2007 Wasatch Open Taekwondo

The Wasatch Open, sponsored by CTC Taekwondo of Lindon was held last Saturday, March 24^th, in Lindon. Tournaments run by James Bartholomew and TaraLyn Sorenson are always well-run events and this one was no different. They require advance registration and have all pairings set up before the event day arrives. When the competitors arrive they are given cards that they can hang around their neck that tell them the ring, the match number, and the color they will be competing with. It works very well and keep things moving right along. Additionally they have experienced, paid, center referees who each control one ring from beginning to end.

About 200 competitors attended this competition. I understand CTC was hoping to attract at least double this amount since this was a Utah qualifying event. But trying to gauge what attendance will be at an event is much like trying to forecast the weather—there are just too many variables to be able to predict with consistent accuracy. In spite of the numbers not reaching organizer expectations, the event seemed well-attended to me.

As usual the majority of the competitors appeared to be made up of children under twelve years of age. This age group seems to be the lifeline of martial arts in the US and so it is always a good thing to see them arrive in numbers. There were a decent number teenagers competing and they presented some really exciting fights. And then there were a few noble adults competing (anyone over 17 by official standard, but anyone over 35 by my standard).

Unlike the Friendship tournament held a few weeks back where the mood was relaxed, friendly, and fun, the mood at this tournament was more stressful. I don’t know why I bring that up. Of course there is going to be more stress at a qualifying tournament compared to a “show-off” tournament. I guess I just wish there wasn’t because I enjoyed the Friendship tournament so much. I enjoyed this tournament also, but the stressed egos I run into at qualifying tournaments always leave a bitter taste on the side of my tongue. Of course any time an ego is stressed it is blamed on bad or biased refereeing or judging. It is this way in every sport, not just taekwondo. Even I saw a couple of matches where I couldn’t believe what wasn’t being scored. Usually there are three reasons something isn’t scored when I think it should be: 1. I am wrong and it really shouldn’t be scored. 2. The judges made an honest, human mistake and didn’t see it. 3. The judges are biased against the one they don’t want to win. Of course number three is the one most of us human beings naturally want to latch onto. But that doesn’t make it true. I don’t know what happened in the two matches I saw and questioned. But unless a pattern emerges in future tournaments I am going to assume I was wrong or it was just an honest mistake. I want to refuse to believe the third option because the resulting martial arts soap operas are so embarrassing. From the sidelines I have seen and heard about far too many MA soap operas in the short time I have been in TDK.

Speaking of honest mistakes, I made one this tournament. I was a corner judge for the first time since taking the official training several weeks back. I was excited to have a chance to apply my skills. To tell the truth I feel really good about how I did overall. In saying that, I don’t pretend to be anything other than inexperienced, but it was a good start. I wanted to do a good job. To me that means being perceptive and, most importantly, unbiased. I don’t want to favor or punish someone just because I like them or don’t like them. I can honestly say I never knowingly gave or didn’t give a point based on bias. I really tried to give it that way it appeared to be.

On the other hand, judging sparring is difficult for the inexperienced. The action is so fast and doesn’t stop. I’ve got the blue button in the right hand and the red button in the left hand, but the competitors won’t keep order to my right and left. Did that kick hit? Did I hit the right button? Judging those twenty or so matches was a real workout for my focus and concentration. I know I hit the wrong buttons sometimes, but when I was aware of it I tried to correct that. I think I did pretty well overall and took comfort in knowing there were two others counter-balancing me.

In once case I may have cost a competitor the match. For this I am sorry. I am aware I hit the wrong button at the end of a match. I immediately hit the right button, but at least one of the other judges apparently saw it the opposite that I did and the point when up for the person who I thought had just lost. Was it because of my button press or did the other two judges see it the opposite? Proper procedure would have been for me to raise my hand and let the referee know I had pressed the wrong button and he could have sorted it out. But my confusion from lack of experience in the face of all the excitement at the end of the match kept me from doing this. Well, lesson learned. I will never hesitate to report a mistake like that again when it may have so clearly affected the result of a match. I want to be as rock solid a corner judge as a human being can be. I believe by the end of this year I will be.

I noticed that Simone knocked out another opponent. I saw him knock out two opponents last year. I wonder why people keep getting in the ring with him. I hope someday to see him in the ring with people who are as good as he is. I saw Chris, from CTC pull off a win against a very skilled opponent by keeping his head and using it to figure out how to get that winning point. Of course there is that blackbelt match near the end of the tournament that went to sudden death. It’s not often you see a flying sidekick at these competitions, and for good reason; but I saw a gutsy one here and it scored. My son captured the moment. You can see it and many other great shots in my gallery.

2007 Taekwondo Friendship Open

I attended Utah’s 2007 Friendship open a few weeks ago in March. This is a really fine tournament hosted by Elite Martial Arts in West Valley, Utah. This tournament is different than most taekwondo tournaments I attend in that it focuses on everything other than sparring. There are forms, weapons, breaking, and team demonstrations. Because there is no sparring the competition has a lighter feel. People are more friendly and I felt a general air of martial arts brotherhood in the building.

Elite Martial arts has a nice size dojang; however, it was still a little small for as many competitors and spectators as were there. But I didn’t really mind. Being so close to so many other martial arts minded people kind of forced me into meeting interesting people. I enjoyed chatting with several of them and exchanging martial arts stories.

The tournament had that CTC touch. By that I mean it ran smoothly with few, if any, real hiccups. Taralyn Sorenson and James Bartholomew of CTC Taekwondo have been working closely with other school owners in Utah to raise the quality of taekwondo competitions in Utah through better organized events and better trained officials. It is having a positive effect already.

What I enjoyed the most about the competition was holding boards for the kids and the adults during the breaking. Being so close to the kids at the moment of their trial was exhilarating. There are the looks of disbelief when the boards don’t break. There are the looks of disbelief when the boards do break. There was the helping them off the ground where they tumbled on a failed flying sidekick attempt. There was the patting them on the arm after they had snapped those boards. I loved it.

The demonstration teams were a lot of fun. There are a lot of talented kids in Utah. I saw some great gymnastics from kids who aren’t gymnasts. I worked very closely with the team from Beehive Martial Arts and I know how many hours are put into trying to bring the teammates together. We spent three hours each Saturday for weeks trying to get the routine down. The team did fine at the event, but they didn’t do nearly so well as in their last practice. Their timing was off. I think this was due to performing in a smaller area than they had practiced in. They were too inexperienced to adjust. The other teams were great. Lots of martial arts techniques, running, flipping, and falling.

I enjoyed the day very much. It was a 200 mile round trip for me and the others in my school, but for me it was worth it. I am looking forward to next year. I think I might even join in the competition.