On Any Given Day......

Once upon a time in a land far, far away… I think that is how good stories are to begin.

 

I was a minor competitor in the old Region 10, which was much a part of Pennslyvania.  Individual entered Black Belt competition for many reasons. In my case not being with one of my Isshinryu instructors, and training myself, I realize that the competition was about the best way to push myself that I could find.

 

This was before the internet, back then the most informed information about the arts outside of your instructor or friends in their arts, was the internet. And of course the information there was a fraught with bad information as the internet is today.

 

The definition of what karate was (outside of your system) at that time was a bit more open than people believe in today. If you stepped on the floor and held your own, it was karate, and possibly would proper – or not.

 

I primarily competed in Kata and Kobudo. And the competition was fierce there. There are judges then who can remember those days. Pat Burns, Bruce Heilman, John Hamilton, Rom Martin among others. And the competitors with all their skill, some of them to become National Champions, by the standards of that day. They drew in other National level champions to contest against them too. It was pretty heady stuff to be on the same floor as them.

 

I just want to recall one memory that might make that point.

 

Back then when competitors tied for first place, the had to compete again. And in kobudo the competitor who only had one form to compete with was at a disadvantage. The competitor who could perform a different kata with a different weapon had an advantage.

 

Well, as I recall I was in the same division as Cindy Rothrock, and another of the competitors was a senior student of Manny Agrella  Edward Hampton (if my memory serves me right.

 

Suffice it to say, for me it was another practice session. However Cindy and Edward,

(1)That day they tied, then had to do another kata, (2)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon. Again they tied. (3)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon. Again they tied. (4)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon.  Yet another tune they tied. (5)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon.

 

That’s right 5 times they tied, and they used 5 different weapons that day.

 

The fact that they had or borrowed so many different weapons to compete, gives testimony to the lengths they took their training.

 

I am not sure who won, my memory remembers the day, but not the outcome.

 

It was a different time. Perhaps the time pushed the competitors just as well.

 

Were they the best? After seeing so many fine forms over those years I know there were many times many who were skilled. A different time, a different day and anything might happen.