Five Cities Keichu-Do:
Daniel Prewett - 1st in Team Sparring, 4th in Sparring
Matthew Miller - 1st in Team Kata
Benjamin Prewett - 1st in Team Kata, 2nd in Weapons
Miriam Prewett - 1st in Team Kata, 3rd in Weapons, 3rd in Kata
Rebecca Prewett - 1st in Kata, 3rd in Weapons
Santa Maria Keichu-Do:
Sarah Hickman - 1st in Chanbara, 2nd in Kata, 3rd in Weapons, 3rd in Sparring
Monday, March 21, 2005
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Just train
On Saturday afternoon, during a break between the end of competition and the beginning of finals, Sensei Danny Gilliland and Sempai Kristin Gilliland took the time to critique some of Miriam's and my weapons and empty-hand kata. I was tired from judging, from competing, and from a long day after a late night. My back hurt. The last thing I wanted to do was wave some metal weapons around or attempt to move. Since I was going on to finals, I was ready to give myself some sort of lame excuse about needing to rest and conserve what little energy I had.
I'm glad I didn't flake out.
Instead, I reminded myself of how little time I have to receive direct instruction and how frustrated I've been over my sai kata. Here was the opportunity I'd been almost desperately awaiting. I wasn't being asked to go through some grueling, lengthy class. Just do a kata or two...
Afterwards, I felt rejuvenated. I had a list of things that I needed to work on. I'd had a number of corrections pointed out and suggestions given for ways that I could improve. Techniques had been explained to me. I felt as if I'd been given not only new information, but new tools.
The day before, two high-ranking black belt women had drawn me aside and given me some excellent advice for improving my bo kata.
This year at Nationals was not only fun, but I think that, at least for me, it represented the vision that Grandmaster Trias had when he originally founded the United States Karate Association---that martial artists of different schools and even styles would come together and learn from one another.
One of the things that I enjoy as a judge is the opportunity to "give back". Just as I've benefitted, and continue to benefit, from those who take the time to offer me suggestions for improvement, I try to do the same for others.
It was tempting to stay in bed this morning and not go to any seminars. But I knew I would regret that. I've never regretted training. I've never regretted learning something of value.
Just train. In season and out of season. Whether you feel like it or not. It's always worth the effort. Just train. Hhhhmmmm...maybe someone should put that as a slogan on the back of a t-shirt...
I'm glad I didn't flake out.
Instead, I reminded myself of how little time I have to receive direct instruction and how frustrated I've been over my sai kata. Here was the opportunity I'd been almost desperately awaiting. I wasn't being asked to go through some grueling, lengthy class. Just do a kata or two...
Afterwards, I felt rejuvenated. I had a list of things that I needed to work on. I'd had a number of corrections pointed out and suggestions given for ways that I could improve. Techniques had been explained to me. I felt as if I'd been given not only new information, but new tools.
The day before, two high-ranking black belt women had drawn me aside and given me some excellent advice for improving my bo kata.
This year at Nationals was not only fun, but I think that, at least for me, it represented the vision that Grandmaster Trias had when he originally founded the United States Karate Association---that martial artists of different schools and even styles would come together and learn from one another.
One of the things that I enjoy as a judge is the opportunity to "give back". Just as I've benefitted, and continue to benefit, from those who take the time to offer me suggestions for improvement, I try to do the same for others.
It was tempting to stay in bed this morning and not go to any seminars. But I knew I would regret that. I've never regretted training. I've never regretted learning something of value.
Just train. In season and out of season. Whether you feel like it or not. It's always worth the effort. Just train. Hhhhmmmm...maybe someone should put that as a slogan on the back of a t-shirt...
Chanbara in action at Nationals
One of the aspects of Nationals that I look forward to is the opportunity to attend the different seminars offered the day after the tournament ends.
This year, I took part in three seminars: an excellent self-defense instructors certification course taught by Sensei Maria Evans-Colgan, a basic sai class taught by Bruce Heilman, and the always fun and exciting chanbara seminar taught by Tim Vandenover. By the time that last class was almost over, I was exhausted. But it was worth it!
This year, I took part in three seminars: an excellent self-defense instructors certification course taught by Sensei Maria Evans-Colgan, a basic sai class taught by Bruce Heilman, and the always fun and exciting chanbara seminar taught by Tim Vandenover. By the time that last class was almost over, I was exhausted. But it was worth it!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Daniel facing his opponent
It takes guts to be the smallest one in your division and fight kids who are more than a head taller than you. I'm immensely proud of my boy.
Saturday at Nationals
Today was the day for kata and sparring. The competition seems to get tougher each year in our divisions. I was proud of all of us.
