Tournaments: Nationals Day One

US  Wushu Team Trials.....I have been involved in them since 1984.........this is the second Year that I have attended a recent USAWKF Wushu Trials...........the scope and craziness was mind boggling....Sifu Li was running....the US Junior Team Trials, US Tradional  Wushu Trials, the International Taiji-Qigong Competition, and the National Wushu ranking and rating competition.......not one at a time but all at once!  I give Sifu Li lots of props for an unenviable task......he did a great job for his first time!

The Nationals was held in San Jose at the SJ Convention Center.

Sifu Li relaxing a little after the days activities.......he hadn't slept for two days!

The Wushu Champs and me...............posing for a picture for Kung-fu wushu Magazine.

Kenny and Zhao Chang Jun..........Kenny and I first met Zhao at the Tianjin International Wushu Invitational Chamionships in 1985.........he came from New Jersey to judge at the Nationals. Zhao was all around champion 5 times in a row....he followed Jet Li as the reining champ.  In 2005, I visited Zhao's School in Xian, and the next year he came to CMAT to judge.

In the evening there was a two hour Masters exhibition.............many schools and Masters from both the East and West Coast performed.  Here Zhang Hai Yang performing with one of the Shaolin Schools.

Zhao Qing Jian and Jiang Bang Jun....two of the many Beijing Team Champs....came to teach the seminars and perform in the Master's Exhibition.

It was a long evening but it was a good opportunity to catch up on what everyone was doing.  In the center  is Dominique Saatenang....the only black Shaolin Monk from France...expert in Shaolin, Sanda, and hard Qigong........he also spoke perfect Mandarin...was one of the Masters who performed in the Exhibition and electrified the audience.

The theme for the evening was: Build Friendship thru Wushu...........a good sentiment......still a ways to go to bring East and West together.......to say there was no poiltics...is an understatement....................until there is a professional Judging Corp not controlled by any organization will the question of unfair judging be done away with......right now too many Coaches are suspected of influencing the judging in favor of their own schools or students......this problem is one of the things that decidedly harms the integrity of the sport.....again this is rampant in Wushu...in every country and especially in China.......this must be stopped if the sport is ever going to be an Olympic Sport.  Many coaches and parents they told me they support CMAT because they feel we treat their children fairly, and impartially. For a tournament and an organization to gain the respect of the athletes and parents, there cannot be any hint of favoritism, and impropriety. 

Props to Kevan......he won a gold in the Traditional Wushu Trials.........good job!  And Ashe and Ryan, good luck in the second day of competiiton!  After, running to San Jose for two days I told Coach Li I would not return for a third day....just too tiring driving back and forth!  It was good to see many friends and many young competitors.

Well now I am just waiting to see what the Team Trials results are..........Ok, take care all!!