Although not without its fair share of problems (I won't go into detail; after my last post, I promised Lauren I'd refrain from negative commentary), the Quebec Open offers the most spectacular night show on the entire NASKA circuit. The event draws THOUSANDS of live spectators, and between the size of the arena, the lighting, and the giant display hanging over the stage, this feels more like a rock concert.
Historically, this tournament has been a good one for our team. Tyrei and Jessica both had their first-ever night show appearances here, and Mackensi had her first-ever overall grands win on this stage. And while we added to our Quebec Open winning streak, there were definitely many other excellent performances as well.
Here are the Top Five picks from the Quebec Open! (Six, actually...)
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JInNjSvg-Mk
Making it to the runoffs for the first time this year, Straight Up's Sammi Arbiz impressed me with her tricks. I haven't personally seen her compete in quite some time, and she's improved tremendously since then. I hope we'll be seeing more of her in the coming months.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJefFkkW2wo
Another first-timer in this year's runoffs, Dante Rodrigues looks stronger than ever. If he continues at this rate, it'll only be a matter of time before we see him on a night show stage. With his parents being who they are, he's certainly got sport karate in his blood.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmF1QCJZ3pI
Ross Kohnstam has been a personal favorite of mine for as long as I've been doing this. Quiet and unassuming, he's not a kid who thrusts himself into the spotlight. But he's incredibly talented, and deserving of much more attention than he gets. This weekend he made it all the way to the Overall Grands, as seen here.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuernNFDXbI
We've been seeing quite a lot of Kaelyn Whaley in the Overall Grands this year. And this time, she made it there by winning ALL FOUR of her runoffs divisions. This is only the second time in the last two seasons that a youth competitor has pulled off this feat. (The other was Stephanie Figueroa at Twin Towers last year.) This is Kaelyn's traditional form performance on stage.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IurFQ7AwqHo
Amerikick team member Tyler Titus had a huge weekend! It was his first time in the Overall Grands, and after drops by both of the other competitors, he won the big prize. What a stage to do it on! If he makes it to more World Tour events, I have no doubt we'll see him on stage again.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sft5HO3cRg
I first saw Brendan Rasinski perform early in 2010, and I knew right away he was someone we'd want on our team. A protege of Will Cornell, Brendan's traditional forms have a very solid look about them. He joined our team early in 2011, and has made it to stage several times since then. But this weekend he won the Overall Grands for the first time. Brendan often tells me it's his life's ambition to make the Top Five. I'm sure he must be joking, as nobody even reads this thing. But on this day (as Drew Bisbee would say), Brendan's number one on the list.
What do you think? Who would you pick from the Quebec Open? Speak up in the comments!
Just my thoughts about the wacky world of sport karate. For now.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Top Ten from OSGN
CENSORED!!
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeRllhj6ueM
Newly-minted Change the Game team member Casey Welsh was the ONLY competitor to beat Lady Jade in any regular division this weekend. This is her winning performance in creative weapons. Casey gets stronger every time I watch her; I have no doubt she's going to be a big name in this sport in the years to come.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af8yt2UCIRE
Micah's unstoppable force crashed against the immovable objects known as Matt Emig and Marc Canonizado when he hit the adult divisions this year. But Friday night at OSGN, Micah came very close to breaking through. The judges overlooked a mistake in Matt's Musical Form, denying Micah the win. But he was a close second, finishing ahead of Marc. Clearly, he's on the right track.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvqF2XfZaVU
Speaking of big breakthroughs, Steven So had one in musical forms this weekend. He's won creative a few times now, but this win provided him with his first opportunity to trick in the runoffs. If he keeps going like this, a stage appearance will be right around the corner.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SabV6SSWOns
Emma Teo hit the black belt divisions this year, and has already made one appearance on this blog. But this weekend she made it to stage for the first time, winning the traditional weapons runoffs. Now inquiring minds want to know if this victory will be enough to earn her a promotion to Team AKA... :-)
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlzFDxEUABU
Lady Jade Miles made her first appearance at a World Tour event this year in Philadelphia. But she had to leave before the runoffs on Saturday. In her absence, we've seen lots of new names emerge from the 12-13 girls. But this weekend, LJ shut down the entire division, winning 6 of her 7 events, and all three of her runoffs. This is her first stage appearance in 2012. It certainly will not be her last.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLsSjtMsfVQ
Not since the days of DX has the NASKA circuit seen wushu at the level of Austin Jorgensen. I've always been a huge wushu fan, and I love seeing performances like this on the night show stage. Austin didn't get the win here, but he's going to be a force to contend with this year for sure.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSOFJyUE7oE
Just two weeks ago, I noted that Mackensi Emory had become the first girl to win a youth overall grand championship this year. Now it's happened again. Sammy Smith won the overall forms grands on Saturday night, after becoming the first girl to win both the CMX forms AND weapons runoffs earlier that day. I'm going to make a prediction that we're going to see a head-to-head battle between Mackensi and Sammy on the ISKA stage this year. In the meantime, the 14-17 girls division continues to be the most competitive youth category on the circuit.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WecKAQDzIoA
So far this year, the 13-under overall forms grands have been a battle between Dallas Liu and Danny Etkin. Those two traded wins back and forth at the first four tournaments. But this weekend, Aidan Considine broke that cycle. Not only did he make it to stage for the first time this year, but he won his first overall grands ever. Looks like this division just became a three-man race.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOk121E5x44
Although he had a small mistake on stage, leaving the door open for Sammy Smith, Austin Crain's performance in the CMX Forms runoffs was perhaps the most exciting of the entire weekend. Austin got some incredible air on his tricks, and turned in one of the strongest performances of his long career.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3M2czDzemQ
If you're looking for personal bias, I'm guilty as charged when it comes to Matt Emig. I'm pretty sure he's my favorite competitor of all-time. After all these years, he makes every performance look like it's the most important of his life; he seems to pour his very soul into every competition. And this weekend he managed a double overall grands win--again. This is an uncommon feat in the adult mens divisions at a fully-attended tournament. But I suspect it won't be the last time he pulls it off.
That's it for this installment; we'll see everyone next week in Quebec!
