The Banff Kyokushin Karate championships were held on January 14, 2017, competitors from throughout the province gathered to participate in this annual event. I was pleasantly surprised by how many CKK members attended the tournament. We had competitors representing us in the Non-contact, knockdown and kata divisions and I believe everyone did an amazing job representing the Calgary dojo. The first events to go were the children’s kata and non-contact divisions which were an awesome start to the day. The morning events concluded with the Children’s knock down divisions, those matches are always exciting to watch. I love how much energy and spirit the younger athletes bring to the mat. After lunch, the intensity was taken up a notch with the adult divisions. First up was kata. Taking the mat to perform a kata is one of the most nerve wracking, yet exhilarating experiences ever. Although Calgary came home with many medals and trophies, I believe the most valuable part of the kata competition was the knowledge and confidence gained. The last event of the day was the teen and adult knockdown. Five intense matches left the room buzzing with energy, what a great end to the tournament. A big THANK YOU to the organizers and volunteers who made this tournament happen. We’re already excited to return next year! Osu
