Enter the Tigers and Dragons - UKS Newsletter Volume 13, Issue 1

And so it began for young Mr. Lee (Ethan Lee, that is) like so many other youngsters and adults who attended the recent Bryan Hawkins 15th Annual All American Kenpo Karate Tournament held on Saturday March 8, 2008 at Culver City High School in Culver City, California. The day was chock full of excitement, fun, success and valiant effort on the part of all participants.

I began my day at registration at 8:00 a.m. where participants and their parents formed two very long lines to enter the tournament. I soon discovered that many of the people waiting to get in were spectators who were friends, neighbors, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins of participants. I thought to myself this is exactly what Kenpo is all about – family. As I placed the blue spectator wristbands on wrists of all different shapes, sizes, ages, colors and hues I was reminded that our tournament had something of value for everyone regardless of their age, gender, race or religion. It was truly an atmosphere that emphasized honest effort and excellence. Kenpo Schools from all over California were in attendance including some competitors from as far away as Lompoc, California. (Please pronounce it “Lom-poke”.)

Once everyone was registered and inside, the tournament began with the Kata or forms division. Divisions are formed based upon the participant’s age and rank so that children of the same approximate age with the same basic skill level compete against each other. As I took my position as a ring judge with several other black belts to judge competitors I could already hear the enthusiastic “Judges my name is….” And strong “kiais” or dynamic martial arts yells which can fortify the body coming from other surrounding rings. There was some serious electricity in the air. After each competitor completed his or her kata the stands and very often their own personal cheering section would erupt in applause and enthusiastic encouragement.

Competitors are judged on the correctness of their form, oral and physical presentation, overall energy and martial spirit. In my ring everyone brought their “A” game so the competition was very stiff. At the end of each division the judges were able to honestly say that each competitor had brought his/her best effort to the contest and was therefore, regardless of receiving a trophy, a winner.

Next was the self defense techniques division. Competitors are once again grouped by age and rank, but this time instead of performing a series of choreographed moves on their own they have to work with a partner to demonstrate American Kenpo self-defense techniques. Since working with others is an important life skill this event has implications for teaching team building and personal management skills which transcend the martial arts. The competition I witnessed here was intense as well. Boys and girls as young as 5 were showing how they would handle an attack on their physical body. Watching them move with focused clarity as they uttered “Ready…Set…Move” it was evident that they were in control.

Next came the free style or sparring competition. This is always a highlight of competition because even though there are rules which govern the competition, none of it is scripted or choreographed. It is spontaneous and interactive. It is combat training with protective gear and referees that emphasizes intuitive decision making, economy of motion, endurance and courage. There were countless great matches marked by comeback victories and surprise outcomes. One key question which arose was – Does hot pink fighting gear with tiger stripes on it help your free style? If I can find some in my size I might experiment because I saw several competitors whose tiger stripes seemed to enhance their tiger spirit.

This year we added another feature to the tournament which will hopefully become a permanent fixture – a beautiful dance presentation by an authentic Hawaiian Dance troupe. The Senior Grand Master of our system Edmund Kealoha Parker was from Hawaii and he infused the art with subtle aspects of his cultural heritage. Things like the word “Smoove” which as we all know is way smoother than smooth. His constant tribute to the renowned martial artist “Sam Ting” as well as his ever present ukulele were all subtle Hawaiian elements present in Kenpo. Therefore it was fitting and appropriate to present the beauty, grace and spirit of Hawaiian dance at the tournament. The graceful flow of the dancers was wonderful to watch and was a powerful reminder that natural organic movement of the body is a beautiful way to physical, mental and spiritual mastery.

The dancers were followed by the Bryan Hawkins Kenpo Karate Demo team. Made up of black and brown belt instructors trained by Bryan Hawkins they put on a rousing and authentic demonstration of Kenpo self defense techniques. First lesson: Kenpo is for every one – young, old, black, white, brown, male and female. Second lesson: Kenpo can be adapted for use with weapons – nunchaku, knife, walking cane. Third lesson: Kenpo works just fine with “empty hands”. Fourth and final lesson: Don’t mess with the gentleman who studied directly with Ed Parker and trained all of the other black and brown belts in the demo. Bottom line: For the instructors who participated in the demo, it was a fun and hopefully instructive tribute to Mr. Parker and Mr. Hawkins.

Finally, just as a family reunion can bring out fond memories and forgotten stories, so too does this tournament – a Kenpo family reunion – resound with sincere hugs, handshakes, and “fist pounds”. The feeling of being unified in delivering an art which builds strong bodies and strong character is an honor, a responsibility and a privilege shared by each instructor. One could see and feel the respect each student had for his or her “sensei”. I was struck by the magnitude of the gift I had been given to be a part of an organization and a system that provides a clear map to success and guidance with integrity to those who choose to walk this path. On my way out I saw many young participants proudly clutching their trophies and spirit awards receiving congratulatory hugs and words of love from their parents, siblings and friends. In my own heart I knew this was a good thing, a bright moment that could change a life, build a dream and lead to a destiny fulfilled.