Whatcom Karate Kids Compete for Canadian Cups

Twenty-six martial art students, some as young at 8 years, from Bellingham-based Team Rock Solid, won 87 medals and three grand championships at the Tiger Balm Internationals tournament in North Vancouver BC, March 15-16. The team, formed in 2005 by Shayne Simpson's Pacific Northwest Karate Center, provides a national showcase for the karate skills of its members, aged 8 to 18. The pupils' families seek sponsors to help their children compete nationally throughout 2008.

Bellingham, WA (PRWEB) April 17, 2008 -- Martial artists from Whatcom County, Washington, stole away with 87 medals and three national trophy cups during the Tiger Balm Internationals recently. Shayne Simpson's Team Rock Solid team earned cheers from their Canadian competitors at the annual tournament in North Vancouver. Students of Kenpo Karate from Shayne Simpson's Pacific Northwest Karate Center dominated their divisions. See www.pnwkaratecenter.com.

Hundreds of karate and jiu-jitsu students from the northwest grappled and sparred March 15th and 16th at Capilano College Sportsplex, where twenty-six students from the Pacific Northwest Karate Center in Bellingham fought for first place against other major rivals.
"They've earned the right to compete with the nation's best," says Shayne Simpson, the head coach of Team Rock Solid.

Who cares if kids earn medals during middle school? Simpson does. While growing up as an accomplished sports star in Alaska, he felt the community treated him like a hero, and that confidence led him to push himself more, to do more, and to help kids become legends in their own home town.

At first, some of the kids who entered this dojo were naturally shy, literally wide-eyed, responding to questions with only a nervous smile. But after a year of growing through disciplined hard work and the support of a team, they emerged with straight posture, easy laughter, and rock solid friendships.

At only 97 pounds, 13-year-old Darbie Lentz has grown to hold her own with complex martial arts weapons made famous in Bruce Lee movies; the nunchuck "sticks on chains." Nunchucks have a steep learning curve and are notorious for hurting novices who try to use them, but Darbie's nunchucks double her hitting range and triple her hitting power. Competence has certainly cultivated competence in the formerly shy teen.
While some karate schools have a rough reputation, kids in this dojo learn integrity and modesty and begin each class by promising never to use karate to intimidate others, but only in self-defense. This martial arts school is all about teaching life values to help kids grow up morally straight as well as physically great.

Winning gold can be expensive: "Some of our families paid hundreds, up to $500 just in entry fees for only one tournament," explains Simpson. The team travels each year to eight or nine nationally sanctioned events, and wows the crowds consistently. But some of the group can't afford the trips, and so the team performs with fewer feet on the floor as the destinations get farther away.

A family's support for their child is essential. In other sports, nationally seeded champions have full sponsorships that allow their families to foster a child's talent, to ensure the student can develop their talents without worrying about nickels and dimes. When you have Olympic-sized potential, it is wasted if you have only a median-level McBudget.

Rewards are worth the effort. In November of 2005, the school was invited to perform at Disney World in Orlando, a prime opportunity, but just a few weeks away. The students, some as young as six, worked 10 hours a day for two weeks, including Saturdays, even training over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was well worth it, according to the team's oldest member, Carl Rice, who was only 15 at the time. Team Rock Solid surprised the national audience and took first place.

This year's first place winners at Tiger Balm included these members of Team Rock Solid: Jobe Ashby, 13, took first place in three events: underbelt hard-style creative weapons, underbelt Sparring, and underbelt hard-style open hand forms, and was the grand champion with sword forms. Evan Binkley, 24, won in continuous sparring. Becca Greene, 10, took first in underbelt hard-style creative weapons. Sarah Lindsay took first in both junior sparring and hard-style open-hand forms. Carl Rice, 18, racked up first place finishes in seven events: Black belt hard and soft creative weapons forms, Black belt hard and soft choreographed musical weapons forms, Black belt hard and soft open musical weapons forms, Black belt hard creative forms, Black belt hard creative forms, Black belt hard choreographed musical forms, and Black belt Kenpo forms. Tanner Simpson, 8, won for hard creative forms. Lily Taylor, 9, took first in hard-style creative weapons and was the grand-champion with kama forms.

About Shayne Simpson's Pacific Northwest Karate Center:
Shayne Simpson has been training and teaching karate for nearly 20 years. The dojo is located at 1600 Kentucky Street, Suite B4, Bellingham WA 98226.

For additional information, see www.pnwkaratecenter.com or call (360) 734-5118.

"Shayne Simpson's Team Rock Solid" and "Shayne Simpson's Pacific Northwest Karate Center" are trademarks of Shayne Simpson's Pacific Northwest Karate Center.

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