2011 WKC CANADA TEAM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP VIDEO by ARIANA MIHAN

Special thanks to ARIANA MIHAN for creating and uploading this wonderful video!!!

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" - MEGAN MACKENZIE

Since its inception, Canada Sport Karate Media has showcased and highlighted competitors who are currently contributing to the growth, development and exposure of our Sport.  This segment, CSKM will mark the debut of “Where Are They Now?” – a periodic feature which will highlight the achievements and talents of individuals who are no longer competing but whose contribution to our Sport cannot be left unnoticed.  At various tournaments, a common question asked is, “Where is ________________________?” and too often, such question is left unanswered or in the worst case scenario, details of a person’s whereabouts are based on false information, heresay and conjecture.  The purpose of such a segment is not only to showcase a past competitor’s accomplishments but also give insight in terms what the person is currently doing, whether it involves Karate or not.

Our first “Where Are They Now?” spotlight is on a young lady who graced the Sport Karate stages at an early age yet captured the hearts and admiration of onlookers from all ages.  Currently 19 years old, Megan Mackenzie was a phenom by the time she was the age of 7 – garnering the attention of spectators and competitors with her showstopping performance.  Megan’s charisma combined with her showmanship and theatrical presentations were a product of her solid foundation and endless creativity.  Although she has many Grand Championship and World Title victories, Megan has the distinction of being the only Canadian Junior to win the coveted AKA Warrior Cup.  Coincidentally (but not surprisingly), the only other Warrior Cup going to a Canadian is none other than Michael Bernardo – her instructor and mentor since she was only 5 years old.

Megan departed from the Sport only a short time ago to pursue interests outside of Sport Karate.  Her impact, however, still lingers in the hearts and imagination of many young ladies who compete today – many of them aspiring to be like her as they grow as a competitor.  Because of this, CSKM presents to you Megan Mackenzie.

Photo credit: http://www.meganmackenzie.com

Where are you from? Where do you currently reside?

I am from London, Ontario and I am currently living in Waterloo while I complete my undergraduate degree.

What dojos/clubs did you belong to when you were active in Sport Karate? Who were your instructors?

I have been a student of Bernardo Karate since I started martial arts when I was five. I have had many instructors over the years, most notably Michael Bernardo, Dennis McFadden, John Sharkey and Mike Chatarantabut.

What teams did you represent during your sport Karate career (include coaches)?

I proudly represented Team Revolution/XMA Performance Team under the guidance of Mike Chatarantabut while competing on the NASKA circuit. I also had the privilege of representing Team Canada at 5 WKA world championships, coached by Michael Bernardo.

What was the highest Martial Arts rank you achieved?

I have achieved the rank of third degree black belt (sandan).

List your major accomplishments in Sport Karate (ie. memorable 1st Place wins, Grand Championships, etc.)/What titles (and if possible what years) did you win during your Sport Karate career?

• 2005 Warrior Cup Junior Weapons Grand Champion

• Three Time WSKF World Weapons Champion

• Ten Time WKA World Weapons and Forms Champion

• Multi-Time Canadian Weapons and Forms Champion

• London Sports Celebrity Athletic Excellence Award 2002 and 2005

• 2005 Sportmartialarts.com young female weapons competitor of the year

• 2006 ISKA World Weapons Champion

• 2006 NASKA World Weapons Champion

• 2006 Sportmartialarts.com #1 ranked overall youth weapons competitor

• Two time gold medalist and overall weapons grand champion at the World Martial Arts Games in Victoria, BC

What is your current occupation/profession?

I am currently a second year student at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am pursuing a double degree in business and psychology.

Do you still follow Sport Karate tournaments (ie. Do you still visit Karate tournaments, follow online news, etc.)?

I follow the sport selectively. I have visited a few local tournaments and I occasionally follow online news. I mostly follow some of my friends who are still competing as well as students I have taught.

Based on your experience as a Sport Karate competitor, what words of advice would you give current competitors who aspire to be champions such as yourself?

There are so many things I could say here! First and foremost, I encourage competitors to focus on basics. I feel like as time goes on there is less and less focus on basics which is unfortunate because they are the foundation of martial arts and are, in my opinion, one of the key factors that make a competitor a champion. I also encourage competitors to focus on their energy, confidence and presence in a performance. I believe a kata should be dynamic. I’ve always been told it’s not just the moves themselves but also the space in between them. A competitor must have a certain energy. They have to draw the audience in and command attention. Think of it this way: the two minutes or so you have in the ring are all yours; make the most of them. Perhaps the most important piece of advice I can offer is this: a competitor should stay humble at all times, no matter what they achieve and should strive to be a well-rounded person.

Any additional information/comments you would like people to know?

After retiring from active competition, I realized the full impact of the lessons I learned through martial arts. I'm not talking about the techniques themselves, but the life skills I learned along the way. The discipline, confidence and work ethic I have gained over the years continue to assist me in all of my pursuits--horseback riding, my education, work, figure skating, etc. Now that I have had the opportunity to step back from martial arts and grow as a person, I truly appreciate everything my career has given me.

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – SEBASTIAN COUTURE

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – SEBASTIAN COUTURE

Photo credit: Jeff Lidstone

In any athletic endeavour, especially one that is competitive in nature, there are only two results which really matter – winning and losing.  However, for any of those two outcomes, it’s how an individual competitor carries oneself from that result that outlines the person’s character, level of sportsmanship and desire to improve.  Too often do we see a competitor’s ego prevail and blame any negative outcomes on external factors such as poor judgement calls, cheating by the other player and other mitigating factors which reflect one’s own inability to learn from their mistakes or weaknesses.  We commonly refer to this phenomenon as the “poor loser”.  Similarly, the notion of the “poor winner” also exists where the ego emerges from beneath the surface and the instant gratification nature of the ego makes the individual involve themselves in pompous displays of self-proclaimed greatness and closes their eyes and mind to self-evaluation.  Once in this state, what one fails to internalize is that victory is not a constant – at any time, one can lose.  Question is... what must one do to be a gracious loser? And of equal importance, what must one do to be a gracious winner? 

