But, it occurred to me, I’m running late. I should have got those resources out there in September. I also should have already had MY flu shot but, again, I’m running late.

As an adult, who spends a lot of time around kids because of teaching and whatnot, I really, really should get my shot. (And I will.)

So, if like me, you’ve been putting off what you know you really should do, here’s some tips I just picked up:

There’s two options if you hate, hate, HATE needles. The first is called an Intradermal Flu Shot. It uses an itty-bitty needle and doesn’t have to go in as deep. The second is the flu nasal spray. To get the spray, you can’t be pregnant, you must be healthy and you have to be between the ages two and 49. (I got that from Shape magazine’s RSS feed but, when I googled it to get an exact link, I saw that everyone ran that article. So, kudos to whoever wrote that press release!)

And, this is cool: the Health Map Flu Vaccine Finder. I found the link on the Kane County Health Department’s Web site, but the map is good for everyone in the U.S. Put in your address in the fields to the right and you’ll see a map of where you can find some pretty affordable flu shots. (Mostly these are pharmacies, at least where I live because the VNA did their shots in October.) Some locations have prices listed, too, which should help those on a budget.

So that’s it. Stop procrastinating and get your flu vaccine. Hopefully, next year, we’ll both be a little more on top of our game.

Oh yah, there will also be 35 students who will be promoted to first and second degree black belt.

Tickets are available for $15. Order yours by calling 630-668-5425 before Nov. 23 and you’ll save $5. All the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The promotion was in honor of Smith’s lifetime commitment to Isshinryu Karate.

Smith started Isshinryu Karate Isshinryu, in 1972. He had a brother and sister who weren’t doing as well as they could in school and Smith had read an article that said kids who took karate did better in school. So, knowing his sibs wouldn’t take the class unless he did, Smith started studying under Sensei Patrick Buckley. (Continued after gallery.)

Smith often refers to Karate as an addiction that started in those early years with Sensei Buckley. He spent every moment he could at the dojo and brags he was the only green belt that was given a key. Buckley’s school closed in 1974, while Smith was an ik-kyu. His training continued with Buckley and his black belt classmates Terry McDonald, Chuck Nadelhoffter, Vince Carter and John Vos, until his promotion to Sho-Dan in 1975.

Smith opened his dojo through a state grant that funded a variety of youth summer programs offered by the Aurora YWCA at the Aurora Housing Authorities Eastwood Center. When the summer ended and the state funds were gone, the YWCA asked Smith to continue the successful Eastwood Karate Club program and he stayed on as a volunteer instructor.

While he was running his own program, Smith continued his training. Reaching out first to the AOKA and Grandmaster Steve Armstrong. Smith and Armstrong shared a strong belief that the films of Shimabuku performing kata should be used as a standard to which Isshinryu kata should be taught and the two corresponded frequently regarding that topic.

Smith met Grandmaster Steve Young through a co-worker, who was also a student of Isshinryu. Smith was impressed that Young’s performance held closely to the Shimabuku films and, after meeting Young in person, immediately became a student. In addition to his formal studies with Young, Smith also took seminars taught by Isshinryu notables Steve Armstrong, Louis Lizotte, Ron Boucher, Sherman Harrell, Nick Adler, Angi Uezu, Kichiro Shimabuku, Willie Adams and  A. J. Advincula.

If you register before Nov. 30, the entry fee is $45 for the first three events and $5 for each additional event. After the 30th, the fee is $45 for the first event and $5 for each additional event.

Spectator fee for adults and kids ages six and older is $8. Spectators ages five and under are free.

This is an AKA sanctioned tournament and the first tournament of the 2014 AKA Circuit Season. (I want to say it’s a 3A tournament – but don’t hold me to that.)