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeRllhj6ueM
Newly-minted Change the Game team member Casey Welsh was the ONLY competitor to beat Lady Jade in any regular division this weekend. This is her winning performance in creative weapons. Casey gets stronger every time I watch her; I have no doubt she's going to be a big name in this sport in the years to come.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af8yt2UCIRE
Micah's unstoppable force crashed against the immovable objects known as Matt Emig and Marc Canonizado when he hit the adult divisions this year. But Friday night at OSGN, Micah came very close to breaking through. The judges overlooked a mistake in Matt's Musical Form, denying Micah the win. But he was a close second, finishing ahead of Marc. Clearly, he's on the right track.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvqF2XfZaVU
Speaking of big breakthroughs, Steven So had one in musical forms this weekend. He's won creative a few times now, but this win provided him with his first opportunity to trick in the runoffs. If he keeps going like this, a stage appearance will be right around the corner.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SabV6SSWOns
Emma Teo hit the black belt divisions this year, and has already made one appearance on this blog. But this weekend she made it to stage for the first time, winning the traditional weapons runoffs. Now inquiring minds want to know if this victory will be enough to earn her a promotion to Team AKA... :-)
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlzFDxEUABU
Lady Jade Miles made her first appearance at a World Tour event this year in Philadelphia. But she had to leave before the runoffs on Saturday. In her absence, we've seen lots of new names emerge from the 12-13 girls. But this weekend, LJ shut down the entire division, winning 6 of her 7 events, and all three of her runoffs. This is her first stage appearance in 2012. It certainly will not be her last.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLsSjtMsfVQ
Not since the days of DX has the NASKA circuit seen wushu at the level of Austin Jorgensen. I've always been a huge wushu fan, and I love seeing performances like this on the night show stage. Austin didn't get the win here, but he's going to be a force to contend with this year for sure.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSOFJyUE7oE
Just two weeks ago, I noted that Mackensi Emory had become the first girl to win a youth overall grand championship this year. Now it's happened again. Sammy Smith won the overall forms grands on Saturday night, after becoming the first girl to win both the CMX forms AND weapons runoffs earlier that day. I'm going to make a prediction that we're going to see a head-to-head battle between Mackensi and Sammy on the ISKA stage this year. In the meantime, the 14-17 girls division continues to be the most competitive youth category on the circuit.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WecKAQDzIoA
So far this year, the 13-under overall forms grands have been a battle between Dallas Liu and Danny Etkin. Those two traded wins back and forth at the first four tournaments. But this weekend, Aidan Considine broke that cycle. Not only did he make it to stage for the first time this year, but he won his first overall grands ever. Looks like this division just became a three-man race.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOk121E5x44
Although he had a small mistake on stage, leaving the door open for Sammy Smith, Austin Crain's performance in the CMX Forms runoffs was perhaps the most exciting of the entire weekend. Austin got some incredible air on his tricks, and turned in one of the strongest performances of his long career.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3M2czDzemQ
If you're looking for personal bias, I'm guilty as charged when it comes to Matt Emig. I'm pretty sure he's my favorite competitor of all-time. After all these years, he makes every performance look like it's the most important of his life; he seems to pour his very soul into every competition. And this weekend he managed a double overall grands win--again. This is an uncommon feat in the adult mens divisions at a fully-attended tournament. But I suspect it won't be the last time he pulls it off.
That's it for this installment; we'll see everyone next week in Quebec!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Top Five from Amerikick Internationals
I almost didn't make it to the Amerikick Internationals in Philadelphia last weekend. But I sure am glad I went--there was some awesome competition and several moments I will never forget. Danny Etkin and Dallas Liu seem to be emerging as this year's dominant competitors in the youth divisions. They each took an Overall Grand Championship here--Danny's third of the year and Dallas' fourth. But the 14-17 divisions are still up for grabs. We saw some new faces appear on stage once again, and had a different set of winners from the first three World Tour events. (Jackson Rudolph won Overall Weapons both here and in Chicago, but he's the first repeat winner in 14-17.) With two more tournaments coming up in April, it'll be interesting to see who pulls ahead of the pack.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8og4P5GIJy8
I lost both of my parents in recent years--my mom in 2005 and then my dad four years later. And I can tell you that within a week of either loss, I was in no condition to do anything productive. Yet only seven days after her dad passed away, Lady Jade made her big comeback in Philadelphia. She won her Creative Weapons event, shown here, and went on to win all of her other divisions Friday night and Saturday morning. I have no idea where someone could possibly find the strength to perform like this so soon after such a great loss, but I know her dad would be proud.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXxOgCkJGJU
It's become extremely rare to see a girl win the 14-17 Overall Forms Grands. In all of 2011, it happened only once when Sarah Calande did it at Dixie. But this weekend Mackensi Emory pulled it off in Philadelphia. In fact, Mackensi is the first girl to win ANY Overall Grand Championship this year--in 14-17 or 13-under, forms or weapons. With the strong start she's had at the first few tournaments, I'm confident this won't be the last time we see her take home the big prize.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_kw2BfHdMs
Tyler Weaver isn't exactly "new" to the NASKA night show stage--he was quite the phenom in the 13-under divisions. It's been quite some time since he made it to the Overall Grands, but he had a big comeback this weekend, winning the 14-17 CMX Forms Grands. And based on his performances so far this year, I expect he'll be a regular on stage going forward. This is his performance in the Musical Weapons division on Friday night.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJnUmM_T7FI
A recent addition to Team AKA, and a long time student at Sharkey's Karate in Naperville, Mary Amato made her first World Tour stage appearance this weekend. We've seen her in the youth runoffs several times now, but she had a big breakthrough in Philadelphia. This is her performance from the Overall Grands on Saturday night.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXdJrU-T5Tw
Another newcomer to Team AKA, Cole Presley is also the third member of the Presley clan to compete in the Overall Grand Championships, after his two brothers, Reid and Jake. But this was not only his first stage appearance, it was also his first time in the runoffs this year--he had quite the successful weekend. Cole trains with Jason Warren of Lebanon, TN, who also coaches Reid, Jake and Danny Etkin. I have a feeling that with all of this success, we're going to see many others seek Mr. Warren's coaching!
Feel free to comment and tell us what you think about this weekend's Top Five picks! And we'll see everyone next week at the Ocean State Grand Nationals!
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8og4P5GIJy8
I lost both of my parents in recent years--my mom in 2005 and then my dad four years later. And I can tell you that within a week of either loss, I was in no condition to do anything productive. Yet only seven days after her dad passed away, Lady Jade made her big comeback in Philadelphia. She won her Creative Weapons event, shown here, and went on to win all of her other divisions Friday night and Saturday morning. I have no idea where someone could possibly find the strength to perform like this so soon after such a great loss, but I know her dad would be proud.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXxOgCkJGJU
It's become extremely rare to see a girl win the 14-17 Overall Forms Grands. In all of 2011, it happened only once when Sarah Calande did it at Dixie. But this weekend Mackensi Emory pulled it off in Philadelphia. In fact, Mackensi is the first girl to win ANY Overall Grand Championship this year--in 14-17 or 13-under, forms or weapons. With the strong start she's had at the first few tournaments, I'm confident this won't be the last time we see her take home the big prize.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_kw2BfHdMs
Tyler Weaver isn't exactly "new" to the NASKA night show stage--he was quite the phenom in the 13-under divisions. It's been quite some time since he made it to the Overall Grands, but he had a big comeback this weekend, winning the 14-17 CMX Forms Grands. And based on his performances so far this year, I expect he'll be a regular on stage going forward. This is his performance in the Musical Weapons division on Friday night.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJnUmM_T7FI
A recent addition to Team AKA, and a long time student at Sharkey's Karate in Naperville, Mary Amato made her first World Tour stage appearance this weekend. We've seen her in the youth runoffs several times now, but she had a big breakthrough in Philadelphia. This is her performance from the Overall Grands on Saturday night.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXdJrU-T5Tw
Another newcomer to Team AKA, Cole Presley is also the third member of the Presley clan to compete in the Overall Grand Championships, after his two brothers, Reid and Jake. But this was not only his first stage appearance, it was also his first time in the runoffs this year--he had quite the successful weekend. Cole trains with Jason Warren of Lebanon, TN, who also coaches Reid, Jake and Danny Etkin. I have a feeling that with all of this success, we're going to see many others seek Mr. Warren's coaching!
