Classical Traditional Japanese Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Finals
USA Karate Sanctioned Event
Sr. National Coordinator
Gene Tibon
The day started off with hundreds of martial artist gathering together from 12 different disciplines, in two venues, one world class event. Two large buildings, the Walt Disney World® Wide World of Sports Milk House Sports Complex, and the Wide World of Sports Jostens Sports Complex with 38 tatami mats. The set up is one of the largest martial arts matted competition in the world.
This was the first year that the Classical Traditional Japanese Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Finals discipline was a sanctioned event with the USA National Karate do Federation, now known as USA Karate. Sensei Chuck Sweigart, my Disney Referee Chairman, held a Referee course in the early afternoon. He prepared the Referees and Judges on the flexibilities of the rules of the Federation when allowing other disciplines to participate for the experience. There are many Karate-ka who have never competed under Federation rules before so this would be their first introduction.
Many over the years have enjoyed the format of the competition for Classical Traditional Japanese Okinawa Karate and Kobudo at Walt Disney World® Wide World of Sports®Complex. They have since joined the ranks as new members to the Federation. Sensei Ric Martin, an Okinawa Kumite World Champion from Florida, his dojo is “Authentic Martial Arts,” is a great example. He has participated in the last three Disney Martial Arts Festivals with his dojos, and is now a member of the Federation. This new partnership gave him and his three daughters Erica, Renee, and Victoria the opportunity to participate in the 2009 Grassroots YOKP Camp at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs hosted by Gene Tibon President of USANKF of Northern California, Inc. Regional Sports Organization in November 20-24, 2009. Sensei Martin made the statement that his daughters are the first in Uechi Ryu history to be a part of the Grassroots Camp, and train at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Co. This has opened some huge doors for his program and style.
The excitement was in the air due to the new release of the 2009 Disney Martial Arts Festival 10th Anniversary Medal. The new medal Xiantian Bagua or Earlier Heaven Bagua also know as Fu Xi (2852 – 2737 BCE) Bagua, the Heaven is in the higher part and the Earth is in the lower part. The Trigram Qian (Heaven) is at the top, in the South (in the past, the South was located at the top in Chinese maps), and Kun (Earth) at the bottom, in the North.
Li (Fire) and Kan (Water) on the left and on the right-hand side form a pair. Zhen (Thunder) and Xun(Wind) form another pair, while being one opposite the other. Gen (Mountain) and Dui(Lake) from another pair, while being one opposite in other, in balance and harmony. The adjustment of the trigrams is symmetrical by forming exact contrary pairs. They symbolize the opposite forces of Yin and Yang and represent an ideal state, when everything is in balance. This medal was the 10th anniversary medal and is a collector’s item.
Team Kata was featured on the main high rise stage on Friday night, which highlighted their synchronized team efforts to ovations and cheers from the crowd. They were the first to receive the new medals.
The next day our discipline was upstairs on the Aux court on 6 tatami mats that processed over 250 athletes of the Japanese Okinawa discipline and 6 countries. We had over 60 athletes from Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Our international competition has in past years also included India, Nepal, Kazakhstan and a recent inquiry from the Federation of Azerbaijan for a chance to participate in 2010.
The competition went well and many athletes including Federation National Champion Alejandro Cepero did a demonstration on the Showcase performance for the 10th anniversary of the Disney’s Martial Arts Festival Showcase. Whereas the Directors were most pleased to celebrate the milestone, ten years is but a grain of sand in the storied history of the Martial Arts. The Disney’s Martial Arts Festival- Saturday Night Showcase celebrates the great diversity of the arts that is rooted in the wisdom of our ancestors, and sustained and brought to life by our modern day Martial Artist. Disney’s Mulan guided all through an amazing adventure. The show that was outstanding and done with Disney’s signature world class touches of entertainment, and pyrotechnics that had jaws dropping and wide excited eyes open on the faces of the young martial artist in the audience.
Later that night the Coordinators and Directors had a networking meeting that included a private area for the viewing of Walt Disney World® Magic in the Sky Firework
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth (From Epcot)
Luke St. Onge was on hand for a visit to watch the discipline competitions in all of the sports complexes, and had a chance to sit in our Coordinators meeting. There he was able to see the future of the Disney Martial Arts Festival, and it’s partnership with the new re-imagined ESPN Wide World of Sports® Complex, which is scheduled to open Spring 2010. The chance of ESPN coverage of the 2010 Disney Martial Arts Festival is a great possibility. The whole ESPN Wide World of Sports®Complex has State of the art digital video screens bringing the complex to life with updates from the sports world and ESPN Wide World of Sports. They have an on-site production facility capturing daily competition highlights available to all ESPN media outlets. There is the ESPN innovation Lab creating and testing new technology to shape the future of sports broadcasting and production. Visit espnwwos.com
We look forward for those who wish for an experience the Magic of Disney, and the world class introduction of fun and entertainment at the 2010 Disney Martial Arts Festival Classical Japanese Okinawa Karate and Kobudo Finals, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports®Complex at Walt Disney World® World Class Resort October 29-31, 2010.
You can now be eligible to participate at the 2010 Disney Martial Arts Festival by participating in the USA Junior Olympics in Las Vegas April 2nd, 2010 at Caesar Palace in Las Vegas. There are other various qualifiers to compete at the 2010 Disney Martial Arts Festival around the country including the USANKF of Northern California, Inc. Western States Triple Qualifier February 20 & 21, 2010 in Stockton, Ca. In addition there is a qualifier in Southern California at the 2010 Disneyland® Martial Arts Festival June 19-20, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Competitors will also participate in the Martial Arts Grand march on Downtown Disneyland Main Street on Sunday June 20, 2010 experience the Magic!
