UKA Karate Tournament

Went to the UKA Karate Tournament on Saturday 18th July in Eureka, about 30 miles from home. Hubby and I turned up on time and watched students perform katas for the judges.  I was surprised to see a white belt competing, and some orange belts like me.  The white belt got second by virtue of there being only two people in her class.

There was a flock of kids age 6 and under, including one fierce little girl with cute pink sparring gear.  Pink!  My gear is black, and Karen says if I get pink gear I need to find a new instructor...  The kids sparring was all energy and no strategy, lots of flailing fists and feet and running at their opponents.

The people from Tracy's turned up for the sparring (two hours after the tournament started), and won everything.  Watched Karen take women's senior black belt sparring, then take on the younger women's black belt sparring winner to go home with the Grand Champion women's sparring title, and I saw her using plays she's taught me.  The initial stance the Tracy's crowd used is very different to the other schools, and it seems to work.  Saw another instructor, Dan, punch his opponent's helmet off, the men's black belt sparring went to a Tracy's fighter from Chesterfield.

Talked about the tournament at my next lesson, and we worked on some sparring moves that Karen used in her fights.  I need to work on actually hitting my opponent.  Nice girls don't hit, but Kenpo isn't about being nice...