Feel free to comment and tell us what you think about this weekend's Top Five picks! And we'll see everyone next week at the Ocean State Grand Nationals!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Top Ten from Compete Nationals
With JPM missing from the AKA Grands, many big names were absent from the adult divisions. Not so this weekend. Pretty much everyone made it to California for the Compete Nationals, and the result was some highly exciting competition. And in the youth divisions, the night show had a very different makeup than we saw in Chicago. Who will be the dominant competitors in 2012? It remains to be seen. But for now, here are my Top Ten from California.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=penJ4YXdE0A
Matt Emig always performs well under pressure. With Micah entering the adult divisions, it's clear that Matt stepped up his game. This is his performance from the Overall Forms Grands, which earned him his first stage win of the new season.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuNf0f4msfo
It's not often that we see top-level wushu on the NASKA circuit. But with Austin Jorgensen on JPM now, it seems we'll finally be seeing more of him. Not since DX have we witnessed wushu like this. Austin won the Overall Weapons Grands on Saturday night.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9KS2sqoqcY
Speaking of dominant, Caitlin Dechelle may be the most dominant competitor in the history of NASKA. And even faced with the stiffest competition we've seen in the women's divisions in years, Caitlin still emerged with double Overall Grands wins.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJVevCNkJlc
One of ASG's new team members this year, Jacob Pinto seems to be channeling Kalman Csoka. Kalman retired only a few months ago, but his young protege is already following in his footsteps. This is Jacob's first Overall Grands win with the double sword.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPhTp7Tsh5M
Dallas Liu was unstoppable this weekend. After winning all of his regular divisions, and three out of four runoffs divisions, Dallas went on to join ASG teammate Pinto in winning DOUBLE Overall Grands. This is his weapons performance from stage.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMOLUh5lLg
Mackensi Emory won all six of her CMX divisions--extremely rare in the 14-17 group--and went on to make stage for weapons. There's been a lot of buzz about this performance, with many calling it her strongest form ever.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r06YOpBiD60
Like her 100 Percent teammate Emory, Kaelyn Whaley also won all six of her CMX divisions. She went on to win both CMX runoffs, making the world tour stage for only the second time in her young career. This is her forms performance from Saturday night.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaCxPIB3wr8
Jake Presley earned the distinction of being the ONLY competitor to beat Dallas Liu this weekend. He won his traditional weapons division, and went on to win the runoffs as well--over Dallas. This is his performance from stage.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Vg28mfJGE
It's not every day that we see a competitor enter a 6A tournament as an unseeded competitor and make it all the way to the night show. But Kylie Chock did it TWICE. This is her performance in the Overall Forms Grands.
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-fuEcWJjVI
In only her second World Tour event as a Black Belt, Emma Teo made it to runoffs in both traditional forms and weapons. She was the only competitor to make it past Kaelyn Whaley in divisions, and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of this rivalry in the future.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=penJ4YXdE0A
Matt Emig always performs well under pressure. With Micah entering the adult divisions, it's clear that Matt stepped up his game. This is his performance from the Overall Forms Grands, which earned him his first stage win of the new season.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuNf0f4msfo
It's not often that we see top-level wushu on the NASKA circuit. But with Austin Jorgensen on JPM now, it seems we'll finally be seeing more of him. Not since DX have we witnessed wushu like this. Austin won the Overall Weapons Grands on Saturday night.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9KS2sqoqcY
Speaking of dominant, Caitlin Dechelle may be the most dominant competitor in the history of NASKA. And even faced with the stiffest competition we've seen in the women's divisions in years, Caitlin still emerged with double Overall Grands wins.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJVevCNkJlc
One of ASG's new team members this year, Jacob Pinto seems to be channeling Kalman Csoka. Kalman retired only a few months ago, but his young protege is already following in his footsteps. This is Jacob's first Overall Grands win with the double sword.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPhTp7Tsh5M
Dallas Liu was unstoppable this weekend. After winning all of his regular divisions, and three out of four runoffs divisions, Dallas went on to join ASG teammate Pinto in winning DOUBLE Overall Grands. This is his weapons performance from stage.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMOLUh5lLg
Mackensi Emory won all six of her CMX divisions--extremely rare in the 14-17 group--and went on to make stage for weapons. There's been a lot of buzz about this performance, with many calling it her strongest form ever.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r06YOpBiD60
Like her 100 Percent teammate Emory, Kaelyn Whaley also won all six of her CMX divisions. She went on to win both CMX runoffs, making the world tour stage for only the second time in her young career. This is her forms performance from Saturday night.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaCxPIB3wr8
Jake Presley earned the distinction of being the ONLY competitor to beat Dallas Liu this weekend. He won his traditional weapons division, and went on to win the runoffs as well--over Dallas. This is his performance from stage.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Vg28mfJGE
It's not every day that we see a competitor enter a 6A tournament as an unseeded competitor and make it all the way to the night show. But Kylie Chock did it TWICE. This is her performance in the Overall Forms Grands.
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-fuEcWJjVI
In only her second World Tour event as a Black Belt, Emma Teo made it to runoffs in both traditional forms and weapons. She was the only competitor to make it past Kaelyn Whaley in divisions, and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of this rivalry in the future.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Top 25 of 2011
Originally planned as the Top 20, this list had to grow; there were too many amazing competitors and performances to narrow it down any further. But this is it. The Top 25 performances of 2011 as we gear up for the start of the 2012 season this week in Chicago.
25. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxvXmJ6wwo4
Team Infinity made it to more World Tour events this year than ever before. And it paid off with major wins at several big events, including this one at the Diamond Nationals.
24. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmncohh6mM
One of three newcomers to the black belt divisions to make the Top 25, Kaelyn Whaley managed to win World Championships in ALL EIGHT of her divisions in 2011. This is her performance in the CMX Forms Runoffs at USCC.
23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReK90sSTjfo
Another newcomer to the World Tour, Aidan Considine made a huge splash at the AKA Grands. He made it all the way to stage to compete in the Overall Forms Grand Championship.
22. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UychkF1H0sU
Veteran NASKA competitor Ross Kohnstam also started the year with a bang, making it to stage for CMX Weapons at the AKA Grands. In addition to executing some very impressive releases, Ross makes the double cork look as easy as a single.
21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZZAy_447h4
One of many competitors with the unlucky task of having to get through Micah Karns, Jacob Pinto truly pushed the envelope with his forms and weapons in 2011. This is his CMX Forms Runoffs performance from the Compete Nationals.
20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4i8N7vcFFs
In 2011, Lady Jade Miles showed the world that she could be equally formidable in the CMX divisions as she is in traditional. But it was her performances in traditional that earned her this spot in the ISKA Grand Championships.
19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmJBoMq_Ivk
Mackensi Emory made it to stage for CMX Forms more than any other 14-17 girl in 2011. After becoming the first female to land a boxcutter in competition in Quebec, Mackensi turned in one of her strongest performances of the year at the New England Open.
18. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wybXBYr0YRg
Stephanie Figueroa is one of very few competitors to make multiple appearances in all four divisions on stage in 2011. She's also the ONLY youth competitor to win all four runoffs at the same tournament, which she did at Twin Towers.
17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FISIY9s9S6U
Sarah Calande competed in NASKA for many years, but had her best year in 2011. Winning her first Overall Grands at the Dixieland Nationals, she was also the ONLY 14-17 female to win an Overall Forms Grand last year.
16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-nn4XAw5Qc
Although unable to get past JPM, Jessica Goldman and Vincent Scarduzio were often the audience favorites in the Sync Forms division. They electrified the crowd with their debut performance at the Quebec Open.
15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4YywmRMujA
While dominant in their respective individual divisions, Caitlin Dechelle and Marc Canonizado are truly unstoppable when they come together in the sync divisions. Here they won the first-ever ISKA title in Synchronized Weapons.
14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8NpvpEkaTg
Coming into 2011 with big expectations, Carson Crawford lived up to his promise at the US Open. He won the Overall Forms Grand Championship and earned his spot on the ISKA stage.
13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMjAuEUCz-M
In addition to winning two Overall Grands in weapons, and two in forms, Vincent Scarduzio was the ONLY competitor in 2011 who managed to beat Micah Karns in CMX forms. This is his winning performance on stage at the USCC.
12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIitp-g_u4E
After difficulties earlier in the year, Connor Griffith put it all together at the US Open. This performance in the runoffs wowed the crowd and ultimately launched him all the way to the ISKA stage.
11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13RKZVoKyHA
The third newcomer on the list, Dallas Liu had a huge year in 2011. After making it to stage several times, he pulled off the win in the Overall Forms Grands at the Diamond Nationals.