In addition to trophies, there will also be some cash awards. The top two supporting schools (I assume this is the two that bring the most competitors) will be awarded $50 each. Other cash awards include:

• $100 – Men’s Grand Champion Fighting
• $100 – Men’s/Women’s Grand Champion Forms
• $50 – Women’s Grand Champion Fighting
• $50 – Junior Black Belt Forms

If you didn’t receive a flyer for this tournament, download one here. You can register for the tournament online here. (If you’re registering before Nov. 30, make sure you find the discount code written in yellow and type it in. The discount code is what brings the price down to the advertised preregistration price. )

For additional information, call Hanshi Marvin and Sharon Clark, (219) 981-8699, or email watchmanmarvin@aol.com.

A special, intensive session will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13 for black and brown belts only. Fee is $40.

Two different sessions on pressure points and kata bunkai will held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. Saturday’s sessions are open to all ranks. Attend a single session for $35 or both sessions for $60.

Even though this seminar will center around the Okinawan Martial Art of Isshin-Ryu Karate, practitioners of all martial arts can and should attend, as the information presented will benefit any style or system.

For additional information, contact Eddie Cavazos eddiecavazos@comcast.net or 815-272-7028

$35 Registration (walk-in only) for one or more events

$5 adult spectators/$3 for kids under 12

Registration is at 10 a.m. and bow in is at noon. Small tournament with a good group of judges. The Troutmans have been hosting 4 tournaments a year for the past 30-35 years. So, it runs very smoothly. Large facility, ample parking.

Download the flyer at Rocky’s Web site: http://www.rockysdojo.com/PDFs/TOURNAMENT_FLYER_Nov_2013.pdf.

Rocky said, at this tournament, they will be giving out trophies to all youth competitors. So, this is a good first tournament for young children. He also reminds instructors, coaches and sensei to wear their gi, if they plan to help judge. (But that might have been directed at me, personally.)

This is the last tournament that will count for points in the Illinois State Martial Arts Circuit.

The tournament, held Oct. 13 at the Turners Club in Aurora, 20 minutes after the advertised start time. There was a smaller turn-out this time, so the delay was probably to give a chance for late-comers. Once it started, the event went as smoothly as ever.

It was my first post-surgery tournament as a competitor, so I had no expectations going in. Well, other than the expectation that tournament organizers would try to convince me to be part of a smaller women’s black belt division. They did (twice) and I, again, refused.

Competing in local tournaments, as a kyu level, there was one black belt division. For the most part, the guys who make up the division now, are the same competitors I looked up to as a kyu. And, since 2007, I’ve been working to compete in that division with those black belts.

So, it’s irritating event organizers try to separate me out. But, you’ll notice, it’s not so irritating that I’ve stopped going. The benefit of going to small tournaments is that, to some extent, we are able to make our own experiences.

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Of course there are a lot of variations, depending on the size of the tournament and who is hosting/promoting the event.  A large tournament taking place over two or more days won’t have the exact  same structure as a local tournament that only takes 4 hours from beginning to end. This is based on my experience at what I call “medium” tournaments — those which are rated AA or AAA tournaments by their sanctioning bodies.

1. Registration

When you arrive at the event location, it’s time to register or, if you registered in advance, check in.  Small tournaments, many of which don’t have pre-registration, will have one line. Larger tournaments usually have at least two: one for competitors who registered in advance and one for competitors registering at the door.

It is typically to your advantage to register in advance. There is almost always a discount for preregistering. Often, there is also a competitive advantage. Those who register first, may get to compete last: a clear advantage if your child is in a large division. The preregistration line also moves more quickly. The drawback is that promoters will not return your money if you later learn you can’t attend the tournament. If the tournament is canceled, you should receive a refund. But, if you are the one who can’t attend, you will not get your money back.

When you register, you (and your competitor) will either get a stamp on your hand or a Tyvek wrist  band.  Help your competitor put hers on.

2. Find Your Ring and Practice

One of the best moments of a tournament, is to walk into the still empty event space.To see the enormity of the area, when everything is quiet and calm and full of infinite potential.