Even at a tender age of 12 years, Ottawa’s Sebastian Couture answered this relatively complex question with such simplistic terms. “Don't quit when times get hard! You can’t always win, so when you lose, keep standing tall and come harder next time.”  If one reads into this, there is one word which describes Sebastian – tenacious.  His “never give up” attitude and his ability to use his victories, losses, strengths and weaknesses to improve his skill is a testament to his hard work ethic - finding ways to rise above his competition.  When faced with challenges, especially when things look relatively bleak, Sebastian is one to have the eye of the tiger and face his opponent with ferocity.  His semi-final match against an American competitor at the 2010 WKC Worlds in Portugal is an example of the fury he can unleash when winning seems out of reach.  Towards the end of the match, Sebastian was at a 6 point deficit and obtaining a victory was seemingly impossible.  However, in the final 30 seconds, Sebastian came out with a vengeance and made a triumphant comeback to gain himself the win.  Not only did he win the match but he also won the respect of his opponent and his peers. 

Sebastian’s in-ring savvy should be no surprise to any Sport Karate fanatic.  Following in the footsteps of such World Champions as the Aversa Brothers and his mentor, Robbie Lavoie, Sebastian is a product of Douvris Martial Arts – a dojo which boasts Canada’s largest stable of heavy hitters.  Initially, his parents Martina and Jean wanted Sebastian to play soccer but the young Sebastian wanted to use his kicks elsewhere.  Sebastian got his start in the Martial Arts in 2004 at the Douvris Martial Arts studio in Kemptville under the direction of Sensei Earl Horvath.  Sebastian now trains at the Bank St. studio under Masters John and Peter Douvris and works out alongside World Champion Robbie Lavoie – a person who he has a great deal of admiration for.  Enamoured by Lavoie’s skill, Sebastian sought out Lavoie’s coaching expertise during his fights at the most recent WKC Worlds in Spain – earning himself a Gold Medal in Point Sparring and Silver Medal in Continuous.  However, Sebastian’s excellence does not stop in the fighting ring as he is also an accomplished Forms and Weapons competitor.  At the 2011 WKC Worlds, Sebastian garnered himself a Gold Medal in Creative Weapons and Silver Medals in Traditional Weapons and Forms. 

Sebastian’s path to victory isn’t without its obstacles as he is grouped in a 12 and Under age bracket full of the finest talent Canada has to offer.  Thunder Bay’s Raven Wheesk, one of Sebastian’s WKC Canada teammates, is listed as one of Sebastian toughest Forms opponents – narrowly edging Sebastian in Traditional Forms at the 2011 Worlds and most recently at the Toronto Tournament of Champions Forms Grands.  Justin Liu, another pupil from the Douvris stable, is another peer competitor who Sebastian has the highest regard for and one who Sebastian also lists as a formidable Forms and Weapons competitor.  It’s a see-saw battle between the two when it comes to claiming victories – when one wins Forms, the other wins Weapons and vice-versa.  It is this type of comraderie and friendly feuding which keeps the competitive spirits amongst these young gentlemen alive.  For fighting, Sebastian’s field of competitors in the 12 and Under group is like facing a Douvris army which includes Liu and another talented competitor, Kayvon Mihan.  However, Sebastian lists Belgium’s Robin Bruynseels as his toughest adversary in the ring. 

When Sebastian conquers his obstacles, he always finds different ways to challenge himself to keep his guard up (both literally and figuratively).  With Sebastian’s 13^th birthday soon approaching in the New Year, Sebastian most recently decided to “step up” and fight in the next age category up.  At Mike Palitti’s Toronto Tournament of Champions, Sebastian elevated his competitive game by entering the 13 – 14 division - where most of the competitors had a size advantage over him.  But leave it to Sebastian to jump that hurdle as he managed to place a respectable 2^nd, being narrowly edged by already 13 year old Blake Fewster of London, Ontario.

The release of this Spotlight Profile couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time for this youngster.  Just one day prior to this article being written, it was announced that Sebastian, along with friend Justin Liu, were recently recruited onto Jason Chen’s USA Allstars World Team.  Sebastian is definitely in good company as the stable has a list of the World’s best point fighters including Sebastian’s mentor and idol Robbie Lavoie, Raymond Daniels (another fighter Sebastian admires), Jason Bourrelly, Jack Felton and Chris Walker. 

Pictured: Sebastian with his idol, Robbie Lavoie

Photo credit: Sebastian Couture (via Facebook)