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhaGgsqhJI
Making it to stage at every tournament she attended in 2011, Sammy Smith won both the Overall Forms AND Weapons Grand Championships at the Twin Towers. She is one of only three youth competitors who accomplished this feat in 2011.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uAdQGClz3A
Amanda Chen was the first of three youth competitors to win both the Overall Forms and Weapons Grand Championships at the same tournament in 2011, doing it here at the New England Open. She also won the 13-under Overall Forms title for the year.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcmzEVz9FTM
In addition to winning World Championships in all four extreme and musical divisions, and the World Championship for CMX Forms Grands, Danny Etkin won his first ISKA Grand Championship. He was the only first-time winner in the youth divisions.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeEJlI92o8s
In the most epic trick battle of 2011, NASKA stars Jacob Pinto and Mackensi Emory held their own with tricking legends like Anis, Danny Graham and Vellu. Landing her double cork for the first time in a battle, Mackensi proves girls can do anything boys can do.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPuz3V6lMoo
Making their fourth appearance in the ISKA Grand Championships, 100 Percent Performance became only the third team in history to win the title three years in a row. They join KICK Team and Team Charlie Lee in the record books.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIk4t9qxKA
Despite missing several events because of an injury, Micayla Johnson still managed to win the Warrior Cup, the ISKA World Championship AND the Diamond Ring--and she got stronger every time. This is her performance at the Diamond Nationals.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e51WoZvn9Vo
His skill exceeded only by his determination, Jackson Rudolph dominated 13-under weapons in 2011. In addition to winning TEN Overall Grand Championships, he added a second ISKA title to his collection.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMdE7z512tw
After failing to win the Overall Forms Grand Championships at only two tournaments in 2010, Micah Karns increased his dominance in 2011, missing the win only once. This was his winning performance at the Diamond Nationals.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWCSvfpGq8
Ever the showman, Matt Emig may be the only competitor in the world who would choose to take the stage immediately after Kalman Csoka's farewell performance. He may not have won the Diamond Ring here, but the performance was legendary.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBLRATj6Njo
After competing nearly his entire life on the NASKA circuit, Kalman Csoka added one last big win to his record at the Diamond Nationals. This is certainly a performance people will remember forever.
25. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxvXmJ6wwo4
Team Infinity made it to more World Tour events this year than ever before. And it paid off with major wins at several big events, including this one at the Diamond Nationals.
24. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmncohh6mM
One of three newcomers to the black belt divisions to make the Top 25, Kaelyn Whaley managed to win World Championships in ALL EIGHT of her divisions in 2011. This is her performance in the CMX Forms Runoffs at USCC.
23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReK90sSTjfo
Another newcomer to the World Tour, Aidan Considine made a huge splash at the AKA Grands. He made it all the way to stage to compete in the Overall Forms Grand Championship.
22. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UychkF1H0sU
Veteran NASKA competitor Ross Kohnstam also started the year with a bang, making it to stage for CMX Weapons at the AKA Grands. In addition to executing some very impressive releases, Ross makes the double cork look as easy as a single.
21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZZAy_447h4
One of many competitors with the unlucky task of having to get through Micah Karns, Jacob Pinto truly pushed the envelope with his forms and weapons in 2011. This is his CMX Forms Runoffs performance from the Compete Nationals.
20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4i8N7vcFFs
In 2011, Lady Jade Miles showed the world that she could be equally formidable in the CMX divisions as she is in traditional. But it was her performances in traditional that earned her this spot in the ISKA Grand Championships.
19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmJBoMq_Ivk
Mackensi Emory made it to stage for CMX Forms more than any other 14-17 girl in 2011. After becoming the first female to land a boxcutter in competition in Quebec, Mackensi turned in one of her strongest performances of the year at the New England Open.
18. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wybXBYr0YRg
Stephanie Figueroa is one of very few competitors to make multiple appearances in all four divisions on stage in 2011. She's also the ONLY youth competitor to win all four runoffs at the same tournament, which she did at Twin Towers.
17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FISIY9s9S6U
Sarah Calande competed in NASKA for many years, but had her best year in 2011. Winning her first Overall Grands at the Dixieland Nationals, she was also the ONLY 14-17 female to win an Overall Forms Grand last year.
16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-nn4XAw5Qc
Although unable to get past JPM, Jessica Goldman and Vincent Scarduzio were often the audience favorites in the Sync Forms division. They electrified the crowd with their debut performance at the Quebec Open.
15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4YywmRMujA
While dominant in their respective individual divisions, Caitlin Dechelle and Marc Canonizado are truly unstoppable when they come together in the sync divisions. Here they won the first-ever ISKA title in Synchronized Weapons.
14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8NpvpEkaTg
Coming into 2011 with big expectations, Carson Crawford lived up to his promise at the US Open. He won the Overall Forms Grand Championship and earned his spot on the ISKA stage.
13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMjAuEUCz-M
In addition to winning two Overall Grands in weapons, and two in forms, Vincent Scarduzio was the ONLY competitor in 2011 who managed to beat Micah Karns in CMX forms. This is his winning performance on stage at the USCC.
12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIitp-g_u4E
After difficulties earlier in the year, Connor Griffith put it all together at the US Open. This performance in the runoffs wowed the crowd and ultimately launched him all the way to the ISKA stage.
11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13RKZVoKyHA
The third newcomer on the list, Dallas Liu had a huge year in 2011. After making it to stage several times, he pulled off the win in the Overall Forms Grands at the Diamond Nationals.
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhaGgsqhJI
Making it to stage at every tournament she attended in 2011, Sammy Smith won both the Overall Forms AND Weapons Grand Championships at the Twin Towers. She is one of only three youth competitors who accomplished this feat in 2011.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uAdQGClz3A
Amanda Chen was the first of three youth competitors to win both the Overall Forms and Weapons Grand Championships at the same tournament in 2011, doing it here at the New England Open. She also won the 13-under Overall Forms title for the year.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcmzEVz9FTM
In addition to winning World Championships in all four extreme and musical divisions, and the World Championship for CMX Forms Grands, Danny Etkin won his first ISKA Grand Championship. He was the only first-time winner in the youth divisions.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeEJlI92o8s
In the most epic trick battle of 2011, NASKA stars Jacob Pinto and Mackensi Emory held their own with tricking legends like Anis, Danny Graham and Vellu. Landing her double cork for the first time in a battle, Mackensi proves girls can do anything boys can do.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPuz3V6lMoo
Making their fourth appearance in the ISKA Grand Championships, 100 Percent Performance became only the third team in history to win the title three years in a row. They join KICK Team and Team Charlie Lee in the record books.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIk4t9qxKA
Despite missing several events because of an injury, Micayla Johnson still managed to win the Warrior Cup, the ISKA World Championship AND the Diamond Ring--and she got stronger every time. This is her performance at the Diamond Nationals.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e51WoZvn9Vo
His skill exceeded only by his determination, Jackson Rudolph dominated 13-under weapons in 2011. In addition to winning TEN Overall Grand Championships, he added a second ISKA title to his collection.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMdE7z512tw
After failing to win the Overall Forms Grand Championships at only two tournaments in 2010, Micah Karns increased his dominance in 2011, missing the win only once. This was his winning performance at the Diamond Nationals.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWCSvfpGq8
Ever the showman, Matt Emig may be the only competitor in the world who would choose to take the stage immediately after Kalman Csoka's farewell performance. He may not have won the Diamond Ring here, but the performance was legendary.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBLRATj6Njo
After competing nearly his entire life on the NASKA circuit, Kalman Csoka added one last big win to his record at the Diamond Nationals. This is certainly a performance people will remember forever.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Top TEN from the Diamond Nationals
Yes, Top Ten this time. There have been some tournaments this year when it seemed like many competitors were just going through the motions, and this made choosing the Top Five more difficult. Not so this time. I could have made this one a Top Fifty for all the amazing performances I witnessed this weekend.
