A Beginner's Point of View 106-107.5

Day 106:

Today was the day we train hard for the tournament. We started off by doing kiri-kaeshi and one-step waza drills. We also added a lot of drills where we start off together at issoku-no-maai. One side would start a strike and the other side would try to strike debana against them. For example, my partner would try to strike men, but I would be expected to strike kote-debana-men against her. It was a good drill.

We put on a free-form tournament where we would arrange fights between various people that sensei would put together. We also formed a four-person team match. It was good to see everyone’s fighting style and fight against several other people.

We also took turns being shinpan. It will be a long time before we will need to learn to be shinpan, but the early training is good. We even learned how to rotate positions. We really dug in to learn about how to put on a tournament.

Day 107:

Today sensei wanted to have an easy day in preparation for the tournament. He says that he used to train extra hard right before a tournament, but then he would be too tired to do his best.

So today we did kiri-kaeshi and then just a few waza. We actually filled half of the class doing kata. I practiced the first three kata over and over, trying to get it perfect. I still make mistakes and my movements are jerky and blocky, but I am learning.

We had a part where everybody would pair off and would do kata as if they were doing the promotional test. It was called so sudden that I was taken off-guard. I had my bokken in the wrong hand and I messed up the opening stance for the first kata because I did not know which part I would play. Overall, I looked very foolish but nobody laughed. When it was over I watched others pair up and do kata, including a pair that did seven kata together.

Day 107.5:

Today is the day of the regional championships. Our dojo and another one are the ones running it. My part was to carry some boxes of tournament supplies to the building and then help set them up. There were approximately 250 kendoka there competing. That does not even count the number of supporters and family present. It was huge. Everybody was assigned to a court to help run it. There were six courts all running matches simultaneously. It was a good thing that we were inside a huge indoor track building with a clear middle area that housed over four basketball courts.

First, we put on the youth division A, B, and C. Also, we put on the women’s division A and B. I was helping court C with the youth division. I was recruited to learn how to keep score. At first I messed up tallying the score since I added up the points vertically. You should always add up points horizontally since that’s how it’s set up to be done.

When that was done, it was time for mudansha division, which is mine. I stayed to help for a little while, but then it was time for me to get ready. Someone filled in for me while I put on men and kote.

When it was time for me to fight, I made sure to step in like I was taught. Many people just don’t seem to take the bowing-in or bowing-out ceremony very seriously. I’m not sure how the shinpan view this, if at all. When I started, I decided to try kote-debana-men against my opponent, who seemed full of energy. He seemed to have his strategy, which was to fake step forward and flash an opening. He wanted me to strike it while he would try to debana my attack. I tried to play his game back on him and make him open his men. Many times I would try to strike his men, but he retreated too fast for me. For all his speed, he was awkward and clumsy. His strikes would not be good until he got a lucky kote strike against me. We went until time ran out and then the judges gave him the victory 1-0. I suppose I have only myself to blame for not trying something different the entire match.

After that, there was an interruption as they decided to play a match that had been delayed before. After that, I stepped in for my second match but my opponent did not show up. I was given a zero-point victory. I don’t feel good about that, but I have no room for argument.

After that, I was eliminated since someone in my bracket had two victories. In fact, it was the one who defeated me who wound up winning the entire mudansha division. That’s becoming a habit with me to lose to the champion. I wonder if the universe is telling me something.

Once mudansha was finished, it was time for lunch. Lunch wasn’t very good this time. It was a good ham sandwich wrap, but the tomatoes tasted off and there was mayo on it. Well, I had a good apple and bag of chips. The sports drink was free so I have nothing to complain about.

I stayed at my court to help out some more as we put on the shodan/nidan division and then the sandan and above divisions. This time I was the one to loudly proclaim the current match and upcoming match. I would call out names and colors of ribbons to be put on them.

When the sandan and above circuit was finished for court C, I went and collected my equipment to be ready for the team match. When we got our team together, our sempai assigned ranks. I got taisho again, which made me smile. She didn’t want taisho even thought she is ikkyu. She took the fourth position.

When we started, we found out quickly that our opposing team was the ‘A’ team and we were the ‘B’ team. My own opponent was very, very good. I don’t know his rank but if he was less than shodan I would be surprised. We all got ‘killed’ with a score of 2-0 against us, every one. It was not fun at all, but the other team won fair and square. After that, I volunteered to go from court to court helping out with impromptu sessions and there were many, many teams. I went from timekeeper to tying on ribbons to calling out matches. It was chaos. However, we got it all done and on time to clear out of the building on our deadline.

After a brief bowing out ceremony, I changed and took my stuff out to my car. I also came back in to help gather up our leftover stuff and take the boxes that I brought in back with me home. I’ll give them back to sensei next practice.

Overall, it was not my best effort. I did try my best, but I’m sure that if I just did my Kendo more calmly then I would have done better. I’m still not happy with my only win as the result of a forfeit.