Challenges

It has become increasingly evident that the instructors are looking to the current crop of black belt candidates to enter in the school's tournament on November 20 and spur each other on to greater heights. Participating in the tournament would give us:

- a chance to improve our skills
- a goal to work towards
- a way to have fun with our friends

Well now, that's all well and good, but this tournament thing sounds a bit scary for a slightly introverted gal like myself. However, with my daughters all gung ho to enter and egging me on to enter as well, I thought, "What the hey -- I can enter for forms, and maybe weapons". My idea was to choose a form I'm not so good at (yet) and polish it up for the tournament, thereby getting myself ready for the bigger show in May. I still don't know what I would do in the weapons category.

Then, today, a friendly invitation from Lyne has got me to thinking about joining her for the sparring portion of the tournament. Sparring. Um. Yeah. Sparring is definitely not one of my strong points -- not by a long shot -- though I hope it has improved somewhat in the past 2 1/2 years. Still, it scares me. Not the being hit (although I'm not sure I'm really ready for that), but sparring out in front of people and not being even close to hitting my opponent. The shame, the ridicule, the tears, etc. Ok, I know that's going a little far, and this is a friendly thing. And what is the tournament about really?

- a chance to improve our skills
- a goal to work towards
- a way to have fun with our friends

So, I have decided that I will give it a try. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Anybody with me?

Who wants a challenge?