But before I get to the picks, it's time for a rant. I'm noticing an unfortunate trend this year. People are becoming MUCH too sensitive. I can understand someone being upset if another competitor or parent insults them or puts them down. (Even then, best to let it go in one ear and out the other.) But the trend I'm seeing goes way beyond this. It's to the point where praise for one competitor is interpreted as insulting to that person's opponent. And this is simply ridiculous. I praise Micah all the time. But half of my team has to compete against him--does this mean I'm insulting my own teammates?! Please.
People have been upset that I've picked certain competitors for the Top Five and not others. It got so bad that for several tournaments I abided by a self-imposed embargo against picking my own teammates just to avoid seeming "biased." But you know what? I AM biased. That's the whole point. This blog is nothing but OPINION, and I'm very opinionated. But frankly, I'm biased in favor of people who aren't even on my team as often as I am for those who are. The fact is, there are a LOT of competitors on this circuit who I really like. Micah Karns and Matt Emig are to of my very favorites. Have I allowed personal bias to sway my decision to include them here? Certainly!
But here's the point. My choosing someone for the Top Five doesn't mean I wasn't also impressed by that person's opponent. It doesn't mean I think their opponent was bad, or undeserving of recognition. I try to pick those performances that move me emotionally for some reason. Those competitors who manage to touch me that way on a regular basis tend to become my favorites. And yes, I end up highlighting them here more often than others. If you don't like it, tough luck. I don't care. Don't read my blog. We do our best to cover as many people as possible on TNO. But this blog has nothing to do with TNO. This blog is my own personal, completely biased OPINION.
One more thing. If you win a division, and someone says to your opponent, "I thought you should've had it," that's not an insult to you either. So get over it. You won. Be happy. We all know the judging on NASKA is in dire need of reform. I've had competitors win when they shouldn't have as often as I've had them lose when they should've won. It happens; it's part of the game.
This weekend Adriana really impressed me. She won her musical weapons division--Dayna dropped, so it came down to her and Kensi--and they tied. The tie broke in Adriana's favor. But she was upset--she felt that she had a couple of big mistakes, and knew Kensi had nailed her form. Her honesty is, frankly, refreshing. Being able to admit mistakes, even after a win, is a sign of great self-awareness--and something you don't see too often these days. But I told Adriana that it was silly to feel bad about it. Take the wins where you can get them, because this sort of thing happens to everyone. As much as I love Matt, we all saw his little bobble on the ISKA stage. He still won, but those types of bobbles have cost competitors the win more often than not lately. I'm not going to pretend it didn't happen, but I was still psyched that he won. (There's that bias again--shame on me!) And Adriana deserved to be psyched, too.
But I'll tell you right now, sometimes that's how someone makes it into my Top Five: when I see an amazing performance lose when it should've won. Don't like it? Feel free to complain to my editor.
(And make sure to check out the two bonus picks from Twin Towers at the bottom.)
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBLRATj6Njo
Kalman Csoka had already established himself in the firmament of NASKA legends. He could have come into this competition and done the same thing he's been doing all year and still won. But he chose to do something special instead. Why take this seemingly unnecessary risk? Well, that's what makes competitors like Kalman great. They're never content to rest on their laurels or play it safe. By innovating and taking big risks, they move the sport itself forward, and inspire the next generation in the process. Yes, everyone knew this was Kalman's swan song. Perhaps this explains the explosive energy in that ballroom that night. But the crowd reaction I saw here, and throughout the entire show, has convinced me this COULD become a spectator sport one day. Kalman, I wish you the same success in life you've achieved here. This sport will never forget you.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWCSvfpGq8
Who in their right mind would want to follow THAT performance? Only Matt Emig. Matt actually traded places with another competitor to make sure he got to go right after Kalman. Why? Because he knew Kalman's performance would get him amped up like nothing else could. The audience was already electrified after Kalman's performance, but Matt turned in the form of his life and they went berserk.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMdE7z512tw
I'm a big history buff. I spent ten years tracing the lineage of the kempo style I practice, because nobody else had, and I couldn't find the answers I wanted. I love learning about the history of this sport as well. But more than that, I love watching history unfold before my own eyes. And this Diamonds night show was overflowing with historical moments. Kalman's was perhaps the biggest, but it wasn't alone. This was Micah Karns' final performance in the youth divisions. He's become the most successful youth competitor the sport has seen in a generation, and it may be decades before someone duplicates his dominance. I can't wait to see what he does in the adult divisions.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13RKZVoKyHA
Sometimes, I am overcome with a sense of watching history in reverse--as if I've come unglued in time and I'm catching a glimpse of the future. This happened the first time I saw Danny Etkin at a little local tournament three years ago in CT--Mike and I knew instantly we needed to get him on the team. It happened again when I met Kensi at Quebec in 2008--watching her in runoffs, I knew I was seeing the future. And sure enough she won her first overall grands that very weekend. A similar premonition took place Saturday night as Dallas Liu won his first overall grand championship. I know, I know, I'm getting carried away by comparing Danny, Kensi or Dallas to Kalman or Matt, but you watch. These kids will become the next decade's legends.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIk4t9qxKA
There's no way around it, I love Micayla Johnson. You want to talk personal bias, it's hard not to have it for this girl. She's fun to watch in the ring, has an effervescent personality outside the ring, and is always very supportive of her fellow competitors. And she's certainly changed the game (pun fully intended) when it comes to weapons work. (I'll be honest, as a coach, I wouldn't mind unchanging it sometimes to get the judges' focus off the releases. But you've got to hand it to Micayla, she's transformed an entire division. Very few competitors can make that claim.) Already very successful on NASKA, some new kama moves helped her add a Diamond Ring to her extensive trophy collection.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxvXmJ6wwo4
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Team demo is my favorite division. I'm saddened that Team Infinity and my own team had only one match-up this year--we should try to coordinate our schedules in 2012. But this weekend belonged to Infinity. They nailed their show like never before, and generated the most crowd energy I've ever seen on a Friday night at a NASKA tournament.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTDcl6h3tqM
I dislike this whole argument about "real" traditional vs. "choreographed" traditional. It's a bunch of nonsense, if you ask me, because unless you're Andrew Cabilan (or very few others) even your "real" traditional would NOT pass as karate in Japan. Screaming and hitting super-low stances makes the anti-choreographed argument somewhat hypocritical. (In fact, the screaming wouldn't even cut it on other American circuits.) What we do on NASKA is not a traditional style--it's evolved into its own separate thing called sport karate. Yes, traditional is now creative, and nobody does that better than Will Cornell. He and Brendan Rasinski generated some huge excitement for their traditional form, which is no mean feat for a crowd accustomed to high-flying acrobatics. And they managed to outscore a JPM sync team, something that very few can claim. JPM came back to win on Saturday, but Friday night belonged to the boys from the Midwest.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l57Jqby1YgY
I can always tell when Mackensi Emory has been training extra-hard. There's a certain intensity about her, and a solidness in her movement. We always see this after camp, but she's been home alone, with no teammates to train with, no school to call home, and no coach to guide her for the past two months. Just dad to design her form and mom to bring her to whatever hole in the wall they can find to practice. Results like this take supreme self-motivation: she earned straight 9s from five judges on Friday night and took the win in both musical and extreme forms. This is her runoffs performance from Saturday. The music was a nice touch for this event--kudos to Mr. Emory.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-kZQTkSBLs
We haven't had the fortune of seeing much of Tyler Weaver this year. His busy schedule and involvement in ATA have pulled him away from NASKA. But wow, when he does show up, he means business. This was one of the first things I filmed on Friday night, and it kind of set the tone for the weekend. I think I said "Whoa" about a dozen times during this performance.
