Its late winter, already started to warm up to around 65 degrease. This is the day of my toughest karate tournament out of the 13 I have been to.

After I first arrive at the community center in Louisville Kentucky I warm up for about an hour until they call the black belt meeting.
I warm up for another hour and they call; my first event in ring six. Ring 6 was in the stage and if you did something up there everyone could see.

After they get us together there are 5 people in our division. “12 – 13 year olds boys and girls”. After they get out names they put us in order. I was fifth to perform.

The first and second martial artists are good but I know I can beat them. The third is amazing he is very good. His scores were 9.83, 9.85, 9.82, 9.84, and 9.85 all good scores. Then I am to perform, I walk up to the judges and tell them my name and form.

MY sword form goes on with out me messing up to bad. When I am done I am out of breath and my wrists are sore for holding on to my sword and doing my form. Then the judges give me my scores. 9.83, 9.83, 9.81, 9.82 and 9.85

When they give us out scores I het second out of five possible.
Then I immediately go to ring 2 for my open hand forms division they take out tickets and line us up. I also say my opening again and I start. As I watch the others I know there is no way I am winning. Then it’s my turn. I also say my opening again and I start. I do well till half way through. MY mind goes blank and I forget everything. I stop and bow. When I am done and they give me my place I am second to last.

Now it is time for sparring and I put my gear on. When they put us in line I see that there are 3 other boys in my division. Then they give me my line up. I am in the second fight. The first fight is over quick and it is between two boys I haven’t seen before. When the match is over it’s my turn. I bow to the judges and my opponent and wait. As soon as he says start I blast off the line and hit him with a side kick to his ribs, and I score two points. They put us on the line again and we start I throw a wheel kick to his face but he blocks it and throws a reverse punch but I block I and immediately through a reverse punch and hit in the face. I need 2 more points to win. This time the match goes on for 45 seconds without any of us scoring. But as time goes on he looses concentration and misses my hook kick to the face. I win.

My next match is the toughest both of us are skilled fighters. We bow and the judge says go I through a side kick and he throws a reverse punch but we both blocks the others strike. Before he has time to rechamber I throw a hook punch and hit him in the stomach. 1 point.

We get on the line again and the judge yells go this time I through a fake side kick and when he goes to block it I hit him in the head with a wheel kick. This time it is in his favor he jumps to fast and hits me. Now it 3-1.
I now know he inst kidding. This time his body reflects what he is going to do. I see what he’s going to throw and he throws it. When the judge yells go he a jumps in the air and punches. But before he makes contact I throw a side kick to his lower ribs. I forgot my contact and he begins to cry. I turn to kneel. When he is ready we begin again. This time he try’s to do the same thing. Stupid move I think. I throw the same kind of side kick and he gets hit again. HE also begins to cry again. I kneel now this is my second warning. I was supposed to win but they didn’t count it. This time it seems that pain has taken spot where his wheel to win and it seems as if he lets me win. After they give me my tickets my dad goes to get my trophy. IT is and hour and a half trip but when I go home I fall to sleep.