If possible, find what ring your child will be competing in. There could be signs scattered around the event space. There could be flyers.  A good time to ask about ring assignments is when you’re in the registration line. When the woman behind the folding table hands you the Tyvek bracelet, ask “where can I find the ring assignments?” If she doesn’t know, someone in line with you may know. (That’s one of the benefits of being among the first to arrive. Usually, it’s the anal retentive (like me) and the people involved with the hosting dojo who get there first.)

Let your child run through her kata a couple times in the ring in which she’ll be competing.  If possible, try to run through it in a ring facing the other direction, as well. If one ring is running through its division more quickly than the others, your child’s division may move to another ring.  Facing the opposite direction shouldn’t but, realistically, could throw her off enough she forgets her kata.

Don’t forget to share the ring. Everyone is trying to get in as much practice as possible before the tournament starts. There will be kids practicing in the rings, between the rings, in theaudience…anywhere there is a few feet of space.  So, (1) be very careful so you or your kid don’t get cracked in the head with a bo and (2) be a mensch and share the ring with others. The etiquette is pretty simple. If you see someone standing at the edge of the ring, finish your kata. You don’t have to rush but, when the kata is over, nod your head at the person standing at the edge of the ring and then get the heck out.  Most young kids will need a hand with this for a while, but they’ll get the hang of it.

3. Black Belts Kata First

Tournaments typically get off to a slow start, while the black belts compete in their kata divisions. Once the black belt trophies have been handed out, they are now freed up to judge the kyu/underbelt divisions.  After the black belts spread out, the tournament moves more quickly.

Sometimes, a judge will disappear from a ring in between divisions. One of his students are sick or injured. Maybe the judge is just hungry or has to go to the bathroom. The ring is temporarily on hold until he gets back or while organizers find a replacement.

Once the kyus get started there are small differences among tournaments. At some tournaments, events are called by, well, events.  All the kyu will perform weapons, then all will perform kata, then all will spar. (These are just the “traditional” events that happen all the time. There are other types of events as well, which we’ll cover at a later date.)

At other tournaments, the rings are called by divisions. The 8-9 year olds will perform weapons and kata.  Then, the 10 and 11 year olds will go. Sparring still goes last.

4. Black Belts Fight  Last

The very last events are always the black belt fighting divisions.  We always joke that they have the blackbelts fight last to make sure there’s enough of us stick around to judge the kyu levels. There’s probably some truth to that.

By the end of the tournament, most of the young competitors have gone home. All that are left are the judges,  black belt competitors, the coaches and true martial art fans. When the men’s fighting divisions start, most of the other events are over.

This is the second best part of the tournament.  When a handful of the faithful remain. Chairs are left forgotten as we stand in a loose circle around the fighters. Point fighting isn’t like the mixed martial arts fighting you see on TV. It’s a tightly controlled demonstration of speed and skill. And, if you can’t see the similarity between point sparring and real fighting, you haven’t seen it in the hands of skilled martial artists.

Fight how tired you are, give the kids a snack and stick around until the end. It’s worth the effort.

Small tournaments that meet frequently. Event moves very quickly. Fee for competitors is $40 for one or more divisions. Adult spectators pay $5; kids under 12 pay $3 to watch. Portion of proceeds donated to the Illinois State Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

For information, call Shihan Mark Nixon, 815-919-7540, or Shihan Mike Peura, 630-553-8378. View flyer.

Check out the Facebook photos from the last Circuit Tournament (September 2013) held in Sugar Grove, IL.

I’m working on a short guide for our karate parents. It will be a little primer covering what to expect, what to bring and how much all this is going to cost them. As I’m working on it, I’ll be putting portions of it here to test it out in front of a friendly audience. Please, let me know what you think.

As a tournament approaches, I’ll approach the parent of a new team member.  I’ll explain their student has been working hard on her kata and has shown great improvement from their efforts. The student knows her backup plan in case she forgets her kata. (It will happen to  everyone at least once.) She knows the basics of point sparring and ring etiquette.