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSKrDP42h7g
Eric Rodriguez has been on my radar for well over a year now. His mom and I have chatted a few times, mostly over YouTube and Facebook. But I only got to meet them in person for the first time earlier this year at the Compete Nationals. I was very excited to learn they were taking the plunge into NASKA: Eric made his debut on Team Prorank this weekend. This is his creative weapon division from Friday night. Something familiar about the way he moves? Well there should be--he's another Matt Emig protege. Eric's good--and fast--but he's only 8, so you can bet he's going to get even better in 2012.
BONUS PICKS FROM TWIN TOWERS:
I attended this one only as a spectator, didn't bring a camera, and didn't stay for the night show. But there are two performances that certainly earned recognition here.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rNjfmPEkdE
Are you serious?! If I didn't know better, I would have assumed Jackson Rudolph's performance was rehearsed. Who can possibly think fast enough on their feet to do THIS after breaking their bo in half? It's not like he just threw a trick and then bowed out. He did a whole form with two half-bos! Crazy!
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhaGgsqhJI
Sammy Smith became only the third youth competitor this year to win double overall grands. (Amanda Chen and Micah Karns both did it at NEO, and Micah did it again at Twin Towers.) Her wins came after Jackson and Dallas both wowed the crowd in weapons and forms respectively, and I have no problem with an audience cheering wildly for their favorite. (See above.) But this audience BOOED Sammy--and that is unacceptable. To those of you who took part in this travesty, I can say only this: You should be ashamed of yourselves. Please do us all a favor, and do not show your faces at another NASKA tournament ever again. Sammy, don't let those poor excuses for human beings get you down. You get huge kudos for this rare achievement.
That's it for me this year--I will not be attending Miami. But watch out for my Top 20 of 2011 in the coming weeks!
But before I get to the picks, it's time for a rant. I'm noticing an unfortunate trend this year. People are becoming MUCH too sensitive. I can understand someone being upset if another competitor or parent insults them or puts them down. (Even then, best to let it go in one ear and out the other.) But the trend I'm seeing goes way beyond this. It's to the point where praise for one competitor is interpreted as insulting to that person's opponent. And this is simply ridiculous. I praise Micah all the time. But half of my team has to compete against him--does this mean I'm insulting my own teammates?! Please.
People have been upset that I've picked certain competitors for the Top Five and not others. It got so bad that for several tournaments I abided by a self-imposed embargo against picking my own teammates just to avoid seeming "biased." But you know what? I AM biased. That's the whole point. This blog is nothing but OPINION, and I'm very opinionated. But frankly, I'm biased in favor of people who aren't even on my team as often as I am for those who are. The fact is, there are a LOT of competitors on this circuit who I really like. Micah Karns and Matt Emig are to of my very favorites. Have I allowed personal bias to sway my decision to include them here? Certainly!
But here's the point. My choosing someone for the Top Five doesn't mean I wasn't also impressed by that person's opponent. It doesn't mean I think their opponent was bad, or undeserving of recognition. I try to pick those performances that move me emotionally for some reason. Those competitors who manage to touch me that way on a regular basis tend to become my favorites. And yes, I end up highlighting them here more often than others. If you don't like it, tough luck. I don't care. Don't read my blog. We do our best to cover as many people as possible on TNO. But this blog has nothing to do with TNO. This blog is my own personal, completely biased OPINION.
One more thing. If you win a division, and someone says to your opponent, "I thought you should've had it," that's not an insult to you either. So get over it. You won. Be happy. We all know the judging on NASKA is in dire need of reform. I've had competitors win when they shouldn't have as often as I've had them lose when they should've won. It happens; it's part of the game.
This weekend Adriana really impressed me. She won her musical weapons division--Dayna dropped, so it came down to her and Kensi--and they tied. The tie broke in Adriana's favor. But she was upset--she felt that she had a couple of big mistakes, and knew Kensi had nailed her form. Her honesty is, frankly, refreshing. Being able to admit mistakes, even after a win, is a sign of great self-awareness--and something you don't see too often these days. But I told Adriana that it was silly to feel bad about it. Take the wins where you can get them, because this sort of thing happens to everyone. As much as I love Matt, we all saw his little bobble on the ISKA stage. He still won, but those types of bobbles have cost competitors the win more often than not lately. I'm not going to pretend it didn't happen, but I was still psyched that he won. (There's that bias again--shame on me!) And Adriana deserved to be psyched, too.
But I'll tell you right now, sometimes that's how someone makes it into my Top Five: when I see an amazing performance lose when it should've won. Don't like it? Feel free to complain to my editor.
(And make sure to check out the two bonus picks from Twin Towers at the bottom.)
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBLRATj6Njo
Kalman Csoka had already established himself in the firmament of NASKA legends. He could have come into this competition and done the same thing he's been doing all year and still won. But he chose to do something special instead. Why take this seemingly unnecessary risk? Well, that's what makes competitors like Kalman great. They're never content to rest on their laurels or play it safe. By innovating and taking big risks, they move the sport itself forward, and inspire the next generation in the process. Yes, everyone knew this was Kalman's swan song. Perhaps this explains the explosive energy in that ballroom that night. But the crowd reaction I saw here, and throughout the entire show, has convinced me this COULD become a spectator sport one day. Kalman, I wish you the same success in life you've achieved here. This sport will never forget you.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWCSvfpGq8
Who in their right mind would want to follow THAT performance? Only Matt Emig. Matt actually traded places with another competitor to make sure he got to go right after Kalman. Why? Because he knew Kalman's performance would get him amped up like nothing else could. The audience was already electrified after Kalman's performance, but Matt turned in the form of his life and they went berserk.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMdE7z512tw
I'm a big history buff. I spent ten years tracing the lineage of the kempo style I practice, because nobody else had, and I couldn't find the answers I wanted. I love learning about the history of this sport as well. But more than that, I love watching history unfold before my own eyes. And this Diamonds night show was overflowing with historical moments. Kalman's was perhaps the biggest, but it wasn't alone. This was Micah Karns' final performance in the youth divisions. He's become the most successful youth competitor the sport has seen in a generation, and it may be decades before someone duplicates his dominance. I can't wait to see what he does in the adult divisions.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13RKZVoKyHA
Sometimes, I am overcome with a sense of watching history in reverse--as if I've come unglued in time and I'm catching a glimpse of the future. This happened the first time I saw Danny Etkin at a little local tournament three years ago in CT--Mike and I knew instantly we needed to get him on the team. It happened again when I met Kensi at Quebec in 2008--watching her in runoffs, I knew I was seeing the future. And sure enough she won her first overall grands that very weekend. A similar premonition took place Saturday night as Dallas Liu won his first overall grand championship. I know, I know, I'm getting carried away by comparing Danny, Kensi or Dallas to Kalman or Matt, but you watch. These kids will become the next decade's legends.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIk4t9qxKA
There's no way around it, I love Micayla Johnson. You want to talk personal bias, it's hard not to have it for this girl. She's fun to watch in the ring, has an effervescent personality outside the ring, and is always very supportive of her fellow competitors. And she's certainly changed the game (pun fully intended) when it comes to weapons work. (I'll be honest, as a coach, I wouldn't mind unchanging it sometimes to get the judges' focus off the releases. But you've got to hand it to Micayla, she's transformed an entire division. Very few competitors can make that claim.) Already very successful on NASKA, some new kama moves helped her add a Diamond Ring to her extensive trophy collection.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxvXmJ6wwo4
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Team demo is my favorite division. I'm saddened that Team Infinity and my own team had only one match-up this year--we should try to coordinate our schedules in 2012. But this weekend belonged to Infinity. They nailed their show like never before, and generated the most crowd energy I've ever seen on a Friday night at a NASKA tournament.
