Hey everyone, I doubt that anyone even is paying attention to these anymore but I stumbled across my old blog and remembered that I had said I would continue to keep posting every once in a while. Last time I was writing on this blog, I was still going to school and taking a lot of classes. I would have kept doing my blog, but the semester ended and I had to use my time resourcefully in order to keep my grades up. I am now an early graduate, which feels pretty good...but my work still isn't done. Everything has changed, so I decided to catch up the people who are still paying attention. The last tournament I went to was in January 2017. Before the new year, I had some difficulties with all types of things, so I guess angst and anger just built up in time for me to use it wisely. January 28, 2017 - Shasta High School , another Scott Halsey tournament, and I wasn't shook for a minute. I practiced in private as soon as I got there. My morning consisted of stretching and practicing. I had the mindset of "I won't take anything other than 1st place", even though I was injured. So finally my division is set up and all of the competitors line up to show the judges what they got. I look around, I am surrounded by six, tall, big, young men, I still wasn't shook. Especially when it came to Kata (Forms). I had been thinking about my injury and how it impacts me and the way I fight. But I consider tournaments to be just practicing for street fights. 99% of the time I do not know anyone in the ring with me, which makes it a challenge because I do not know the type of fighter they are until they throw something. Since I have been fighting since I was 6 years old, I learned how most people like to fight just by experiencing. I have learned a lot of different techniques that allow me to see what hand or leg is about to be thrown, which is very useful. In the tournament, my name gets called and it is time for me to show the judges what I have been practicing. I performed Long Form 2 and Short Form 3 combined, and by the end I was winded. I took 2nd place, and I was proud. I congratulated all other competitors, but it was time to get my sparring gear on. It was time for Kumite (Sparring). As everyone lines up with their gear on my heart starts pumping full of adrenaline. I love to fight. I only fought 4 people because the rings are divided by experience, so you wont see a black belt just beating the crap out of a white belt because it wouldn't be considered fair. The first guy I went up against was bulky and tall, about 6 foot probably. After we bowed to the judges and each other, the clock was running. I observed how he was moving and I observed how he threw his hands. He was a slow fighter, heavy weight. I knew what I had to do. I started to move around faster, jumping from place to place. After he would attempt to strike, I moved and bounced back in to strike. "Point" I hear. A minute later I had won the match. After all the other people fought I was fighting for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. So two more fights to do and it will be over. The next guy I went up against was tall and slender, so I knew he would be quicker. He had long legs and he used them to his advantage, but it wasn't stopping me...what was starting stop me was the aching pain in my ribs and chest... but I kept fighting. We were at the death match, which is next point wins... so we were both very ambitious and nervous because we knew whoever won is going to the next round and the other person would be out. His legs and kicks were his problem though. He started getting cocky, and as he threw a kick, i shuffled in and strike his ribs to win the match. The last match was a bigger and bulkier dude again, and I could already tell he was going to try to take advantage of my size. We bowed in, and he threw hands fast but I'm faster so I dodged them. I threw my punches and got my two points, one more point and I would win. But then the time ran up and it was death match, he had one point and I had two. We bowed back in... and we were both hitting hard and there wasn't much stopping. I remember just running him around the ring but trying to avoid his hits and as i threw a kick and hit him in the stomach, he punched my ribs, landing the visible point. Down I went, as soon as they announced the match was over and he won, I fell over grabbing my ribs... now knowing that I tore my muscles too far this time. I stood up, and took 2nd place, but after that I had took a break from karate. I still am injured with a muscle problem, that the doctors still can't explain why I have it. All I know is, my dreams are on hold. My black belt is on hold, and my freedom feels revoked. After growing up at a dojo in my karate studio.. I feel homesick when I can't be there. But I rather wait then be hurt for life. In the meantime I graduated a year early, and got my drivers license, and now I'm traveling for the summer, waiting to get back to doing what I love.