“If it’s something she’s interested in, she’s welcome to join as at the next tournament.”

At this point, the parents always ask if their child is ready to compete. It’s time to answer their question with some questions.

Will your child be able to find their ring?

Tournaments are noisy and there is a lot of stuff going on to distract a young child. So, if your coach is judging in another ring or is otherwise disposed helping another team member, can your child find her ring? If she needs help finding her ring, are there older and more experienced team members attending who can help her? Will you be available to help her get to where she needs to be to compete, if she needs it?

In large tournaments, the rings are usually assigned in advance. So, in that case, the parent or coach should find one a flyer that posts which ring each division will compete in. Keep your ears open, if one of the rings is moving quickly, your division could be moved to another ring to help the tournament move quickly.  Be ready to grab your stuff and move, if you have to. When a ring is reassigned, typically the center judge will make  an announcement from the ring and there will also be an announcement over the PA system.

In smaller tournaments, rings are assigned on the fly. There is also no PA system, so you have to listen hard and pay attention whenever someone in a Gi starts yelling instructions toward the parents’ seats. There’s not as many rings running and the space is smaller, so it’s usually easier to make sure your competitor is in the right spot at the right time.

Can She Navigate a Crowded Room Safely?

Tournament rings are usually marked with blue painters tape. It is absolutely important your child never, ever accidentally walk through someone’s ring, while navigating the tournament space. If she accidentally wanders into an active ring, she or the competitor can get injured. Anyone who has coached, judged or helped out at a tournament has had to dive head first after a wayward student. Accompany your student everywhere until you’re confident she can get where she needs to go safely.

Is your child emotionally prepared to come home without a trophy?

There are some tournaments where everyone who participates gets a trophy or a medal. But those tournaments are rare and, the simple truth is not everyone can always go home a winner.

I can’t tell you if your child is emotionally prepared for this, I only see them for a couple hours a week. If this is something that really concerns you, there are some things you can do to help your child cope with the disappointment.

As a parent, it breaks your heart to see your child work hard for something and not get the outcome they wanted.  Heck, it breaks my heart to watch my kids get disappointed about stuff they didn’t work for. But the only way a child can learn to be a gracious loser is to have some experience losing.

One way to help ease the pain of disappointment is to let your child experience small losses.  Next time you play checkers, don’t throw the game. Or you can teach her a new game; one she’ll find challenging, at first.

Another thing you can do is show your child what it means to be a gracious loser. Suck it up and play Mario Kart with her. When you lose (and you will lose), congratulate her on her win. Then, ask her how you can be better at the game. Be specific with your questions. A good karate competitor asks judges for their feedback so she can learn from her loss. Show your kid what that looks like, so she can learn from your example.

When you talk about an upcoming tournament, steer the conversation away from trophies. At our dojo, to participate in our competition team, a student has to name one reason they want to join the team. But their reason can’t be anything about trophies or winning. Whenever possible, during our practice time, I try to mention the kids’ reasons for competing. I also try to mention those reasons again after a tournament. Remember,  tournaments are a great way to meet other kids who are interested in martial arts. It’s a chance to learn about weapons and kata that we don’t use at our school. It’s a chance to learn about other cultures.

Try to set up realistic expectations. The largest age groups for kids are typically 8-9 and 10-11. Even if a promoter splits the age groups between soft and hard styles AND by belt level, you may still see divisions with 20+ kids. If there are nineteen other kids in your division and only three trophies are  awarded, it stands to reason 17 kids are going home without trophies.

The purpose of the first tournament, I tell our new parents, is for the student to learn how tournaments work. I can tell the students about rules, etiquette, where to stand. But, until they get to experience that controlled chaos for themselves, they aren’t going to understand.

I don’t expect trophies. I expect our students to go and learn how to get to their ring. I expect them to shake the judges’ hands after the trophies are handed out. I expect them to come back with at least one piece of feedback that they can share with their team members.

And I expect them to come back hungry to do better next time.