Sarah Hickman took 2nd place in kata and 3rd in sparring. I wasn't able to see her kata, but I was told that she had never looked stronger.
Miriam's kata also had to go on without me. She took 3rd place in a tough division and felt pretty good about her performance.
I was delighted to take a National Championship (my first!) in kata, even if it was a tiny division of us "old fogie" black belt women.
Daniel did me proud by taking 4th place in sparring in a division that seemed to be populated by giants.
It was really fun to be able to compete in the Finals with all the "big dogs"---the black belts who had won their respective divisions.
Watching Jeff Crothers win the Men's Black Belt Kumite Grand Championship was an exciting end to a wonderful day.
Sarah Hickman took 2nd place in kata and 3rd in sparring. I wasn't able to see her kata, but I was told that she had never looked stronger.
Miriam's kata also had to go on without me. She took 3rd place in a tough division and felt pretty good about her performance.
I was delighted to take a National Championship (my first!) in kata, even if it was a tiny division of us "old fogie" black belt women.
Daniel did me proud by taking 4th place in sparring in a division that seemed to be populated by giants.
It was really fun to be able to compete in the Finals with all the "big dogs"---the black belts who had won their respective divisions.
Watching Jeff Crothers win the Men's Black Belt Kumite Grand Championship was an exciting end to a wonderful day.
First Night of Competition
Competition got off to an exciting start on Friday night, which featured seven different events: Weapons, Team Kata, Team Sparring, Chanbara, Musical Kata, Koshiki, and Chanbara. Quite a number of these are events that we don't train for and thus we weren't competing in them.
I was proud of our team. We faced some tough competition in our events, but deserve to be pleased with how well each one of us did.
The results:
Team Kata - Our team, "California Keichu", consisting of Matthew Miller, Miriam and Benjamin Prewett, took 1st place!
Team Sparring - Daniel was on a team with two students from other dojos. They took 1st place!
Weapons - Benjamin, Matthew, and Michael Hickman competed against each other in a really tough advanced division. Benjamin took a well-deserved 2nd place. Miriam and Sensei both took 3rd places in their divisions, as did Sarah Hickman.
Chanbara - Sarah Hickman was the only one of us who placed in this event. She took 1st place in a tiny division.
I was proud of our team. We faced some tough competition in our events, but deserve to be pleased with how well each one of us did.
The results:
Team Kata - Our team, "California Keichu", consisting of Matthew Miller, Miriam and Benjamin Prewett, took 1st place!
Team Sparring - Daniel was on a team with two students from other dojos. They took 1st place!
Weapons - Benjamin, Matthew, and Michael Hickman competed against each other in a really tough advanced division. Benjamin took a well-deserved 2nd place. Miriam and Sensei both took 3rd places in their divisions, as did Sarah Hickman.
Chanbara - Sarah Hickman was the only one of us who placed in this event. She took 1st place in a tiny division.
Friday, March 18, 2005
We are here!
We arrived late yesterday afternoon in Albuquerque and quickly arranged to meet our student Matthew Miller and his father for dinner. Once back at the hotel, it was fun to mingle with old friends (including the Hickmans) and fellow competitors.
Today's competitive events do not begin until later this afternoon.
Today's competitive events do not begin until later this afternoon.
Dining Car
Last year we traveled by coach; this year we were in the sleeper car. We felt as if we were in the lap of luxury as we enjoyed meals in the dining car. One of us commented that it was like being in an old-fashioned movie.
On our way to Nationals!
Last year, there were a bunch of us at the San Bernadino train station: not only the Hickmans and us, but a good-sized group from Jack Castillo's and Frank Castillo's dojos and a number of friends and family seeing us off. This year, the party atmosphere was missing, as just four Prewetts boarded the train.
We enjoyed the scenery during train trip, especially seeing the patches of snow in the dessert.
We enjoyed the scenery during train trip, especially seeing the patches of snow in the dessert.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Countdown to Nationals
This morning Benjamin and I were at the Santa Maria dojo to run through our weapons kata a few times. We got kind of a late start, so we were still there when the new tenant came in. He and his wife have done a tremeendous amount of work to get the place ready for their students and Soke's students to share.
I don't know if we're the first of Soke's students to work out on the new flooring or not. The floor is raised a few inches, which we joked made us feel strangely taller. The surface is carpet, which we are used to working on at Five Cities Keichu. However, it's a special padded carpet, designed for cheerleading and gymnatics. It's actually not at all a bad workout surface, although it has a different "feel" during kata than we've experienced before. But, then again, we've done kata on so many different surfaces (a variety of mats, wooden gym floors, hotel carpets, commercial carpets, home carpets, linoleum, laminate flooring, grass, sand, gravel, concrete, etc.) that we've grown used to adapting to whatever is under foot.
