Tournament Day
April 19th, 2015
Picture Above...^^^
Kinder Kicker
Kinder Kickers Division
Grand Champion Winners
Background
April 19th, 2015
I arrived to the Lodi High School at 8:00 am and checked in. If you're a black belt, you will most likely be a judge. Therefore, I had to check the judges list to see which ring I would be judging at. After I sat down at the judges table panel, I judged many many competitors compete for first place. The divisions are divided by age and belt.
Picture Above...^^^
As an instructor. (Time: 10:30 am)
The performances started and I was there to help them in case they forgot their form. (They were between the ages of three and five.) After the division was over, they all received a competitor's trophy. (1st, 2nd and 3rd aren't given out unless they're over the age of six.)
Picture Above...^^^ One of the Lodi competitors who earned a competitor's trophy.
Black Belt Divisions (Time: 11:15 am)
After giving the judges out names, we lined up in no specific order and the center judge held out a pile of cards. Each competitor of the division has to pick a card and depending on which card you pick out, determines what order you will compete in. I was placed second to last. I always want to be closest to the last because the competitors before you get you pumped. I have been first before and it is kind of a hard way to start... with complete silence.
Picture Above and Below... A couple of the competitors I had to compete against. There were approximately nine boys and twice as many girls.
MY TURN... FINALLY!! (Time: 11:45 am)
Then the moment came. I heard someone announce "Ashlyn Kohler?" Almost as if it were a question. Anyway, I got out of the line and went up to the judges, said my speech and performed my form. I felt like it was the best form I'd ever done, but that's what everyone feels when the natural high is rushing so much. Therefore, I knew not to get too excited about the performance I did. Two more competitors competed after me, their forms looked pretty sharp but I never let it show.
When all the competitors were done showing their forms, we all lined back up again. One by one, we stepped forward to receive a scoring. The scoring is averaged out by the three judges' scores. The range goes from 9.00-10.00 (10 being the best).
The person right before stepped forward and received a score of 9.9, 9.9, 9.9. Which obviously averaged 9.9. Taking off from that, I stepped forward and heard a judge yell out "9.9, 9.9, 9.7". I smiled from ear to ear because that's the very first time I had ever received a 9.9, let alone TWO! As the crowd noise got louder and louder, I zoned out. I didn't even listen to the other competitors' scores.
Results...
It was the coolest feeling in the world. That day, I learned that winning isn't everything in life and when you place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd...it means more than if you win every single time you try.