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTDcl6h3tqM
I dislike this whole argument about "real" traditional vs. "choreographed" traditional. It's a bunch of nonsense, if you ask me, because unless you're Andrew Cabilan (or very few others) even your "real" traditional would NOT pass as karate in Japan. Screaming and hitting super-low stances makes the anti-choreographed argument somewhat hypocritical. (In fact, the screaming wouldn't even cut it on other American circuits.) What we do on NASKA is not a traditional style--it's evolved into its own separate thing called sport karate. Yes, traditional is now creative, and nobody does that better than Will Cornell. He and Brendan Rasinski generated some huge excitement for their traditional form, which is no mean feat for a crowd accustomed to high-flying acrobatics. And they managed to outscore a JPM sync team, something that very few can claim. JPM came back to win on Saturday, but Friday night belonged to the boys from the Midwest.
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l57Jqby1YgY
I can always tell when Mackensi Emory has been training extra-hard. There's a certain intensity about her, and a solidness in her movement. We always see this after camp, but she's been home alone, with no teammates to train with, no school to call home, and no coach to guide her for the past two months. Just dad to design her form and mom to bring her to whatever hole in the wall they can find to practice. Results like this take supreme self-motivation: she earned straight 9s from five judges on Friday night and took the win in both musical and extreme forms. This is her runoffs performance from Saturday. The music was a nice touch for this event--kudos to Mr. Emory.
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-kZQTkSBLs
We haven't had the fortune of seeing much of Tyler Weaver this year. His busy schedule and involvement in ATA have pulled him away from NASKA. But wow, when he does show up, he means business. This was one of the first things I filmed on Friday night, and it kind of set the tone for the weekend. I think I said "Whoa" about a dozen times during this performance.
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSKrDP42h7g
Eric Rodriguez has been on my radar for well over a year now. His mom and I have chatted a few times, mostly over YouTube and Facebook. But I only got to meet them in person for the first time earlier this year at the Compete Nationals. I was very excited to learn they were taking the plunge into NASKA: Eric made his debut on Team Prorank this weekend. This is his creative weapon division from Friday night. Something familiar about the way he moves? Well there should be--he's another Matt Emig protege. Eric's good--and fast--but he's only 8, so you can bet he's going to get even better in 2012.
BONUS PICKS FROM TWIN TOWERS:
I attended this one only as a spectator, didn't bring a camera, and didn't stay for the night show. But there are two performances that certainly earned recognition here.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rNjfmPEkdE
Are you serious?! If I didn't know better, I would have assumed Jackson Rudolph's performance was rehearsed. Who can possibly think fast enough on their feet to do THIS after breaking their bo in half? It's not like he just threw a trick and then bowed out. He did a whole form with two half-bos! Crazy!
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhaGgsqhJI
Sammy Smith became only the third youth competitor this year to win double overall grands. (Amanda Chen and Micah Karns both did it at NEO, and Micah did it again at Twin Towers.) Her wins came after Jackson and Dallas both wowed the crowd in weapons and forms respectively, and I have no problem with an audience cheering wildly for their favorite. (See above.) But this audience BOOED Sammy--and that is unacceptable. To those of you who took part in this travesty, I can say only this: You should be ashamed of yourselves. Please do us all a favor, and do not show your faces at another NASKA tournament ever again. Sammy, don't let those poor excuses for human beings get you down. You get huge kudos for this rare achievement.
That's it for me this year--I will not be attending Miami. But watch out for my Top 20 of 2011 in the coming weeks!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Top Five from USCC
How do you define success? Simply put, success is the act of achieving a desired outcome. So any person's particular definition of success will depend upon his or her goals.
Often, people come to NASKA after achieving some level of success somewhere else in sport karate--maybe a different organization, or a local tournament circuit. NASKA represents the next step--the most elite level of competition in the sport karate world. And in the beginning, the vast majority of newcomers find themselves placing third or fourth--or worse--against the best of the best. Such a competitor will usually set a goal of winning a particular division. Once that happens, the next goal is winning consistently, then winning runoffs, then making stage regularly, etc. But what happens when you reach the very top--when you're making stage all the time, or winning on stage all the time?
At some point, most people (both competitors and parents) fall into the trap of feeling they have to win EVERYTHING, all the time. In essence, they equate success with perfection; they may not consciously think of it this way, but that's what they're doing. No matter how many divisions or grands they win, they focus obsessively only on those they lost; it's as if the wins didn't even happen. And I've seen this happen at every level of competition--with those who are just starting to win divisions all the way up to those who are winning on stage all the time.
The trouble is that such competitors are never allowed to feel successful--either by themselves, or by their parents. And people NEED to feel successful to build future success. Imagine a kid first getting into basketball. If he or she NEVER gets the ball through the hoop, how long do you think that kid's going to keep playing? But when you make that first shot, you want more, so you build on that initial success and get better. It isn't the actual act of shooting the hoop that matters--it's the feeling that comes with it that makes the difference.
But perfection is UNATTAINABLE. It's like an asymptote in mathematics: you can move closer and closer to it, but never actually reach it. Look at Michael Jordan. He was arguably the best player in the history of basketball. Here's what he has to say about his own success: "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Jordan was certainly not perfect.
I always like to use Micah Karns as an example from our own sport. He may be the most successful youth competitor we've seen in a generation. But is he perfect? Between 2010 and 2011, Micah has lost a CMX forms division only four times--once each to Tyrei Brown and Vincent Scarduzio in 2010, once to Tyler Powell AND Vincent earlier this year, and again to Vincent this weekend at USCC. He's lost overall grands only twice--to Danny Etkin at NEO 2010, and Mackensi Emory at USCC 2010. And he's lost the CMX forms runoffs only twice--at last year's Twin Towers, and USCC this weekend, both times to Vincent. Maybe not perfect, but close enough, you say?
What about his other divisions? Micah has won the runoffs for traditional forms at only 50% of the tournaments he's attended this year. And he's made it to stage for weapons only twice in 2011--he dropped once in overalls, and won the other time. Clearly, he's lost a lot in these divisions; his record is far from perfect. Still I don't think anyone would label Micah as "unsuccessful" in this sport. And yet using the (perhaps subconscious) definition of success that so many apply to themselves or their own kids, Micah's career would be considered a failure because those people would focus ONLY on the losses. Sounds crazy, doesn't it?
I can use my own team this weekend as another example. For the first time this year, we failed to win a single traditional division--except for Kaelyn. We got four competitors to stage, but won only a single overall grand championship. This would be a failure if we were shooting for perfection. But to my mind, getting four competitors to stage is a huge success, regardless of anything else. Add to that Jessica nailing her form, and Danny and Mackensi running their strongest stage forms of the year, and I'm thrilled with our results. We'll always work to improve, but this was certainly a successful weekend for the team.
Chasing perfection is a futile pursuit. And it removes all enjoyment from the journey. Always seek to achieve that next level, to constantly improve. But learn to enjoy the victories along the way--and allow yourself to feel them. It's like that half-full glass of water. Find ways to fill it the rest of the way as you savor the taste of success. If you focus only on the part that's empty, you're doomed to die of thirst.
