Champion at Last

This weekend we went to Franklin for a Taekwondo Tournament. Franklin is quite a ways away, it takes an hour to drive there.  One thing about participating in a non-traditional sport is the lack of close competition.  We very often drive an hour to tournaments. 

This particular tournament was very small.  The first year we came here, Lynette's friend from class won grand champion in youth color belt form, and last year Nathan won Grand Champion in youth black belt form.

With students from our school taking a grand champion two years in a row, Lynette was just eaten up with the desire to win a grand champion trophy herself. 

And that is part of the problem.  While the desire to win goes a long way, it needs to be backed up with hard work in practicing the skills needed.  And Lynette was in a slump.  She has been unsettled ever since our school changed instructors.  She has been used to being instructed with a mature teacher with plenty of experience under his third degree black belt, and now is being taught by college students with very little experience.  It is a difficult adjustment because she needs to take more responsibility for her own learning.  To see where she needs to improve and be proactive in asking for it, and working on it.  Thus, her attitude has been down, where it is usually over the top. 

Competing Saturday, made  a big difference.  There weren't enough adults (16+) for judging, so she was elected to help out, even though she is 15.  So, it was a big day, first the board breaking, which she had a cool break and I had a camera operator glitch, and not only got bad pictures, I couldn't get the video going. 

So, you'll just have to use your imagination. She did a jump double break with both legs split, and came down immediately to a hammer fist on the ground. She didn't break the left board the first time, but did the second and got a first. She has trouble with that left leg.  (She can do this, really.)

Then is was judge, judge, judge, forms, padded sword sparring, regular sparring.  And her first time, too.  She did very well, her scores were compatible with the older judges.  It is nerve wracking work, but that is part of the deal when you get to be a black belt.  There are responsibilities as well as the fun.

Then came the form part of the competition.  Lynette does forms very well, but she wasn't as prepared as she could have been or as confident.  And, she knows that her teammate (the one who won grand champion two years ago) can blow her away in forms.  And she did.  Lynette got third, removing any chance of getting a grand champion trophy in forms. 

She was MAD.  I knew it.  It was the kind of mad that spurs Lynette on to really good performance.  It's the kind of mad that works really well when sparring is the next event.  I knew what was going on in her mind.  She was going to win that event, no matter what.  And she did.  I have never seen her spar that hard or with such determination.  And where some people when they get mad, they spar so aggressively, someone gets hurt or they get warnings.  But not Lynette.  She was quick, and clean, and fast.  She was in a division with 5 young women all older than she was.  She won the first match by four points, the second match by two.  And then the final match, for first and grand champion women's sparring, she was facing two 2 minute rounds.  At the end of the first two minutes the girls were tied 3-3, Lynette would get a point, and her partner would match it.  Lynette said she knew she needed a bigger margin, and pushed up a notch to make a two point spread just as the match ended. 

She did it.  And she was happy!  And we were proud.  I was so nervous through the whole match.

  

 Not very many people go to a TKD tournament.  Usually all the people there are competitors and sometimes some extra family.  Not all the competitors even stay to the very end. 

Here is a picture of what a tournament is for the competitors and the spectators:

The competitor has to be able to set up her board breaks, tell the judges what she is going to break, give warning, and break.  They are judged on a 9.0 scale.  

Set up 

Ready,... jump.

Forms

Well, here is NOT a picture of what a tournament is like, since I can't get the videos to load.

Accepting 3rd Place

Judging

Sparring

No video here either.

At the end of the first 2 minute match.

First Place

Grand Champion

I think she looks pretty pleased with herself!