So what is in store for Sebastian’s future in the sport?  With Sebastian now on the Allstars, this will provide the youngster with many opportunities to compete on circuits such as the NASKA World Tour and top notch International events such as the Irish Open – something that Sebastian and his family are definitely excited about.  The exposure and experience Sebastian will entail in the upcoming year will definitely be insurmountable, providing him with the necessary challenges and competition to make him grow as a mature competitor.  In addition, by moving into the 13 – 17 category, Sebastian will be facing a new set of competitors which include fellow Douvris alumni, Jack Oliviero – another fighter that Sebastian has alot of respect for.  Currently, Sebastian is a mentor himself and is part of the Gold Leadership Program at Douvris Martial Arts.  It is here where Sebastian demonstrates his guidance by teaching the fundamentals of Karate and displaying the arduous work ethic it requires to be a Champion competitor.  His commanding leadership definitely has rubbed off on many youngsters – especially his younger brother, Niko.  Although Niko doesn’t compete as much as Sebastian, he definitely displays similar technical attributes as his older brother.  In fact, Niko made the trek down to the Toronto Tournament and blitzed his way to a 1^st Place win in Sparring.  Their parents Jean and Martina are very jubilant when expressing their pride in their sons and notes that they are following in the footsteps of their idol – Robbie Lavoie.  Outside of Karate, Sebastian extends his disciplined nature as he plans to maintain an “A” average.  Being skilled with the bo, Sebastian transfers his ambidexterity to music and it’s no surprise to anyone when they find out that he is a virtuoso with the drums!  Although Sebastian has not mentioned anything about a career, his diversified portfolio of skills will definitely land him a successful career – whatever path he decides to choose.  And with a supportive family structure, everything is possible for this young man. 

Speaking of family, one definitely has to mention Sebastian’s parents, Jean and Martina, as they are permanent fixtures when it comes to parental figures in Canadian Sport Karate.  In fact, it’s commonplace for either one to be actively involved in their kids’ ring – whether as a scorekeeper or simply a cheerleader.  “Kids don’t quit Karate – Parents do” is a moniker that is heard way too often.  However, for the Coutures, this is simply not the case.  It is such enthusiasm and parental involvement which keeps Sebastian at the peak of his interest in the sport and for this, Sebastian expresses his sincerest admiration. 

The Couture Family would like to extend their warmest gratitude to the entire Douvris Martial Arts community.  With master instructors such as Senseis John and Peter, Sensei Kelsey Friedlander and Sensei Jeremie Harris in addition to expert coaching by Sensei Robbie Lavoie, Sebastian’s accolades could not have been reached without their unduly support, time and effort.  It is this type of dedication from an interconnected group of people that Sebastian and his family are forever appreciative of. Although some say the sky’s the limit, Sebastian is shooting past the stars and the future is shining bright for him.

From this author’s personal level, Sebastian is always one to seek improvement, even when he is victorious – something that this author rarely sees in this sport amongst Youth competitors.  Although I know he appreciates praise, he is always open to constructive feedback and internalizes the advice which is passed down to him.  Always open to suggestion, his ability to absorb, reflect and ameliorate his skill is a testament that he is not one to rest on his laurels but he is an active learner who is constantly seeking to grow.  Not only is he humble with his wins, he’s also gracious with his losses and is one to learn from shortcomings – a trait which all Champions should encompass.  Although only 12 years old with a long career in Sport Karate ahead of him, he demonstrates the sportsmanlike conduct of a mature adult.  This is why he is CSKM’s Spotlight Competitor.

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – EMILY MUSSIO

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – EMILY MUSSIO

Photo credit: Cathy Mussio

In the world of Sport Karate, just like any sport, there are champions and there are Champions.  A ‘champion’ is one who often coins themselves as such and may have achieved such status taking the easy way out – whether it be competing in tournaments or divisions with no competition or simply not seeking the challenges to make themselves better competitors or Martial Artists.  Too often, these are the same individuals who do alot of bragging but have no means to back it up.  However, the term ‘Champion’ has much deeper meaning despite the fact that on the surface of the word itself, one can only see that the difference is the uppercase ‘C’.  This segment’s Spotlight Competitor will not only highlight this competitor’s achievements but will perhaps shed some light into what constitutes a ‘Champion’.  This segment’s Spotlight Competitor not only pushes herself to greater heights, but does so in a very humble manner – a virtue that is only exemplified by a Champion.

Following the words spoken by her peer mentor and World Champion Tressa Young: “Courage is not doing what is familiar, it is pushing ahead even though there is a chance of disappointment”.  Even at such a young age, 12 year old Emily Mussio is no stranger to facing challenges and taking risks – acknowledging that victory might be a laborious task but the end result is a gratifying sense of accomplishment.  Up until recently, Emily’s competitive career revolved heavily in the Under Black Belt divisions.  Seeking the necessary challenges to elevate her skill level, Emily sought the multiple challenges that the WKC (World Karate Council) had to offer – allowing her as an Under Black Belt to compete against the much more experienced Junior Black Belts.  Pushing herself even further from a physical standpoint, Emily concentrated her efforts into the more physically demanding areas of Creative and Extreme Forms and Weapons.  With a background stemming from competitive gymnastics and (acro) dance, Emily was able to use her creative wit, flexibility and fluid movement to choreograph and execute pumped up routines which always garner the attention of the spectators.  If one were to personify an inanimate object, one could describe Emily as a tiny stick of dynamite or according to WKC judge John Palitti, a “firecracker” – once ignited, she instantaneously explodes.  In fact, it is her intensity and ability to electrify the crowd with her enthusiasm which capture the attention of the more veteran competitors and judges. 

Emily’s arduous efforts definitely have paid off as her talents have earned her numerous notable victories in her short, yet action-packed career.  Of those victories, Emily’s first WKC Worlds in Portugal in 2010 was marked with exemplary success as she captured 2 Bronze medals and 1 Silver medal.  However, it was 2011 which served as a ground breaking year for the tiny dynamo.  At this year’s Nationals, Emily handily captured 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals.  She then kept her motor running and continued her winning streak with an unprecedented 4 Gold and 2 Silver medals at the WKC Worlds in Spain – making herself Team Canada’s Top 12 and Under competitor with the most Gold Medals and 2^nd ‘most winningest’ Junior, just behind Tressa Young.  And she is definitely in good company as Emily lists Tressa as one of her favourite competitors and aspires to be like her one day.  However, despite Emily’s numerous accolades at the Provincial, National and World level, her recollection of her first 1^st Place trophy as a mere white belt serves as her most memorable victory to date.  Not only was this the most memorable, but she also acknowledges that such humble beginnings served as being monumental to her tournament career as this was the ‘bug’ that got her to where she is today.  

