tournaments ain't what i wish they were

[bushidomartialarts]

so i've posted before about how disappointed i am with the tournament circuit these days. too much obnoxious competitiveness, too much politics. too much poor behavior on the part of people who should bloody well know better than to act that way in front of children, $*()&^%)*(&@#).

anyway, i figure what needs to happen is to start a new circuit. just a few schools could get together and set up some tournaments built from the ground up to promote the valuable aspects of competition: self-testing, grace in defeat, magnamity in victory, good sportsmanship and strong fellow-feeling.

anybody on MT in the pacific northwest interested in putting something together?

 

[Laurentkd]

so i've posted before about how disappointed i am with the tournament circuit these days. too much obnoxious competitiveness, too much politics. too much poor behavior on the part of people who should bloody well know better than to act that way in front of children, $*()&^%)*(&@#).

anyway, i figure what needs to happen is to start a new circuit. just a few schools could get together and set up some tournaments built from the ground up to promote the valuable aspects of competition: self-testing, grace in defeat, magnamity in victory, good sportsmanship and strong fellow-feeling.

anybody on MT in the pacific northwest interested in putting something together?

wish you were in the midwest...

 

[Infinite]

I'm down,

Pacific middle really aka NorCal.

I can travel tho its a short flight for this kind of stuff.

--Infy

 

[terryl965]

I'm in Texas but will be willing to travel to a great event without politics. Lets talk

 

[searcher]

wish you were in the midwest...

Ditto for me. I grew tired of the tourney scene some time ago. I still like to compete in knockdown and weapons type tourneys, but I don't get to participate very often.

 

[Kacey]

I'm in Texas but will be willing to travel to a great event without politics. Lets talk

Hey, Terry, you can come to our TKD tournament - although we only let people compete in patterns performing Ch'ang H'on style patterns, because that's what we perform - but a good time will be had by all! March 10, in Denver.

 

[grydth]

I wish you all the best. My daughter had a disgusting time at a tournament last fall. I guess Forum rules prohibit naming them...

The promotional flyer gushed about how honorable and devoted thus crowd supposedly was. As soon as you get there, the audience gets a form lecturing us how to act, to include a specific ban on coaching....now anytime I get bahavior lessons from somebody loudly proclaiming their own virtue, I smell a decaying rat.....While waiting for a finals sparring match, the other girl starts getting blatant coaching from - - - two of the event judges!

My daughter took first place anyway, but we'll never go back there. Too bad an 11 year old had to learn about corruption and hypocrisy at that early an age.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Most martial art tournaments are design to be a money making enerprize. It is also just a game and showmanship.

Some people take it very seriously. Again it is just a sport/game......lots of rules.

We do two tournaments a year ( our five schools only). Just to give the kids a challenging events againist each other in age and grades classes. A very FUN/challenge event. (Not school against school).....Aloha

 

[terryl965]

Hey, Terry, you can come to our TKD tournament - although we only let people compete in patterns performing Ch'ang H'on style patterns, because that's what we perform - but a good time will be had by all! March 10, in Denver.

Kacey you know we do both IFT and WTF poomsae so I will see if we can make it, if so it will be a blast can we stay at your place or do we need to go to the hotel.

 

[Carol]

I'm curious...having a competition that takes a stand against obnoxiouness, overcompetitiveness, overzealous parents is all well and good...but how are you going to enforce it?

 

[Kacey]

Kacey you know we do both IFT and WTF poomsae so I will see if we can make it, if so it will be a blast can we stay at your place or do we need to go to the hotel.

The details are here, my sahbum (who is the tournament promoter) posted a notice last month. I think you'll need a hotel; I usually have an entire family staying with me - aunt, parents, 5 kids, plus a few people who forget they need reservations; I stay with them when I go to Salt Lake - but I'll have a better idea who is coming in a couple of weeks, when I go to watch their instructor test to VI Dan.

All the forms are available the YCTA webpage, along with the rules. Competition rules are similar to, but not identical, to ITF rules - continuous sparring, points to the torso and head, using hands and feet, with no targets on the back, neck, or below the belt. It'd be great to meet you there!

 

[Shotgun Buddha]

What type of competition?

MMA circle here in Ireland tends to be fairly friendly and ignorance free. We're a small enough country so all the clubs are fairly familiar with each other. Cuts down on the amount of bull crap you normally get. Think England is the same way.

 

[Tez3]

Agree with Shotgun Buddha, MMA comps here are cool.
Shotgun do you train with John Kavanagh at all? Hoping to come across for one of his seminars at some time.

 

[Shotgun Buddha]

Agree with Shotgun Buddha, MMA comps here are cool.
Shotgun do you train with John Kavanagh at all? Hoping to come across for one of his seminars at some time.

Nah Im in a different club, but Ive seen some of his stuff. Very good teacher, and produces some great fighters.
Be very interesting seeing the Cage Rage show thats coming over here, know anyone involved?

 

[Drac]

I'd attend a tourney where politics were not present..It be great to see points awarded on technique and not whose dojo or dojang insignia is sewn on you gi...

 

[Infinite]

Ok it appears we have enough interest...

So what should we do now draw up the rules so we can all agree on what not pretentious / ego building / usurping the sportsmanship means?

Someone asked about enforcement and I see 5 possible scenario's for that.

Competitor vs Competitor
Parent vs Competitor
Parent vs Parent
Parent vs Official
Competitor vs Official

Comp vs Comp is easy point reduction and or forced loss.

Parent vs Comp is more complicated. I vote we require people to show up with a sponsor and a parent if under the age of 18. That way we can eject the parent and keep the sponsor or vice versa.

Parent vs Parent once again ejection is the name of the game.

Parent vs Official also is a bit complicated it requires a "senior" official. That way parents with controlled legitimate questions / complaints have someone to lodge a protest with.

Compt vs Official is also easy. Point reduction to forced loss to ejection.

I'm more curious how we SCORE sportsmanship.

You also have to have rules limiting the donations of schools to the tourny. That way no one can just out pay people and start adding politics into the darn thing again.

 

[searcher]

I'm curious...having a competition that takes a stand against obnoxiouness, overcompetitiveness, overzealous parents is all well and good...but how are you going to enforce it?

I wish there were an easy answer to this one. The only thing that comes to mind is to have a low entry and no trophies with a huge party afterwards. Round-robin sparring with no winner decided. If you go hard enough and long enough everyone would beworn out and they will not be able to argue. Maybe we should have the parents run laps until they are out of breath and then start the tourney. That way they won't be able to heckle or complain. Just a bunch of random thoughts.

 

[grydth]

I'm curious...having a competition that takes a stand against obnoxiouness, overcompetitiveness, overzealous parents is all well and good...but how are you going to enforce it?

Carol - how could you? A stand against overzealous parents??? But... I want to captain the overzealous parent team against the officials - most kills wins the Richard Williams Trophy!

Fine, spoil my fun.... I'll stay home and watch that new Martial Arts League on vs!

 

[pstarr]

Back in the day, we'd tell a loudmouthed parent to either settle down or we'd deduct points from his child's score.

 

[Carol]

Carol - how could you? A stand against overzealous parents??? But... I want to captain the overzealous parent team against the officials - most kills wins the Richard Williams Trophy!

Fine, spoil my fun.... I'll stay home and watch that new Martial Arts League on vs!

Save me a seat, I'll bring the PS2. :rofl: