The best thing I did at the karate tournament was NOT about winning… September 22nd, 2009
I won a Grand Championship at a local touranment this past weeked in Verona, BUT that’s NOT the best thing I did at the tournament.
Twice a year, our tournament team usually goes to Verona, WI (near Madison) to compete at a tournament run by a great Martial Arts School owner, Jeff Christensen.
Our team did very well. A lot of our students won 1st place or placed very well at the tournament. Three of our students made it to the Black Belt Form & Weapons Grand Champion round which means they won 1st place in their age division and then competed in the overall champion round.
One boy who travels from Rochester to specifically train with me won the Grand Championship for Junior Forms.
I also won the Adult’s Grand Champion for form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myrwQTMIwuQ
and earned a perfect score…all tens, BUT that’s still not the best part of the weekend.
In the locker room after I won, I was changing and this boy and his father came in. The dad was cheering up his son who won 3rd place. The boy was sad he didn’t win 1st place.
I was in the next row of lockers. I knew what I had to do.
I went over and introduced myself. His name is Ryan. I asked him if the trophy was his. He said yeah. Then I said he must be pretty good to win a trophy like that. He perked up a little.
Then I asked him how old he was. He said 8. I told him I started martial arts when I was 10 so that must mean he’ll twice as good as me because he has a head start. His dad said he started a year ago which I told Ryan, means he’ll be three times as good as me. He really perked up.
Finally, I said, “Hey, you know I won that big grand champ trophy today? If you’re going to be 3 times as good as me, are you going to quit or train hard to beat me?” Easy answer, Ryan said train hard. He really perked up.
You and I know the logic doesn’t make perfect sense, but my strategy still worked.
I know Ryan’s day went a lot better because of my ability to connect with him. There’s only so much Ryan’s dad could have said because he’s dad. I’m the karate instructor, so I knew my role to help this random parent.
Not so random though…
Ryan’s dad wants the best from his martial arts training. That’s why the dad chose to put Ryan in this Martial Arts Environment. I never met Ryan before that day, and maybe I’ll never see him again, BUT…
I know I made a difference. It’s all a part of Leadership training to Black Belt. I know there are certain things I can say or do that will connect with you and your family because I’m the karate instructor AKA Life Skills Mentor.
The truth is that this made my day, too, haha.
William Cornell
Your Martial Arts Mentor
