Western Karate Union Spring Championships 2015

 

The 2015 edition of the Spring Invitational run by Weston Karate Union was possibly the most disappointing event we have attended so far this year. Teerth, Charan and Amrit Dhesi were our representation at the competition, and they did all come home with medals. Unfortunately the individual kumite bronze for Charan along with an individual kata bronze for Amrit and pairs kata bronze for Teerth and Charan was on this occasion the limit of their success.

Further medals in the kumite sections were on the cards, had it not been for tactical errors we must learn to overcome. Charan had an opportunity to progress to the semi-finals holding a comfortable lead in her quarter final. She succumbed to a disqualification for cumulative cat 1's, appearing not to understand that just because she had only been penalised twice, didn't mean that she couldn't be disqualified. Category 1's can be given at any level, instant disqualification if the refereeing panel see fit. Coaches instructions were to leave the head alone and attack only the body, but a touch of madness and another touch of the head was enough for the final penalty and disqualification. A real shame and a definite wasted opportunity.

In Amrit's last match in the quarter finals, and a guaranteed medal if he gained the win, he continued his onslaught of attacks on an opponent who was soundly beaten. Several points on the board, little time left and skating on thin ice with several cat 1 penalties too, his chances were ruined as he once again touched his opponents head. A completely unnecessary attack as his instructions from the coach were to sit tight and ride the time out. If competitors are not going to listen to coaches advice we are going to suffer defeats like this. The coaches job is to steer the tactics, the competitors job is to listen!

We will now have to spend some time working on the obvious benefit of having a coach rather than technical ability, as we do not want to suffer defeats like this again. Being beaten by a better opponent is one thing, gifting a win to our opponent through unnecessary disqualification is something quite different.

All that said the three youngsters did medal, a bronze each in another event would have been a good result so we should not overlook this achievement. Well done for the successes guys, but let's move forward with a more tactically aware view of kumite competition.

 

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