Elizabeth Karate Tournament 2015

Last year I just spectated.  This year I competed.  It was an interesting and not bad day.  Paul's form.  We all did Pyung Ahn Sa Dan.

He flew through his break.  He did turning Soo Do and flying side kick.  He got second in breaking.  The first place kid did a flying side kick through a hula hoop!

Paul won 3rd in sparring. He lost to the first place kid, then beat a girl for 3rd place.  

His division

Shawn and Brian had an awesome showing sparring.  They both handily beat each of their two opponents to face each other for first and second.

It was a great back and forth fight, and Brian was up by one when the timer went off.  He took first and Shawn took second.  The fights were all so exciting that I did not get any good pictures, I was too busy watching!

Barb kindly took videos of me, but I don't have any still pictures.  My form went well.  I was distracted in regards to my break because the flier said we'd be doing a 2 station break.  That day they decided on 3 station.  I added a flying side kick.  I flew through the first side kick and 360 back kick, but then it took me until the 3rd try for the flying side kick.  I was glad to have done well with the ones I practiced, though.  The sparring was ok: Pros: No one else the whole day was allowed to use back fist but my crazy judges allowed it, and I capitalized; I really did use the techniques we had been working on. Cons: I did not get in and get out; I totally forgot about the time limit and was surprised when time was called!  I lost 3-2, but there were 2 points I got that were not called.  But, as Bill Cower says, you have to do such a good job that it doesn't matter if the refs screw things up.
I did not cry.  That is a good thing.