Here are some of the victories I'm personally celebrating from the weekend.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg7Ejyj2ME4
The Kahan Boys are local favorites at the US Capitol Classics. And they've been competing in the sync division together for many years. They've always been among my favorite competitors, and it's a real treat to see them as they don't make many tournaments these days. But they were still good enough to become the first team this year to beat JPM in sync forms.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMjAuEUCz-M
Vincent is the only competitor to beat Micah Karns in the CMX runoffs for the past two years. He did it for the second time this weekend, and went on to win the overall grands. There's no denying it, I take great personal pride in this victory; it's the second time in a row someone's come out of 100 Percent's summer camp to defeat Micah in competition--Mackensi did it last year in the overall grands. And this is a great example of what I'm talking about above--Vincent has been dominant in weapons this year, but lost every weapons division at USCC. But you'd better believe I'm counting the weekend as a success for Vincent.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAFImb-uJeE
Ross Kohnstam has long been one of my personal favorites. He's a great competitor and an awesome tricker. His double corks in his competition forms look effortless, and he's got some top-notch weapon work. He won the CMX weapons runoffs this weekend, making his second appearance on a NASKA stage this year.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EBmBR-VjmE
Jackson Rudolph sets another great example of what I'm talking about in this article. After achieving crushing dominance for the majority of the season in CMX weapons, he's lost the runoffs at three of the last four tournaments. Yet he still found a path to ultimate victory this weekend, winning the overall grands with his traditional bo form for the first time this year.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LubJVpgl7Y
Cole Eckert has made stage at nearly every tournament he's attended this year, for traditional forms, traditional weapons, or both. And after a wildcard win at the US Open, he made the ISKA stage as well. He has certainly achieved huge measures of success in my book. And this weekend he took the icing on the cake with his first overall grands win of the year.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHCxuZ7ML1U
It's not often that someone blows me away with a creative form, but Tyler Powell managed to do it this weekend. He made it to runoffs with his creative form at the US Open as well, but unintentionally threw an extreme move right at the end. He made no such mistakes this time, and gave teammate Vincent a serious run for his money. Tyler ended up dislocating his elbow in the trick battle in the night show, so he's likely done for the year. But he sure went out with a bang!
I'll be taking a break from NASKA so won't make Dixie or Twin Towers. But look for the next Top Five at the Diamond Nationals!
Often, people come to NASKA after achieving some level of success somewhere else in sport karate--maybe a different organization, or a local tournament circuit. NASKA represents the next step--the most elite level of competition in the sport karate world. And in the beginning, the vast majority of newcomers find themselves placing third or fourth--or worse--against the best of the best. Such a competitor will usually set a goal of winning a particular division. Once that happens, the next goal is winning consistently, then winning runoffs, then making stage regularly, etc. But what happens when you reach the very top--when you're making stage all the time, or winning on stage all the time?
At some point, most people (both competitors and parents) fall into the trap of feeling they have to win EVERYTHING, all the time. In essence, they equate success with perfection; they may not consciously think of it this way, but that's what they're doing. No matter how many divisions or grands they win, they focus obsessively only on those they lost; it's as if the wins didn't even happen. And I've seen this happen at every level of competition--with those who are just starting to win divisions all the way up to those who are winning on stage all the time.
The trouble is that such competitors are never allowed to feel successful--either by themselves, or by their parents. And people NEED to feel successful to build future success. Imagine a kid first getting into basketball. If he or she NEVER gets the ball through the hoop, how long do you think that kid's going to keep playing? But when you make that first shot, you want more, so you build on that initial success and get better. It isn't the actual act of shooting the hoop that matters--it's the feeling that comes with it that makes the difference.
But perfection is UNATTAINABLE. It's like an asymptote in mathematics: you can move closer and closer to it, but never actually reach it. Look at Michael Jordan. He was arguably the best player in the history of basketball. Here's what he has to say about his own success: "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Jordan was certainly not perfect.
I always like to use Micah Karns as an example from our own sport. He may be the most successful youth competitor we've seen in a generation. But is he perfect? Between 2010 and 2011, Micah has lost a CMX forms division only four times--once each to Tyrei Brown and Vincent Scarduzio in 2010, once to Tyler Powell AND Vincent earlier this year, and again to Vincent this weekend at USCC. He's lost overall grands only twice--to Danny Etkin at NEO 2010, and Mackensi Emory at USCC 2010. And he's lost the CMX forms runoffs only twice--at last year's Twin Towers, and USCC this weekend, both times to Vincent. Maybe not perfect, but close enough, you say?
What about his other divisions? Micah has won the runoffs for traditional forms at only 50% of the tournaments he's attended this year. And he's made it to stage for weapons only twice in 2011--he dropped once in overalls, and won the other time. Clearly, he's lost a lot in these divisions; his record is far from perfect. Still I don't think anyone would label Micah as "unsuccessful" in this sport. And yet using the (perhaps subconscious) definition of success that so many apply to themselves or their own kids, Micah's career would be considered a failure because those people would focus ONLY on the losses. Sounds crazy, doesn't it?
I can use my own team this weekend as another example. For the first time this year, we failed to win a single traditional division--except for Kaelyn. We got four competitors to stage, but won only a single overall grand championship. This would be a failure if we were shooting for perfection. But to my mind, getting four competitors to stage is a huge success, regardless of anything else. Add to that Jessica nailing her form, and Danny and Mackensi running their strongest stage forms of the year, and I'm thrilled with our results. We'll always work to improve, but this was certainly a successful weekend for the team.
Chasing perfection is a futile pursuit. And it removes all enjoyment from the journey. Always seek to achieve that next level, to constantly improve. But learn to enjoy the victories along the way--and allow yourself to feel them. It's like that half-full glass of water. Find ways to fill it the rest of the way as you savor the taste of success. If you focus only on the part that's empty, you're doomed to die of thirst.
Here are some of the victories I'm personally celebrating from the weekend.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg7Ejyj2ME4
The Kahan Boys are local favorites at the US Capitol Classics. And they've been competing in the sync division together for many years. They've always been among my favorite competitors, and it's a real treat to see them as they don't make many tournaments these days. But they were still good enough to become the first team this year to beat JPM in sync forms.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMjAuEUCz-M
Vincent is the only competitor to beat Micah Karns in the CMX runoffs for the past two years. He did it for the second time this weekend, and went on to win the overall grands. There's no denying it, I take great personal pride in this victory; it's the second time in a row someone's come out of 100 Percent's summer camp to defeat Micah in competition--Mackensi did it last year in the overall grands. And this is a great example of what I'm talking about above--Vincent has been dominant in weapons this year, but lost every weapons division at USCC. But you'd better believe I'm counting the weekend as a success for Vincent.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAFImb-uJeE
Ross Kohnstam has long been one of my personal favorites. He's a great competitor and an awesome tricker. His double corks in his competition forms look effortless, and he's got some top-notch weapon work. He won the CMX weapons runoffs this weekend, making his second appearance on a NASKA stage this year.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EBmBR-VjmE
Jackson Rudolph sets another great example of what I'm talking about in this article. After achieving crushing dominance for the majority of the season in CMX weapons, he's lost the runoffs at three of the last four tournaments. Yet he still found a path to ultimate victory this weekend, winning the overall grands with his traditional bo form for the first time this year.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LubJVpgl7Y
Cole Eckert has made stage at nearly every tournament he's attended this year, for traditional forms, traditional weapons, or both. And after a wildcard win at the US Open, he made the ISKA stage as well. He has certainly achieved huge measures of success in my book. And this weekend he took the icing on the cake with his first overall grands win of the year.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHCxuZ7ML1U
It's not often that someone blows me away with a creative form, but Tyler Powell managed to do it this weekend. He made it to runoffs with his creative form at the US Open as well, but unintentionally threw an extreme move right at the end. He made no such mistakes this time, and gave teammate Vincent a serious run for his money. Tyler ended up dislocating his elbow in the trick battle in the night show, so he's likely done for the year. But he sure went out with a bang!
I'll be taking a break from NASKA so won't make Dixie or Twin Towers. But look for the next Top Five at the Diamond Nationals!
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