Scottish 2007 Sparring- Bronze
British 2007 Team Sparring- Bronze
Student Of The Year 2007
English 2008 Team sparring- Bronze
Welsh 2008 Team Sparring- Silver
Midlands 2008 Sparring- Bronze
Midlands 2008 Team Sparring- Gold
Grading Award
British 2008 Team Sparring- Gold
The South Midlands Open in Hereford is usually in early Feb. I did it last year - was my first competition back and I was petrified. I was only yellow stripe v up to blue tags! Somehow won though against a taller green belt in the final but then found out there was a champion of champions event - all weights, all belts - where I was battered by Lisa Roberts who was a black tag then. She ended up winning the whole thing!
Our club is relatively small, but we've just got a load of new students from an ITF club that closed down. The busiest I've seen our club is about 16 and that was packed - our hall is tiny. But even though it's small in numbers, we have some incredibly experienced black belts including two World CHamps top three sparrers, plus a 5th and 3rd dan from the ITF club.
I do love it though - it's a really friendly place. People genuinely want to help you get better and you learn a lot. And our sabunim is awesome - I'd love to see him compete but he hasn't for ages.
The 6 month gap starts after blue belt, i'm hoping to be red tag by the British next year. I got on alright, got gold in the tag team sparring but was totally robbed in the individual. My pattern was ok i guess but definitely wasnt my best by far. If i get rid of 2 pounds i'll be in middleweight so maybe one day we'll spar each other!
Nice one on the tag team gold! Shame about the individual though... I hate it when you know you're scoring cleanly and no-one in the world sees it. No comps for a while though.... will u go to Hereford in Feb time? x
OMG lightweight, you must be really slim! I'm in heavyweights LOL! I'm 62kg but people never believe me when i tell them, so at least theres a compliment haha.
I havent been back to Southam since my very first grading, we usually end up grading at the Shirley club.
Yeah, i'm gonna remember that. I'll come and find you and do team sparring when u get your blue belt. I've been doing teams with the same girl for the past few comps and we got gold at the last 2. We just have to find a 3rd person on the day. When is your next grading? xx
Ha ha - I'm not that slim. I'm right on the light-middle border but usually fall just under it. Think I might just stick with middle though - it's not worth the hassle trying not to eat for a week to make sure you're light enough!
My next grading should be Jan and then hopefully blue tag in May and depending how things go blue in september, tho I can't remember when the six month gaps start coming in...
Thats ace you're english champ! I completely messed up at the english, I forgot my pattern and then missed my call for sparring! I'm in green belt womens, this is the last time though cuz in a month or so I think we're going to a grading then i'll have to spar continious in the blue belts 1
I went to southam once for a grading but havent been there for anything else. Yup I live in Cov and have done all my life (maybe I should get up off my arse). My instructor is James Flaxman at the North Coventry club.
Thanks i'll need all the luck I can get tomorrow! I really start stressing out once we get there lol. Its a shame you cant come we could have done team sparring!!
Ha ha - there was no chance I could miss my call for sparring - they did the weigh-in at the same time as patterns, told me I was too fat for lightweight (I'd gained 3kg overnight according to the scales. Halfway through a heated debate with the official, I got called to do my pattern a second time which totally threw me.
But I htink the anger might have helped as I got a slightly higher score and won, nearly hitting one of the officials en route cos they got in the way. Then I won middleweight sparring too :) it wasn't a bad day!
Funny you graded at Southam - I was a founder member there about 12 years ago but stopped at green belt for various reasons.
Good luck for tomorrow, you never know, we could do team sparring next year if I make blue belt :)
Yeah I am competing, doing patterns and sparring. I saw on the forum you're not going, you must be really annoyed Where abouts in Warwks are you from I forgot lol
xx
I more frustrated than anything tbh - but then I'm probably not quite fit enough and I'd be gutted if I couldn't do my best after being english champ so maybe it's not such a bad thing (that's what i'll keep saying anyway lol!)
Which cat you competing in?
I'm from Southam originally (near Leamington). It's a tiny town but I love it :) I like going back to see my family. Do u actually live in Cov? And who's your instructor? So many questions!
Best of luck for tomorrow - I'll be there in spirit! x
Hey there! Thanks for the add - you beat me to it actually, I had to dash earlier or I would have said hi then. I'm a Warwickshire girl too - great to know you're not the only one in a big ole world :)
We don't know, we're just going to wait and see.....I don't mind if it's a boy or girl.
Killswitch Engage are my favourite band (at the mo)!
quote="Pinky82"]
Aww do you know if its gonna be a boy or girl?? Hopefully you get to grade. I just did my blue tag grading last month so dont have another for a while. The music on my page is Rise Against, theyre my favourite band :-)