With Sport Karate being a combative sport, it is usually not an activity which tops the list of many young ladies and for Emily, this was no different.  Having a very keen interest in sports in general, Emily began her athletic ventures in activities which are typical for young ladies such as dance and competitive gymnastics.  However, the amount of time and driving to pursue a career in gymnastics was just a little bit too rigorous for her parents so they started looking at other options.  One day after school with no questions asked, Emily’s mother Cathy, picked her up from school and drove her to a nearby dojo in Grand Bend and from there, as most would say, was history.  Not only did she like it, she loved it!  Since this time in 2007, Emily has been a diligent Karate student at the Grand Bend Karate Club (a franchise of Bernardo Karate) under the direction of head instructor Sensei John Dehondt and senior instructors Sensei Julia Campbell and Sensei Dan Coughlan.  In addition, Emily also makes the trek at least twice a week to train at the head Bernardo Karate dojo (Oxford location) in London to train with Shihan Mike Bernardo himself.  It is this type of dedication which separates herself from other 12 year old girls and even at such a young age, she is already setting an example that others should follow.  Aside from Karate, Emily plays ringette during the winter season – often an off season for Karate.  In addition, she continues to be involved in competitive acro dance – something that in the long run will be beneficial as such creative arts allow her to maintain an innovative mind set and at the same time, exercise her ability to be gracious in her movements. 

Besides looking up to competitors such as Tressa Young, it should come to no surprise that one of her favourite competitors and admired Martial Artists are also Bernardo Karate alumni.  On the list of Emily’s favourite competitors is Megan Mackenzie.  For those not familiar with Megan, she made waves on the NASKA World Tour in the early 2000s when she was Emily’s age and garnered herself many World Championships.  Although no longer actively competing, Emily describes Megan’s skill with the bo and commanding showmanship as her primary motivation to compete in Weapons with the bo.  For fighting, Emily lists Tammy Bernardo as one of her favourites and feels very honoured and privileged that she coached her at this year’s WKC Worlds.  “She makes fighting look easy!” is how Emily describes Bernardo’s in ring prowess and Emily is quick to acknowledge that she respects her talent and her accomplishments.  Her most admired Martial Artist is none other than Shihan Mike Bernardo.  When asked to describe what she admires most about Mike Bernardo, she notes that he teaches and provides direction in a non-condescending fashion.  For Emily, his ability to accentuate a student’s strengths and critique areas of improvement are integral factors which allow one to progress to be better competitors but most importantly, excellent Martial Artists.  Emily is definitely enamoured by the number of supporting individuals and inspirational forces she has surrounding her and credits all of them for her successes.

Having competed in a talent-laden 12 and Under group, Emily lists those hailing from Montreal’s Karate Sunfuki as her toughest opponents in Forms and Weapons.  Talented young ladies such as Stephanie Kovacs, Lawrence Venne and Stephany Mercier all field formidable competition and keep Emily on her toes to constantly come up with something innovative.  On the fighting side, Emily mentions Makayla Dennome from North Bay as her toughest sparring opponent.  In the past, they have had several see-saw battles and whether she wins or loses, the competition is so close that the point difference is only marginal.  As Emily leaves old challenges, she’s goes on another quest to seek new ones.  In 2012, she will be entering the 13 to 17 division and will be facing new talents and faces, including someone she looks up to – Tressa Young.  Being one of the youngest competitors in the age bracket next year, Emily understands the challenges it might have competing against young women who may have more experience and physical strength than herself.  But knowing Emily, adversity is her oyster and she will find a way to overcome these obstacles and come out on top.  If anything, her competitions next year will be positive learning experiences which will aspire her to continue her dedicated training regimen and serve as stepping stones for her to achieve greater heights as she matures as a competitor.

Outside of the competition arena of Martial Arts, Emily lists earning her Black Belt as her most significant achievement.  Earning her Black Belt just days before the WKC Worlds, for Emily, the Black Belt is a symbol of the culminating efforts of devoted study and timeless training.  “Ever since you start Karate, that is what you are working toward”, describes Emily.  It is commonplace for girls her age to earn (or receive) a Black Belt and stop Martial Arts but Emily understands that the Black Belt is not the end but a beginning.  With this mindset, Emily is already doing her personal groundwork to improve her Extreme Forms and also notes that she will be adding new divisions to her repertoire.  Despite the fact that she just received her 1^st Degree Black Belt, she’s already thinking ahead and is getting herself ready for her 2^nd Degree. 

Emily’s ambition and goal to be a good example to younger students and competitors is evident.  Her humility, combined with her excellent sportsmanship are definitely commendable traits of a Champion competitor.  Her desire to be an exemplary individual extends beyond the competition floor as she has hopes to perform humanitarian acts of kindness by volunteering and performing community service in Third World countries – helping those who are less fortunate than herself.  Like other responsible young ladies, Emily wants to maintain a high academic standing and would like this to carry through high school.  Already being a part cohesive group of people who are supportive of all of her endeavours, Emily wants to meet more like-minded individuals – those who think of others before themselves. 

