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Shinzen |
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Haiku (c) Cathy Drinkwater Better of Sykesville, Md.
October's Annual Shiai was my second Shiai, and, as at my first one, I was very impressed by everyone's fellowship, good sportsmanship, variety, and talent. I had the privilege of judging as well as competing, and gained much from both. My discussions with Kyoshi Lubitsch and others were informative and delightful. Yet I also still see the Shiai with relatively 'new eyes' and so feel I can offer, for this year at least, an educated outsider's perspective on the event. There is much we can be proud of, and a few places where we might be able to improve. We can be proud of the talent and dedication of the participants and organizers. Organizing an event as large as the Shiai is not for the faint of heart, and it was a challenge that Kyoshi Lubitsch, and all those who helped, accepted and met. The event, while appearing as organized pandemonium, was exceptionally well run. Over two hundred competitors were judged in six hours. It took only an hour to clear the facility, allowing those attending dinner ample time to change and get to the restaurant. The physical talent of the competitors, whether junior or adult, is tremendous and the Grand-champion level kata exhibition clearly showed what championship talent and training, combined with a championship martial art, can produce. In an activity that focuses more on the young, I was delighted and impressed by very competitive and spirited kata performed by a more senior citizen/student. His performance and willingness to compete against younger competitors exemplifies the true spirit of karatedo: open-minded striving for self-improvement. I hope I am as willing to try new things when I reach his age. Another observation that delighted me
was the realization that some competitors had adapted non-shorinjiryu
kata to the shorinjiryu style, and were willing to demonstrate
their work in competition. While I believe that we should keep
the core material at the center of the style, this group's willingness
to accept new things while adhering to the fundamental principals
of the style is a powerful tool for keeping the style alive and
growing. While other styles have a fixed curriculum, the dynamic
nature of what we practice keeps it new and young The second opportunity to improve also involves safety: sparring. In the majority of matches I observed, strikes to the back were commonplace. They typically were blended into a flurry of strikes where the hitter would strike the bogu with a hand technique, then their opponent's back with the other hand. In most cases, it appeared as though the strike to the back was helping the retraction of the technique to the bogu; but this was not the case in all instances. Indeed, some of the strikes to the back were surprisingly powerful techniques. Back strikes were present in matches of all ranks and ages, and present a serious safety concern. Furthermore, none of the back strikes I saw were called by the referees as fouls. I would therefore suggest that we work to reduce the incidence of back strikes, and that as judges, that we become more aware of them and begin issuing fouls when they occur. The third opportunity to improve lies in our manners. Though generally very good, I saw a few instances where we fell short of our obligation to display proper etiquette. This is disrespectful of the competitors and spectators. Two specific examples come to mind. The first was at the beginning of the Black Belt competition and Grand Championships. The dojo was very noisy, with few people paying attention to the demonstration. I was personally embarrassed for all of us when Kyoshi Lubitsch had to call us to order. By the time this portion was underway, most of the youngsters had left, leaving the more seasoned practitioners in the dojo. I believe we should have shown more respect than we did for the demonstrators. The second example was my observation of a person in street clothes, on the mat, doing techniques with someone in a gi. This immediately reduced the room from a dojo where correct etiquette is required to a gym floor. It lessened the spirit of what we were doing and was very disrespectful to the Kyokai. We all should recognize that if we are not participating, i.e. in uniform as registered attendees, we should not be on the mat. This is a matter of respect for ourselves, for our partners in the style, and for the Kyokai. The dojo is a special place, not a place for play but for serious practice of karatedo. Disrespect reflects upon us and our style, and lowers us in the eyes of observers. Therefore, our third opportunity to improve is to show to ourselves the same respect and formality we show to the leaders of our dojos and of the Kyokai. The Shiai is a showcase of the best the style and Kyokai have to offer, and there were countless examples of talent and spirit that clearly define Shorinjiryu Karatedo as one of the premiere styles in the world. But, it is also an opportunity to improve our talent and manners. I challenge everyone to continue to improve the safety and respect we share, for both ourselves and the style. (We thank Tashi Peter Hiltz for his fine article. Regarding the refereeing question - that was addressed at the referee's clinic and will be again prior to the shinzen. Regarding the individual who entered the shiaido with street clothes on, he was ejected from the site and subsequently put on semi-permanent suspension for any and all Shorinjiryu activities. -Ed.)
Shorinjiryu Shinzen Kyokai P.O. box 210160 Woodhaven, NY 11421 Unless otherwise stated, all articles in this document reflect the author's opinion. Inclusion in the Shinzen Shimbun does not necessarily constitute endorsement by the Shinzen Kyokai (association) or any of its affiliates. |