Why Compete At Tournaments?

We have roughly about 230 active students at our school and usually we will get somewhere between 20 and 30 lately competing in the local regional tournaments. This number is down from the days when I was a color belt and even the early days of my owning the school. I have not been able to figure why. When I ask some students how come they don't compete they usually don't have an answer, or I get something like "I just don't like competitions."

There are several reasons why all students should compete at least a few times. I don't really get the idea of not liking to compete. It is my favorite thing about martial arts. When I say this to others I sometimes get a response like "yeah, that's easy for you. You always win." Well I don't "always" win and I didn't "always" win when I was competing as a color belt. In fact, I "always" lost in sparring until I was a red belt at World Championships in Little Rock one year. And, then I only took 3rd place. I was totally excited because I "always" lost up to that point.

I took my inability to spar well as a challenge and worked on it very hard until eventually I won World Champ in sparring in 1999. That was a long road in which I put a lot of effort into. I tell you this story not to brag, but to say that we all have challenges. We all have those things that we are really good at. I see guys at tournaments right now that truly "never" win. Yet, those same guys are at every tournament event and they just go out and do their best. Those are the people I really admire because they have heart and they never give up.

So, why should you compete at tournaments? Because it is an opportunity to grow. You see, students get very comfortable in the class room situation. At some point you are not really challenged any more because everyone knows you and what you like and don't like and because we really teach courtesy and respect, they cater to your needs. Get yourself out of the box and challenge yourself! Never be afraid of losing. But, do be afraid of being stagnant and not growing.

At a tournament you have an opportunity to see how well can you do against and equally skilled opponent that you don't know and they don't know you. You get to see how you might react if you are ever challenged in a "real" situation on the street, except you get to do it in a safe environment. You get to see if you can really make any of this stuff work.

So, get out of the box and get to the tournament and see how you do. Just for the record I want you to know that I still get very nervous before competing. My stomach starts doing flip flops and I get weak in the knees and have to make multiple trips to the men's room. It's just not good, until after the competition is over. But .... every experience is one to grow from.

Oh, and the last reason you should do tournaments is that they are ...

FUN!

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
www.kicks4all.com
(303) 220-5956