Overall, the Martial Arts have been a holistic learning experience for Emily.  Not only has she developed an extensive skill set which have earned her numerous titles, she has also developed characteristics which both kids and adults should embrace into their own lives.  Her parents, Paul and Cathy, would like people to know that Emily loves Karate and being involved in it has made her a confident individual – in and outside of the dojo.  From the author’s perspective and personal observations, Emily’s confidence emanates with her commanding presence in the ring and her lady-like composure outside of the ring.  In fact, one can’t help notice that her poise and spoken words display maturity beyond her 12 years – something that one can attain from the discipline Martial Arts provides.  Most importantly, however, the Mussio’s point out that everyone from Grand Bend Karate and the Oxford Bernardo Karate dojo have been a second family – providing Emily with the support and encouragement to persevere and succeed in every aspect of her Martial Arts journey and competitive career.  The Mussio’s would like to extend their thanks and feel eternally blessed to be around such great individuals and for this they express their sincerest gratitude.

Megan Mackenzie’s encouraging words of “Shoot for the moon” are forever ingrained in Emily’s mind as she uses these words as her foundation to persevere and reach for her goals – regardless of how hard it might be to achieve them.  Her accomplishments, consistent effort to overcome challenges along with her humility and maturity are what makes Emily a true Champion and Canada Sport Karate Media’s Spotlight Competitor.

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – RAVEN WHEESK

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – RAVEN WHEESK

  

Photo credit: Lisa Wheesk

 

Too often in Canadian Sport Karate, we focus on the competitors hailing from the more metropolitan centres of our large geographical regions with higher population densities.  Unfortunately, we tend to overlook those competitors who might hail from the more remote (or in this case, more Northern) parts of our large country.  Looking beyond the mainstream auspices of our great country, we venture to another part of Ontario where not too many people have travelled to.  Boasting only a population of just over 100 000 people, Thunder Bay happens to be the highest populated city in Northwestern Ontario yet one can wager that not ONE person in the Canadian Sport Karate community can name one Sport Karate superstar whose accomplishments are bigger than the city itself.  And for this, Canada Sport Karate Media Services would like to showcase and highlight a young gentleman who has made a name for himself despite the fact that he resides in an area where Sport Karate (or Karate for that matter) is pretty scarce.

Photo credit: Becky Jackson Foote

“Go big or go home” – a saying that this diminutive powerhouse lives by and utilizes to reach his potential.  Raven Wheesk, a 13 year old hailing from Thunder Bay, Ontario, shows to everyone that his drive, much like his accomplishments, tower over his competition.  Despite the distance separating himself with the majority of the top talents in Canada, Raven has competed amongst the best on the International and World spectrum.  Appearing in several WKA and WKC World Championships during his competitive career to date, Wheesk separates himself from the rest of his competition. His energy driven performances make him a dynamo in the 12 and Under Forms and Weapons divisions - capturing the attention and the hearts of the spectators who have witnessed his athleticism through the years.  It’s the norm rather than the exception that Raven earns Gold Medals, especially in the Extreme, Korean, Hard Style and Musical Weapons divisions.  During his quests for success, he has parlayed his talents to garner himself numerous gigantic wins.  He is a 10 time World Champion and a 14 time National Champion with his most recent wins being a clean sweep of 4 Gold Medals at the 2011 WKC World Championships in Cadiz, Spain held in November.  However, it was his first Gold Medal in Korean Forms at the 2008 WKA World Championships which Raven defines as his most memorable win.  Perhaps it was this first victory in Korean Forms which served as momentum to his future victories in this same division as he has won the 12 and Under Korean Forms division at the last three consecutive WKC Nationals and Worlds – something that is rare for any Junior competitor.

When asked who Raven’s toughest Forms and Weapons opponent is, he lists NASKA mainstay competitor Carson Crawford as one who gives him a good run for the Gold.  The two met at the 1^st WKC Worlds in Dublin, Ireland in 2009 where Raven outscored Crawford in three divisions. However, whenever the two duel at the Diamond Nationals, it becomes a see-saw battle between the two as Crawford has a narrow edge in Weapons and Raven having a slight edge in Tradtitional Forms.  Definitely a duel for the ages.  Raven lists fellow Canadians and WKC Canada teammates Ryan Young, Jeremy Lussier and Alex Cousineau as his favourites in Forms – an indication of respect for his fellow competitors.  With 2012 being a year of age advancement for Raven, he will have the opportunity to battle these talented gentlemen as Raven will be entering the 13 – 17 division.  Moving from one challenge to another, Raven’s dedicated work ethic to train independently each and every day will definitely make overcoming these obstacles a little bit easier and perhaps achieving his goal of obtaining the 5 World Championships in this age bracket will come sooner rather than later.  With the current consistent results Raven has achieved to date, his dominance in Forms and Weapons should carry over into this new age bracket.  Despite the fact that most of the competitors in this field have the size and strength of grown men, Raven can easily size up his competition with his fluidity, dexterity and overall impact to woo the crowd and most importantly, the judges.

Raven began his path in the Martial Arts in 2003 and received his Black Belts in Shotokan and Han Moo Kwan (Taekwondo) in 2008.  Although Raven lives in Thunder Bay, he makes a frequent 8 hour commute to Bae’s Martial Arts in Winnipeg, Manitoba under the direction of WKC Manitoba director and supporting coach, Master Malcolm Edwards.  It is here where he learns the fundamentals but the actual fine tuning and choreography (for his Musical routines) he does independently at home with only direction from his Mom and Dad.  It is this type of desire to be successful that all youngsters should strive for and Raven serves as an exemplar to many of his peers.  Unlike most “Karate Kid” like stories of bullying or motivation from movies, Raven simply began Martial Arts to be active and to live a happy, healthy lifestyle.  In spite of having asthma and multiple allergies with a daily threat to anaphylactic shock, Raven’s involvement in Martial Arts helps to keep him thinking positively – something that the Martial Arts teaches everyone who is involved.  Adding to his healthy lifestyle, Raven is also involved in biking, swimming, basketball and the highly enjoyable paintball. 

