a cup. First who would have thought at that age group they require a cup. They have really nothing there:D So the judge (4th degree Dan) helped calm him down by letting him be the offical score keeper (usually reserved for BBs) and told him not to get mad at me cause us Mamma's don't always think of those things and just to have Daddy take him cup shopping before our next tourny!
There was about 10 of us women age grouped from 17-39 because there was only 3 girl for the 17-20 age group and the rest of us were the 30-39 age group. So instead of putting those 3 women off by themselves they just lumped them with us. Only two women did weapons (me and a higher ranking woman) and of course there was only 1 other woman at my rank and the rest of the women were either two ranks ahead of us or clear up to the rank below black belt. I did pretty good if I must say so! I got a Victory Medal (4th place) for forms, and the other Blue Belt Rank lady that didn't do weapons and the other Camo Rank (my rank) also got the Victory Medal, so in other words we tied for 4th place and since they only count 1-3 we didn't have to do what is called a Form off:P:D The other blue rank and I were the only ones that did Weapons. She got first and I got second. I didn't get to watch her form beause I was running over to Coltin's matt but EVERYONE said I got jipped out of 1st because I may have had my chucks do something funky twice, she dropper her weapon twice. The other Camo belt ranking goes to the same Academy as the Blue ranking women who took first and said she is either sleeping with the instructor or doing some massive kiss ass because they both started at teh same time and the Camo belt lady is right were she needs to be at and the other lady is two rankings higher then her now. Plus the 2nd Dan judge (Dan is the degree of black belt) is one of their Academies sister school instructors and Camo woman and the other ladies think that is why the lady who got first in weapons got it. I didn't see her weapons form and I dont' care. I placed!:D Again I did good in sparring didn't place but it was our first tourny and the judge even said once I get some things down I am going to be a force to be reckoned with because I don't just do kicks or just punches I do a lot of combos!
They were doing closing ceromonies by the time Coltin and I were done and getting changed and we were getting complements left and right on how well we all three did! The Triple Crown Lady went up to DeLaney and told her she was really impressed with her form and gave her a few tips to clean it up before testing and our in school tourny. Coltin's judge and the Men's Triple Crown Current Champion both told him he did great and the guy took Coltin up to another tourny matt and showed him what he could do to improve both his form and his weapons! I had the head guy that was retired and on board of directors show me a couple of arm and hand positions to help my sparring and complement all three of us and said that he is hoping to see us at some more tournies and asked why we weren't leadership yet. That he was watching all 3 of us all day long because he sat near us, and was really impressed with not only how well we did but how the kids and I were NOT shy and talked to EVERYONE and even helped out others in our postion of being first tourny. And he asked Coltin's judge if she would please find out why we weren't leadership. Coltin's judge is testing at World Championship with our insturctor for their 5th Dan BB and when I explained that I had leadership i just haven't taken it yet cause my kids didn't make it to open try outs and now have a invit try out after our in school tourny, the Host Master popped in and told Coltin's Judge (guess she is going to be at our tourny helping) to tell our instructor to get us in Leadership ASAP so we can start earing points!
Over all we did REALLY good, and I am proud of my kids. They went in to have fun and that is what they did! Sure they placed in weapons but that wasn't the goal. The goal was to get some experenice in and I delibreatly choose a BIG tourny to do it so they would get over the nervousness and here they both placed! We all are on a Marital Arts high today! It was late by the time we got out of Bellevue into Omaha and I decieded NOT to stop anywhere for food and we picked up Micky D's in IA before crossing BACK into NE on our way home, so we are going to the Olive Garden today for a celebration lunch!
I'll post pictures later (sorry none of me cause I was the only parent there to manage my two!) and wish us luck on preparing for our next rank testing this coming Saturday!
Regrets
By Joshua Tobler
By her tiny place we go,
Who are these strange boys I don’t know.
They are older, five or six,
Carrying stones and wooden sticks.
“Hey Alisa, who’s your friend?”
I look behind me. Dead end.
They grab her arm and pull her away.
She looks at me as if to say,
“Help me Josh, be strong for me.”
How I can save her I can’t see.
I know I must try to make her stay;
In the shame of fear, I turn away.
It’s no big; she fends them off;
She always could, she’s strong enough.
But I, her friend, am small and weak,
Afraid and timid, shy and meek.
Five years later, I stand in class,
Front kick, back kick, kick the butt.
Forms and one-steps, self-defense
I guess I’m pretty darn intense.
Blue belt, strong and confident
Sixth grade class, teacher’s pet.
They corner her outside the school.
I have to help. I’m just that cool.
I run to her aid, but then stop dead.
“Lexie lover!” the tyrant said.
I could not let her think of that;
Casually, as they beat her, I sat.
In shame that awful day I rue
For what the Tyrant said was true.
I loved her so, but was afraid.
That day, an awful friend I made.
Side kick, Roundhouse, Spinning hook,
“Yes sir!” the kids shout, by the book.
“Come gather near me, students dear.
I must erase from you your fear.”
I teach them that which I have learned.
Each thing they learn from me in turn
Must turn around to save a friend
And suffer not qualms in the end.
Nine years this March, half my years.
Second dan black belt, bought with tears,
And blood and sweat, and all my fright,
Am I ready, now, to stand and fight?
