Four Metamora Martial Arts students competed at the 2024 Bill Auvenshine Memorial Tournament in Springfield yesterday.
Events at the tournament included Forms and Sparring.
Half of our competitors entered a tournament for the first time, and I’m really happy with how well they prepared.
Tournaments are not required for our students to be promoted, but they do offer several benefits:
- Extra practice outside of regular class
- Helping to assess whether a student is coachable
- Listening and following directions
- Building relationships
- Being exposed to other martial artists of different styles and ranks
All of the students in the rings I judged and watched did well, and their instructors should be proud of them. Competing is exciting but nerve-wracking, so it’s a feat to control that energy.
Black belts were instructed before the competition that this event wasn’t the Olympics.
No scholarships were on the line.
We were there to help ensure good sportsmanship all around and that competitors learned something.
I hope we accomplished that and that athletes and their families felt they had a good experience.
Paul
- 2nd place forms (he performed Anaku)
- 2nd place sparring
This was Paul’s 3rd competition following the 2022 Midwest Open in Decatur at the 2023 Ironworks Open.
Aiyden
This was Aiyden’s second competition following the 2023 Ironworks Open.
- 1st place forms (he performed Pinan Shodan)
- 1st place sparring
Roger
Both Roger and his sister Elizabeth competed in their first tournaments.
- 3rd place forms (he performed Pinan Shodan)
- 3rd place sparring
Elizabeth
- 3rd place forms (she performed Fukyu Gata Ni)
If you or your child is interested in competing, we have a class coming on Wednesday evenings beginning May 1, 2024.