Although only 13 years old, one can see Raven as a visionary with maturity beyond his years.  He is a firm advocate that believing is achieving provided that you put your mind to it.  Aside from his Sport Karate goals, Raven sees himself involved in law.  Based on his previous foresight and success to achieve greatness in Sport Karate, it should be no surprise to anyone that this ambition to become a lawyer will become a reality rather than remain a dream.  Whatever Raven chooses to do in the future, one thing remains certain - this young man has been an asset to the WKC Canadian Team since the beginning.  His humility, positive outlook on life and exemplary display of such (in addition to his Sport Karate success) is why he is Canada Sport Karate Media’s Spotlight Competitor.

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TOURNAMENT REVIEW – EAST-WEST ONTARIO OPEN

 Mississauga, Ontario – On Saturday, November 12, Christina Magliocco and East-West Martial Arts proudly hosted the Ontario Open.  Held in the spacious Mentor College gymnasium, the relatively new tournament to the NMAC circuit boasted over 300 competitors. When word first got out that over 250 competitors pre-registered for this event, the local Sport Karate community was set abuzz and many were eager to see what this tournament had to offer.  Not only did the tournament have an abundance of competitors in attendance, the spectators seemingly made the gymnasium bursting from the seams and it was definitely standing room only.

Magliocco, who runs a very busy Mississauga-based Karate school with over 400 active students, had no problems finding volunteers to help the tournament run efficiently.  For those not familiar with Magliocco’s Karate program, her school East-West Martial Arts focuses on teaching children and teens and parents were more than willing to donate their time for this event - solid evidence indicating the tight-knit, family oriented community the school embraces.  Volunteers and tournament staff were easily identifiable as each proudly wore a black t-shirt emblazoned with a silver metallic East-West logo on the front.  With Magliocco being a student of Canadian Karate patriarch Don Warrener, it came to no surprise that the majority of the supporting schools all have roots or ties to Don Warrener.  Schools such as Don Warrener’s Brantford and Brampton AMA all showed up with well over 40 students each.  Also making the trek all the way from Windsor was Master Conroy Copeland – one of Warrener’s top ranking Black Belts – bringing in several students who competed in the Traditional Forms and Weapons divisions. However, once again, it was Adette Rice’s Driftwood Martial Arts from Kitchener which had the most visible showing with more than 60 students all sporting their new black and red competition uniforms.  In fact, prior to the official start of the tournament, the audience was entertained by a choreographed routine by members of the school.  In typical YouTube like “flash mob” fashion, the delegation from Driftwood party rocked to LMFAO and dazzled the on-lookers with a very pumped up routine which had the people clapping and bouncing as well.  Definitely a great way to get people excited for the competition.

As one can see in the picture above, many of the competitors were kids and teens – all of them filled with eyes-wide anticipation and excitement and for some, anxiety and parental pressure.  One might ask why there would such uneasiness at a local tournament – most of the Under Black Belts were beginners and this tournament marked their first entry into competition and I am sure that all competitors have experienced these emotions before.  Despite the enthusiasm and nervousness of the competitors, the judges were all set to go in the 8 rings available and the competition began promptly at 10 a.m. with the Under Black Belt divisions.  Casual observers would be the first to notice that judging these divisions would definitely be an arduous task seeing that each of these divisions had at least 15 competitors.  However, with Mike Palitti’s meticulous coordination, many of the Under Black Belt divisions were completed by noon, setting up the Black Belt divisions to begin immediately after.

The Junior Black Belt divisions were filled with up-and-coming talents but it was the fluid and exciting performances of Tressa Young which dominated the divisions, garnering her 1^st Place wins in all of her Forms and Weapons divisions plus her respective fighting division.  Coming back with an 8 Gold Medal haul at the WKC Worlds in Spain a few days before, Young ventured onto the competition floor with a mission to win the Junior Forms Grands.  Why such eagerness to win the Grands?  Perhaps it was the $100 cash prize which served as her motivation – something rarely seen in Junior Black Belt competition here in Ontario.  When it was said and done, Young “kiai”ed her way to victory and earned herself the pocket change.  On the Adult side of things, notable performances were made by an up-and-coming talent named Ryan Potter.  The very reserved Potter proudly represented Driftwood Martial Arts and handily won both the 18+ Traditional Weapons and Forms divisions with his staunch yet precise traditional technique.  This provided momentum for Potter as he earned himself two spots in the Forms Grands which had a $200 cash prize attached to it.  However, experience prevailed this time around as veteran competitor Andrew Cabilan, still fatigued from his trek from the WKC Worlds, edged Potter by a mere .01 to capture the title this year.  This could possibly be the start of a new battle between “old and new” as Cabilan succumbed defeat to Potter at Mike Bernardo’s Ontario Grand Nationals this year.  With Potter on a steady climb, be on the lookout for this young gentleman to make a name for himself in NMAC.

