M.S.K.F National
Competition
Ÿ
Karate Comp 25th November 2007
Ÿ
Better late than never, after a busy but amazingly
swift Christmas period (though a non-party period all the
same!), the review of the MSKF 2007 Inter-Club Competition is
here. What
you’ve all been waiting for.
Not…
From a personal point of
view, I was incredibly nervous on the morning, even though I
really thought I wouldn’t be this time.
One of the most impressive aspects was the conduct of
all the children competing in the kata category- they were
first up, and all seemed to remember to bow and walk on as
told. The hall was
adequately spacious, and though some found it a bit slippy, it
wasn’t as uncomfortable for the kata competitors as
expected. The
scoring system paid off well, giving the Referees ample
opportunity to exact their judging wisdom, whilst a select
number of certain parents were on hand to note down the scores
instead. Certain
students shone through as always, and a number of brilliant
katas were performed on the day, with incredible stances,
sharpness and strength shown.
Positioning was another plus point, and advice gleaned
from the excellent Jonathan Mottram course various students
attended certainly appears to have proliferated many clubs and
is proving its use now. Common
consensus had the judges looking for power displayed in kata
more than anything, and finding winners was no easy task, with
numerous ties in each category heightening the drama for
nerve-frazzled friends and relatives.
The standard in kata was the highest I have certainly
seen (though that isn’t particularly meaningful) and it’s
heartening to see the progress we all know we’ve made as an
organisation on display. Team
kata’s were fantastic, from the most junior competitors
upwards, and the effort those certain karateka had invested
was not only fantastic but obvious.
To keep the style, excitement and pacing with such
panache was a feat accomplished by many teams, again resulting
in a close contest.
Hopefully 2008 will see us compete in wider regional
and national competitions, perhaps individually, perhaps as an
organisation, and based on our collective current form I’d
wager we’d do a sterling job, adding to each club’s trophy
cabinet. But I’m
just a poor impoverished student, so don’t hold me to it!
I was a total observer for
the kumite section, and was duly bowled over by the skill,
speed and tenacity on display.
There were some awesome competitors, making me feel
very glad at times that I was safely ensconced on the
sidelines! However,
the professionalism and spirit showed by every grade added to
the enjoyment of the competition, particularly Team Kumite,
which was as exciting as any live Premier League match shown
every weekend. I’m
sure there are other organisations out there just as skilled
and efficient as us, so hopefully, in national terms at least,
karate will take its place in competitive sport in some form
or another, some time soon.
Thanks
Emma.Whitney
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