KARATE FOR CHRIST/LASALA'S DOJO SWEEP CLEARWATER TOURNAMENT WITH THE ZACH ATTACK..
TWO WEEKS AGO THE KARATE FOR CHRIST/ LASALA'S DOJO TEAM TRAVELED ACROSS THE STATE TO CLEARWATER TO PARTICIPATE IN AN FLMA TOURNAMENT. FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THIS WAS JUST ONE OF MANY TOURNAMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR BUT FOR THREE STUDENTS THIS WAS THEIR FIRST EVER. WITH ENCOURAGEMENT, COACHING AND A GREAT DEAL OF TRAINING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS CAME HOME WITH ATLEAST TWO 1ST OR 2ND PLACE PLAQUES. I KNOW PERSONALLY HOW HARD THESE CHILDREN, AND ADULTS, TRAIN FOR SUCH AN EVENT. THE COUNTLESS HOURS AND REPITITION IT TAKES JUST TO LEARN ONE MOVE, NEVER MIND MULTIPLE EVENTS, IS MIND BLOWING.
THE LAST TIME I WROTE AN ARTICLE WAS FROM A PARENT'S POINT OF VIEW, THAT CHANGED SIX WEEKS AGO WHEN I BEGAN TRAINING WITH MY CHILDREN. I KNEW FROM WATCHING THEM WORK ENDLESS HOURS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS THAT IT WAS CHALLENGING TO SAY THE LEAST BUT HAD NO IDEA OF THE EXTENT UNTIL I GOT INTO LINE AND TRIED MYSELF. IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR ME TO GAIN A WHOLE NEW RESPECT FOR THIS SPORT. EVEN THE SIMPLEST MOVE IS PRECISE AND METICULOUS. I JOINED AS A WAY TO SPEND MORE FAMILY TIME WITH MY TWO BOYS AND HAVE CONTINUED WITH A MISSION TO LEARN MORE AND MORE. I HAVE WATCHED SO MANY PEOPLE COME AND GO ALWAYS WONDERING WHY, NOW I WONDER HOW? HOW CAN YOU STOP ONCE YOU HAVE STARTED? IWATCH AS THESE MEEK,SELF-CONSCIOUS CHILDREN TURN INTO AMAZING ANDCONFIDENT ATHLETES. I HAVE SEEN OUT OF CONTROL BRATS TURN INTO WELL-MANNERED, RESPECTFULL YOUNG ADULTS. I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME MOVING OR ANSWERING ON COMMAND TO SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN A "FRIEND" FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT STANDING IN FRONT OF THESE PEOPLE , WEARING BLACK BELTS, AND KNOWING JUST HOW HARD THEY WORKED TO EARN THAT BELT. YOU CAN'T HELP BUT TO GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE. TO ANSWER THEM ON CUE WITH A "YES SIR" OR "YES MAM" OR TO DROP TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT HESITATION AND DO PUSH UPS FOR WHAT SOMEONE ELSE DID WRONG IS THE LEAST YOU COULD DO TO HONOR THE MANY HOURS THAT THEY HAVE SWEAT TO EARN THEIR SPOT AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS. ALL THE WHILE KNOWING, HOPING, PRAYING THAT SOME DAY YOU WILL BE OWED ATLEAST THE SLIGHTEST AMOUNT OF RESPECT AS THEM.
I COULD WRITE FOR HOURS ABOUT HOW WONDERFULL THIS FAMILY IS BUT I WON'T , FOR NOW. WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO DO THOUGH IS PAY MY RESPECTS TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT JOINED US ON OUR JOURNEY ACROSS THE STATE. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE NAMES AND OBSERVE THE AGES, IT TRULY IS THE LEAST THAT THEY DESERVE FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORT AND COURAGE.
SHAY O'DONNELL(9) 1ST IN KATA & 2ND IN SELF DEFENSE.
D.J. MOIR(13) 1ST IN KATA & SPARRING
CODY MOIR(7) 1ST IN SPARRING & 2ND SEF-DEFENSE
BRETT LASALA(22) 1ST IN ADULT BLACK BELT SPARRING
MACANDER DICUDONNE(AKA:DAY-DAY)(13) 1ST IN SELF-DEFENSE & 3RD IN SPARRING
STACEY LASALA(15) 1ST IN SELF-DEFENSE & 2ND IN SPARRING
ZACHARIAH HILLS(5) 1ST IN KATA & SPARRING
BILL HILLS(37) 1ST IN SPARRING
JORDAN VAN-DER-FLIER(15) 2ND SELF-DEFENSE & 3RD IN SPARRING
LUIS CANDERO(6) 2ND IN SPARRING
I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH A GREAT THANKS TO ALL OF OUR INSTRUCTORS FOR THEIR DEDICATION, TIME AND MOSTLY THEIR PATIENCE AS WE ALL STRIVE TO REACH OUR OWN PERSONAL GOALS. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.LASALASDOJO.COM OR CONTACT SENSEI BONNIE AT (772)460-5414 EXT #18