On the Fighting side of things, couple of surprise appearances made the divisions very interesting to watch.  Making the trek all the way from Ottawa was WKA World Champion Victoria Marcotte.  Taking a short hiatus from competition to focus on her career, Marcotte decided to get her feet wet once again and step back into the competitive arena.  Winning her division quite easily, Marcotte won herself a spot into the Grands just to face another surprise entry and another WKA World Champion – Michelle Antolic.  Much like Marcotte, Antolic’s primary focus was outside of Karate but still managed to appear at several NASKA tournaments just for maintenance.  This provided for an interesting and seemingly balanced battle.  The match started off with the two ladies exchanging blow for blow and point for point – definitely the see-saw battle which most were expecting.  After the two minutes were up, the score was 5 - 4, with Antolic coming up on top and making herself $200 richer.  On the Men’s side of things, in his final year as a Junior, NMAC mainstay and multi-time World Champion Jake Haromszeki, decided to step up and battle the big boys in the Men’s division.  Haromszeki’s elimination bouts were seemingly effortless as he blitzed his way to victory in each round.  This set up a very interesting Grand final bout between Haromszeki and the much more experienced veteran competitor, Jason Brown.  Brown, almost twice Haromszeki’s age, used impeccable timing and precision to try and get past Haromszeki’s longer reach and much longer legs.  After an exhilarating two minutes, the score was tied 5 – 5.  Would youth overcome experience or would veteran know-how school the younger competitor?  The additional one-minute overtime would determine that.  In another see-saw exchange of strikes, Haromszeki managed to pull 2 extra points and earned himself his first ever Adult Grands, $200 cash and most importantly, the respect from a much more experienced fighter.  If this is a sign of Haromszeki’s future as an Adult fighter, current fighting champions need not rest on their laurels as Haromszeki plans to make a name for himself as an Adult much like he has already done as a Junior.

Photo credit: East-West Karate (via Facebook)

Overall, the Ontario Open is another tournament which makes itself accommodating for the entry level competitor.  With many divisions offered for all levels, equity and fairness for the beginning competitor is definitely preserved and this is one to mark on one’s calendar for next year.  It should be no surprise to anyone that the attendance to this event is growing year after year.  For the more veteran Black Belt competitor, the addition of monetary prizes for the Grands should attract experienced competitors wishing to sharpen their skills or try new techniques but at the same time, provide extra motivation for aspiring champions to train harder and perfect their craft.  All in all, Christina Magliocco, along with her tournament staff which included Helder Couto and many enthusiastic parents and volunteers from East-West Karate, provided a very hospitable environment which is necessary to keep competitors coming back to this tournament.  


Next year's Ontario Open is set for Saturday, October 20, 2012.  It is promised to be even bigger and better than previous years.  Be sure to mark your calendars now!

Photo credit: Linda Young

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – ERIC TREMBLAY

SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR - ERIC TREMBLAY

When selecting competitors to highlight either for a “Spotlight” or “Eyes on This”, many factors are taken into consideration.  One of the factors to consider is the age group a competitor competes in and their respective accomplishments in the divisions they enter.  To an outsider looking in, a competitor competing in a 30+ division would usually be overlooked because the competitor is not competing in a category which in essence has the greatest amount of depth.  However, when one looks deeper at the accomplishments of a competitor on a bigger scale, one has to acknowledge the magnitude of one’s accomplishments in their respective category.

When CSKM first selected 31 year Eric Tremblay to be featured, he was initially going to be included as an “Eyes on This” competitor since he competes in the 30 – 39 division on the NASKA World Tour – a division which unfortunately rarely gets the spotlight and often gets overshadowed by the 18+ divisions.  But looking at his competition record at a macroscopic level, one can’t help but notice that his accomplishments, much like his stature, are very large and have equal (if not more) merit than those competing in the 18+ divisions.

Bursting on the NASKA World Tour during the 2010 season, he made an impact immediately by capturing 1^st Place finishes in his Open and Musical Forms and Weapons divisions at the Amerikick Internationals in Philadelphia as an unseeded player.  From that point forward, he was a consistent winner in his Open divisions for the entire 2010 season and came a close 2^nd in the Final Rankings inhis Traditional divisions, just behind Andrew Cabilan.  However, Tremblay made his mark in a big way by claiming the first ever 30+ Overall Forms and Weapons Diamond Ring at NASKA’s crown jewel tournament – the Diamond Nationals.  This is an accomplishment which many can only dream and imagine about. Aside from winning the coveted Diamond Ring, Tremblay also lists his Gold Medal finish at the 2009 WKA Worlds in Huelva, Spain as his most memorable.  At the end of the 2010 NASKA World tour, Tremblay managed to claim 4 World Titles in Creative Forms, Musical Forms, Creative Weapons and Musical Weapons.  For all of 2011, Tremblay dominated the 30+ divisions and finished the year with 6 NASKA World Titles and the 30+ Overall Weapons Grand Championship.  According to Tremblay, he notes 40+ competitor Drew Derrick-Bisbee as his toughest Forms and Weapons opponent.  Based on competition records, Bisbee was the consistent winner in the 30+ Forms Grands in 2011 but Tremblay bested him at the 2011 U.S. Open by claiming BOTH the 30+ Weapons and Forms Grand Championships.

Tremblay started his path in the Martial Arts in 1990 studying Nick Cerio Kenpo.  According to Tremblay, Karate was a passion that he always had as a kid and he was further motivated after watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies.  Tremblay notes Kalman Csoka as his favourite Weapons competitor.  This should come to no surprise to anyone since any casual Sport Karate enthusiast can see Csoka’s influence in Tremblay’s weapons routines.  He currently runs a successful school with Manon Deslauriers in the Montreal, Quebec area which proudly boasts 300 students.  From a Martial Arts perspective, Tremblay’s list of Sport Karate related goals resembles a very busy “to do list”.  Tremblay’s primary goal is to be recognized as the Best 30+ Forms and Weapons Overall competitor – with his current competition record, this goal will be met in a short period of time.  In addition, he would also like to win an AKA Warrior Cup, claim World Titles in every organization and hopefully one day promote a NASKA World Tour event.

Outside of the Martial Arts, Tremblay is a proud father of his son, Esteban (who himself is following in Eric’s footsteps as he too has won several Under Black Belt divisions at NASKA World Tour events) with his lifelong partner, Manon Deslauriers.  Tremblay’s main goal in life is to “To be the best husband and father a man can be” – something that every Man should aspire to be.

