CSKM and NMAC SPOTLIGHT COMPETITOR – JAKE HAROMSZEKI
Photo credit: Sport Martial Arts.Com
Name: Jake Haromszeki
Age: 18
Martial Status: Single
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Primary Style: Goju Ryu
Highest rank achieved and year: 2nd degree black belt (2010)
Year Started Martial arts: 2002 started to compete in 2003
First Club and Instructor: Family Martial Arts (Stoney Creek) Matt Perrins & Niel Bishop
Why did you start Martial Arts? : To develop confidence and some balance and overcome the shyness I had as a little kid
Current Club and Instructor: United Family Martial Arts (Queenston) Trevor Nash & Casey Marks Nash
Current Team: Team United
Favourite Forms/weapons competitors: Jeff Doss, Mark Santoro, Casey Marks Nash, Andrew Cablian
Favourite Fighters: Trevor Nash, Shane Baker, Chelsey Nash, Doug Klatskin
Most admired persons: (martial arts) Shane Baker, Doug Klatskin, (non martial arts) my parents for dealing with me at tournaments
Martial Arts goals: To achieve my 3rd degree in the coming years, and to successfully transition from competing as a junior to now as an adult
It’s not too often that a competitor’s transition from the Junior ranks to Adults is successful on the first try. In fact, one’s losses during this stage of transition serves not only as motivation but as a learning experience for one to only grow as a competitor. “No one goes to a tournament to try and place 3rd or 5th, and you're not going to win every tournament you compete in, but it's those tournaments when you lose or don't necessarily finish how you would like to when you're going to grow the most.” Such words are spoken by an eloquent young gentleman whose International experience in Sport Karate exceeds that of most Adult competitors. This segment’s spotlight competitor is of a young gentleman who is discovering himself not only as a growing competitor (both physically and mentally) but as a person whose drive, desire and discipline are encompassed on all facets of his life.
18 year old Jake Haromszeki is a Stoney Creek, Ontario native who began his Martial Arts journey in 2002 as a wide-eyed, albeit shy 8 year old who was put into Martial arts to gain self-confidence and to overcome his shyness. He began his formal instruction at Family Martial Arts under Matt Perrins and Neil Bishop. He currently trains at United Queenston under the direction of Trevor Nash and Casey Marks-Nash and currently holds a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Sport Goju-Ryu. Jake caught the tournament bug in his early stages – less than a year from when he started training. During his Under Black Belt years, Jake was a “jack of all trades” competing in Creative Weapons, Traditional Forms and Fighting. However, as Jake progressed through his Sport Karate career, he decided to focus on his Traditional Forms and Fighting. His focus definitely paid off as he was a consistent winner in both Korean Forms and Point Sparring for his respective 15 to 17 age bracket on NMAC, WKC and in the NBL.
However, much of Jake’s seasoning as a competitor came from his International competitions as he represented Team Canada at both the WKA and WKC World Championships on several occasions. His most memorable moment at these competitions was his Bronze Medal win at the 2005 WKA Worlds on (relatively) home turf in Niagara Falls as he did it as a mere 12 year old Brown Belt, ousting many experienced Black Belts during the competition. The highlight of his WKA experience, however, was his Gold Medal win in Light Contact at the 2008 Worlds in Orlando, Florida. It was at this moment that defined him as an accomplished Overall Fighter in the Junior ranks. What makes Jake smile in delight about this moment was the fact that he won his first World Title before he could even drive – something I’m sure he will cherish for years to come. In addition to these accomplishments, Jake also holds a total of 19 WKA and WKC Regional titles plus an additional 11 National titles.
Jake is one who constantly seeks new challenges and experiences to make himself a better competitor. After several ventures overseas for International competitions, in 2011, Jake had his eyes on another prize – an NBL World Championship in Point Fighting. During the regular season, Jake consistently won his Point and Continuous divisions at various Regional and National tournaments. On the other hand, he would consistently place 2nd or 3rd in Korean Forms, losing to fellow United alum Trevor Brownell. Earning himself a 1st Place National seed in his fighting divisions, it definitely looked like he was a shoe in to win the 15 to 17 titles in his respective Fighting divisions at the NBL Super Grands in Sacramento, California. However, the talent-laden divisions would definitely put a huge dent in his plans to win a World title in Fighting and he had to settle for a 4th Place finish. This was perhaps the fuel he needed to keep his fire burning at the Super Grands in his Korean Forms division later on that week. In yet another talented field which boasted over 30 competitors and lasting almost 4 hours, Jake was pleasantly surprised when he found himself in 1st Place after the initial eliminations with a mere National 2nd seed (those familiar with NBL seeding know that anything less than a #1 National is practically a death sentence to a Forms competitor). Jake carried this enthusiasm to the Grand Finale and with continuous momentum, he garnered his first NBL World title in Forms! For Jake, this was a gigantic win due to the fact that by winning this title, he proved to people that he isn’t just a Fighter but that he was a formidable Forms competitor as well. With these type of wins, Jake will definitely be one to look out for as he goes from “jack of all trades” to “master of all”, making his mark in Canadian Sport Karate as the Elite few who can say they are an Overall Champion.