So I went down to activate my old Samsung flip phone because I haven't seen hide or tail of my razor in weeks. They charged me twenty dollars for a new SIM. Naturally, it wasn't three hours later that the razor showed up. My dad just kind of laughed, and said that if it made me feel any better, he'd forgive the twenty dollar debt for late ACT registration. I hate Murphy SO BAD!
Therefore, I have cell phone!
In other news, we're splitting martial arts into three seperate classes again. Yay for me! More hours and a much more favorable teacher-student ratio...especially since I'm the only teacher most days. Even Mrs. West is so busy with other studio affairs that she can't halp me some days. And nobody else comes in and helps. I always helped when I was a red/black belt. I'm just excited to have more students.
Rachel, Bethany, and Anna Marie. I think I've got them down now. If only I could keep the dozen or so Rebens straight. The only thing harder to remember than all my bloody forms are the names.
It was billed as “Grand Master- Gary Alexander & I.A.M.A. Board of Directors Hall of Fame Banquet & Awards Ceremony. On Nov. 17th, the International Association of Martial Arts inducted several martial art icons, including legendary practitioner/actor, Chuck Norris.
Area martial arts Master, Larry Waimon, was “pleasantly shocked” when “Shihan”, (Grand Master), Alexander notified me that I would be receiving a Hall of Fame award”; (the event held in Woodbridge, NJ). The award was presented to Waimon for his 40+-year involvement in the martial arts, specifically in the category of: Sr. Master, Police Tactics & Strategies. Waimon was granted title of Sr. Police Academy Instructor by the Chief of Police Association in Essex County, NJ, back in the mid-70’s.
Under the private tutelage of the 1964 Olympic Judo Champion & Coach, Momoru Shimamoto, Waimon received his Black Belt in 1975. “Once I started my police career, I quickly grasped the notion that the “bad-guys”, weren’t going to bow to me before whacking me on the noggin with a crow bar! I quickly changed my style to Goshin Justsu, which literally means- “Self Defense”, and is what the Japanese Police train in. Ever since, I’ve shared my skills & teachings with thousands of police recruits & veterans. Though never my livelihood, I have always maintained a nucleus of students, mostly comprised of “former” battered wives, victims of rape and molestation, bullied kids, or simply those who couldn’t afford the tuition for such training… Since retiring to the area, my focus has always been to make “difference”, not to make money. It remains my intention to educate ALL area citizens, and have furnished Safety/Prevention seminars all throughout both Warren & Washington County. From the mid-80’s on, I’ve provided such training at most area high schools & civic organizations and “always” remain available to furnish this for any group who request it; (there’s “never” a fee).
The ideology here is one initially fostered back in 1860 by Charles Dickens: “Prevention is better than Cure”, i.e., if you can “prevent” an attack or altercation, you can avoid the need to address a “physical” response. All seminar participants are “astonished” to realize how simple it is to “avoid” tragedy, and physicality/ability & technique are not the significant part of my presentations. Attendees are “astonished” to realize that about 90% of all assaults can be either avoided all together, or greatly mitigated by such “awareness” training! Most importantly, I teach all to adapt a “proactive” vs. “reactive” mind-set…
My “promise” to all who attend, is that they will know “more” about self-empowerment & defense upon leaving the event, than they knew coming into it! All have a great time, and no one ever gets hurt!
That said, on December 15th. I plan to offer the most ambitious seminar & fundraiser I’ve ever involved myself in. This will be a “family oriented event, and is neither gender nor age specific. A $10 per person donation will be appreciated, and for a family of up to 4 members, $25 is requested. 100% of funds raised will be benefiting a Gulf War Vet, Christopher Gibeault of Glens Falls. I read his recent commentary in the Post Star; it accentuated the “outrage” many of us feel re: how returning war vets are being treated, (or mis-treated re: their care or lack-there-of). Chris suffers from various injuries, but most notably, in inability to chew food. In part due to the ravages of Diabetes, he has few remaining teeth, and constant infection is adding to his suffering. My goal is to raise enough to pay for dentures; this cost is $2,400.
To help kick this effort off, I’ve already discovered some “heroes” in our midst, those who like myself, wish to offer more than mere kind words or outrage. Dan Saville of Glens Falls, a Trustee of the Eagles Club in So. Glens Falls, asked and received permission, “without charge”, to use the Eagles Club facility to hold the event. Additionally, the October fest Committee of American Legion Post 574 of Hudson Falls has pledged $200 towards this effort. But my dentist, Dr. Mitchell Cohen, (Lake George & Ft. Edward), truly has “stunned” me with his selflessness! Dr. Cohen, (a Marine Vet himself), has already provided the initial assessment & has taken x-rays. He will take the impressions and extract his remaining teeth, & do all the periodic denture adjustments for the next 6 months, “without charge”!
For those wishing to attend this seminar on the 15th. The address is 80 Main Street, So Glens Falls; it will be held at 2:00pm and please call me for further details and to make reservations. I can be reached at: 761-6735. If you can’t make this event but wish to help, please feel free to call me. For any local companies who wish to offer such training for their staff, again, I urge you to call. Truly, this is a Win/Win event for both participants and this deserving Vet. It’s “our” chance to finally do more for these returning veterans than to merely offer “verbal” support or appall over the way they’re being neglected…
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