Students who are training Sankyu Ni or Nikyu Ni will, I imagine, love this floor!
I don't know if we're the first of Soke's students to work out on the new flooring or not. The floor is raised a few inches, which we joked made us feel strangely taller. The surface is carpet, which we are used to working on at Five Cities Keichu. However, it's a special padded carpet, designed for cheerleading and gymnatics. It's actually not at all a bad workout surface, although it has a different "feel" during kata than we've experienced before. But, then again, we've done kata on so many different surfaces (a variety of mats, wooden gym floors, hotel carpets, commercial carpets, home carpets, linoleum, laminate flooring, grass, sand, gravel, concrete, etc.) that we've grown used to adapting to whatever is under foot.
Students who are training Sankyu Ni or Nikyu Ni will, I imagine, love this floor!
Monday, March 14, 2005
The new look
This is how the dojo looked this morning. As far as I can tell, the new floor is almost finished being installed. If I have time before leaving for Nationals, I'll try to get an updated photo posted.
Where have all the blue mats gone?
This is how the Santa Maria dojo looked early last Friday morning, March 11. Obviously, some people had been very busy the night before.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Sunrise March 8th
OK, this picture has absolutely nothing to do with Keichu or the martial arts. However, it was taken by the same person who took the previous picture in my blog, the one of his/her son kicking on the beach at sunrise.
And this photo is just so beautiful that I had to share it.
And this photo is just so beautiful that I had to share it.
Sunrise Karate Picture
I found this wonderful picture online. Someday I'm going to head to the beach to train at sunset since, of course, we don't have beautiful beach sunrises in my part of the world.
Mykel Wahl
On February 11, 2005, Philip Wahl (a student at Five Cities Keichu-Do) lost his older brother Mykel in a tragic accident. We were working out at the Santa Maria dojo, training with weapons, when we got the news of Mykel's accident.
Friends and family have set up a tribute website for Mykel
Although I never knew Mykel (the closest I ever got to meeting him was seeing him in our church parking lot after class) his death still had a profound impact on me. Yesterday, through a somewhat serendipitous set of circumstances, I ended up purchasing a Paul Chen reproduction of a Viking sword and I haven't been able to stop thinking of Mykel...
Friends and family have set up a tribute website for Mykel
Although I never knew Mykel (the closest I ever got to meeting him was seeing him in our church parking lot after class) his death still had a profound impact on me. Yesterday, through a somewhat serendipitous set of circumstances, I ended up purchasing a Paul Chen reproduction of a Viking sword and I haven't been able to stop thinking of Mykel...
Changes at the Santa Maria Dojo
For those of you who have not been in Soke's dojo this past week, you are probably unaware of the dramatic changes that are taking place. In a nutshell:
The Evergreen Shopping Center, where the dojo is located, has been purchased by another landlord. They have a long term renovation plan; however, in the meantime, they are raising rents. The new rent rate left Soke in a dilemma, since it was significantly more than the dojo could afford. Obviously some changes were necessary.
The good news is that Soke found someone to sublease the dojo space and share the costs. This is great news for Soke's current students (you still have your dojo!) but there will be a few changes:
1. Class Schedule. Soke's classes will now be on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Fridays will no longer be available for open gym.
2. The mats have been replaced with a special gymnastics floor. I understand that this type of floor is simply awesome for judo throws. No more complaints about the blue puzzle mats being too hard or there not being enough space on the black mat!
I would encourage all of the Santa Maria students to keep training even harder and smarter than before. Take advantage of the new floor's special capabilities. Enjoy the energy of larger combined classes. Give your training in Keichu your best efforts .
The Evergreen Shopping Center, where the dojo is located, has been purchased by another landlord. They have a long term renovation plan; however, in the meantime, they are raising rents. The new rent rate left Soke in a dilemma, since it was significantly more than the dojo could afford. Obviously some changes were necessary.
The good news is that Soke found someone to sublease the dojo space and share the costs. This is great news for Soke's current students (you still have your dojo!) but there will be a few changes:
1. Class Schedule. Soke's classes will now be on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Fridays will no longer be available for open gym.
2. The mats have been replaced with a special gymnastics floor. I understand that this type of floor is simply awesome for judo throws. No more complaints about the blue puzzle mats being too hard or there not being enough space on the black mat!
I would encourage all of the Santa Maria students to keep training even harder and smarter than before. Take advantage of the new floor's special capabilities. Enjoy the energy of larger combined classes. Give your training in Keichu your best efforts .
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