Jake’s list of favourite competitors and admired people is a nice melange of Sport Karate’s Elite and people who are closest to his heart. Jake lists fellow United alum Ryan Young as his toughest Forms opponent during his years as a Junior. Jake and Ryan went back and forth in the Korean Forms divisions in the WKC with Jake squeezing in several Regional victories over Ryan through the years. With Jake entering the Adult divisions in 2012, he currently lists “everyone” as his toughest competition. Jake most recently got his first taste of Adult Forms competition at the SMAC Internationals in Niagara Falls where he managed to place Top 8 in Japanese and Korean Forms. On the Fighting side of things, Jake lists Nick Merlin and Jonathan Ferreira as his toughest adversaries in the ring. Perhaps Jake will run into them again in the near future as both of them are in the Adult divisions as well. Although Jake lists “everyone” as his toughest foes in Fighting, he definitely is off to a good start as his first Grand Champion win in Adult Fighting was earned at the 2011 Ontario Open as a 17 year old! Not only was this his first win but it was a big win at that by beating Jason Brown – a highly seasoned competitor who has had alot more experience than Jake. Jake’s winning streak in Fighting definitely kept going as he also earned his first NBL divisional win at the SMAC Internationals. This served as a monumental stepping stone to his Sport Karate career as an Adult, seeing that one of his challenges was to fight Shane Baker in the Grand Champion rounds – an individual who Jake has the utmost respect for. Although the outcome wasn’t in his favour, losing to a mentor isn’t such a bad thing as Jake earned valuable experience and know-how which he can parlay into future competitions. If one were to extrapolate Jake’s current successes as an Adult, there is no doubt that he can make a name for himself as one of Canada’s Best!
Outside of the competition side of Martial Arts, Jake lists earning his 1st Degree Black Belt as one of his most memorable achievements. He remembers dragging himself out of bed in the early hours of a chilly Sunday morning and having to run endless miles in the blizzard. If this isn’t dedication, then no one knows what it is! Anyone who has Jake as a Facebook friend can see that this was a defining moment in Jake’s life as it serves as one of his profile pics which has generated alot of commentary. In addition to this, he also lists earning his 2nd Degree as one of his remarkable moments as he stood side by side with a long time mentor - Rob Whitehouse – a person who Jake credits as his most valuable asset to his success.
Outside of Martial Arts, Jake aspires to pursue a degree in English and History and to head to Australia to become a high school teacher. This should be no surprise as two of his school teachers are Black Belts themselves – Andrew Cabilan and Don Fearnside. His classroom teachers list him as a “reserved, yet very motivated” student – one that lets his actions do all the talking. Where some of his peers and classmates are galavanting and doing the bare minimum to achieve success, Jake is one to seek new challenges, set new goals and find different ways to achieve them. To date, Jake has had no problem setting goals and obtaining them – whether it’s in Karate or in school. Jake is a testament to the cliché “Hard work pays off” and serves exemplary behaviour to those who look up to him.
Parents can understand the arduous effort it takes to keep a child motivated and successful. As an only child, Jake’s parents concentrated all of their efforts to get Jake where he is today. This is why Jake’s most admired people are none other than his parents. Much like many Karate parents, Jake’s parents are visible fixtures to Canadian Sport Karate. Not only do they support Jake’s effort in competition, but you can also see them cheering on the sidelines for other fellow competitors. According to Jake, he empathizes with what his parents had to go through and the sacrifices they had to endure to get to where he wanted to be. For Jake’s father, Mike, failure was never an option. “Excuses are the nails that built the house of failure” says Jake’s father and Jake has internalized this since age 14. With that said, if excuses are what build the house of failure, Jake has found the concrete to build the pillars of success. Jake has already placed some solid foundation to his Adult Sport Karate career with monumental wins under his belt. Transition stages are always the hardest as there is alot of “trial and error” involved. However, with each competition, win or lose, the learning experience is a reward within itself as it can be used in years to come. Jake is one who knows there are obstacles during his rise in the Adult ranks. With Jake’s tenacity and perseverance, it will only take a short time for him to discover how high he must jump to overcome these hurdles.
Not too many Juniors in Canada have made the smooth transition from Junior to Adult in recent times. For alot of adolescents, many mitigating factors are involved in one’s decision to stay in the Sport or leave. For Jake, goal-setting and goal achieving are relatively ubiquitous and his drive to be the best in everything he does is both commendable and inspiring to those who have second thoughts on their future in the Sport. During his Martial Arts study, Jake has definitely embraced the most important virtue practised in the Martial Arts – Discipline. Jake has handily used this in all aspects of his life - both in and out of Sport Karate. Such exemplary actions and attitudes are attributes that all young men should embrace for themselves. Jake Haromszeki definitely serves as a positive role model to the Junior/Future adult competitors out there and this is why he is the Spotlight Competitor.
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