Tremblay is a firm believer of perseverance and dedication and says “Always remember that you can achieve anything you want to, you just have to want it bad enough!”.  With a Diamond Ring and a WKA Gold Medal already in his pocket and winning a Grand Championship at nearly every NASKA World Tour event, Tremblay is solid evidence that hard work pays off.  It is competitors like Tremblay which keep the spirit of competition alive in every 30+ competitor and for this, he is CSKM’s Spotlight Competitor.

CONCURRENT VEDETTE - Eric Tremblay

Lors de la sélection concurrents pour mettre en évidence que ce soit pour un "Spotlight" ou "les yeux sur ce", de nombreux facteurs sont pris en considération. Un des facteurs à considérer est le groupe d'âge d'un concurrent participe à leurs réalisations respectives dans les divisions qu'ils entrent. Pour un étranger en regardant dans, un concurrent en compétition dans une division 30 + devrait normalement être négligée car le concurrent n'est pas en compétition dans une catégorie qui, en essence a le plus de profondeur. Toutefois, lorsque l'on regarde plus profondément à la réalisations d'un concurrent sur une grande échelle, il faut reconnaître l'ampleur de ses réalisations dans leur catégorie respective.

Lorsque CSKM d'abord sélectionné 31 années Éric Tremblay d'être en vedette, il a d'abord été va être inclus comme un "yeux sur ce« concurrent depuis qu'il participe au 30-39 division sur le Tour du Monde NASKA - une division qui, malheureusement rarement obtient le feu des projecteurs et obtient souvent éclipsée par les 18 divisions +. Mais en regardant son dossier la compétition à un niveau macroscopique, on ne peut s'empêcher de remarquer que ses réalisations, tout comme sa stature, sont très grandes et ont la même (sinon plus) de mérite que ces concurrentes dans les 18 divisions +.

Débordant sur le World Tour NASKA durant la saison 2010, il a eu un impact immédiatement en capturant première place dans sa finition formes ouvertes et de musique et les divisions des armes à la Internationals Amerikick à Philadelphie comme un acteur non ensemencées. De ce point de l'avant, il était un gagnant cohérent dans ses divisions ouvertes pour l'ensemble de la saison 2010 et est une 2ème proches dans le classement final inhis divisions traditionnelles, juste derrière Andrew Cabilan. Toutefois, Tremblay a fait sa marque dans une grande manière en affirmant la toute première 30 + formes générales et Diamond Ring armes au tournoi NASKA de joyau de la couronne - les Nationals de diamant. C'est une réalisation dont beaucoup ne peuvent que rêver et d'imaginer à propos. Mis à part remporté le convoité Diamond Ring, Tremblay indique également sa finition médaille d'or aux championnats du monde WKA 2009 à Huelva, en Espagne comme ses plus mémorables. A la fin de la tournée 2010 NASKA mondiale, Tremblay a réussi à la revendication 4 titres mondiaux dans des formes créatives, les formes musicales, des armes et des armes Creative Musical. Pour l'ensemble de 2011, Tremblay a dominé le 30 divisions + et a terminé l'année avec 6 titres mondiaux NASKA et le 30 + l'ensemble des armes du Grand Championship. Selon Tremblay, il note 40 concurrents + Drew Derrick Bisbee-que son plus Formulaires et opposant les armes. Fondé sur les enregistrements concurrence, Bisbee a été le gagnant cohérente dans le 30 + formes Grands en 2011, mais Tremblay lui a battu à l'Open des Etats-Unis 2011 en prétendant FOIS le 30 armes + et Formulaires Championnats Grand.

Tremblay a commencé son parcours dans les arts martiaux en 1990 à étudier Nick Cerio Kenpo. Selon Tremblay, le Karaté était une passion qu'il a toujours eu comme un gosse et il était plus motivé après avoir regardé les Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films. Tremblay note Kalman Csoka que son concurrent armes favorites. Cela devrait venir à aucune surprise pour personne puisque tout amateur de sport décontracté Karaté peut voir l'influence Csoka dans des routines armes Tremblay. Il dirige actuellement une école de succès avec Manon Deslauriers dans le Montréal, région de Québec, qui se vante fièrement de 300 étudiants. Du point de vue des arts martiaux, la liste des objectifs de Tremblay Karaté Sport liés ressemble à un très occupés »pour faire la liste». Objectif principal Tremblay est d'être reconnu comme le meilleur 30 + et les formes d'armes compétiteur global - avec son dossier la concurrence actuelle, cet objectif sera atteint dans un court laps de temps. En outre, il aimerait aussi gagner une Coupe du AKA Guerrier, titres mondiaux réclamation dans chaque organisation et j'espère un jour promouvoir un événement NASKA World Tour.

En dehors des arts martiaux, Tremblay est un père fier de son fils, Esteban (qui est lui-même suit les traces de d'Eric comme il l'a trop gagné plusieurs divisions sous la ceinture noire lors d'événements NASKA World Tour) avec son partenaire de longue date, Manon Deslauriers. Objectif principal Tremblay dans la vie est de «Pour être le meilleur mari et un père, un homme peut être" - quelque chose que tout homme doit aspirer à l'être.

Tremblay est un ferme partisan de la persévérance et le dévouement et dit: «Rappelez-vous toujours que vous pouvez réaliser tout ce que vous voulez, vous avez juste à le souhaitez assez mauvais!". Avec une bague en diamant et une médaille d'or WKA déjà dans sa poche et de gagner un championnat Grand-à presque tous les cas NASKA World Tour, Tremblay est une preuve solide que le travail acharné porte ses fruits. Il est des concurrents comme Tremblay qui conservent l'esprit de compétition vivante dans chaque concurrent 30 + et pour cela, il est le concurrent de Spotlight CSKM.