Written by This week I had a different role in the dojo. I did not compete in the sparring tournament. I was a judge. I was very impressed with all the competitors. They all used good control while sparring. They were courteous and well mannered to their opponents. No one was injured. One competitor showed fighting spirit. When they were punched or kicked they had a hard time. They would show that it hurt but, they never quit. I gained insight watching them. Never give up and always have heart. Continue on even when you hurt or are uncomfortable. Keep going. I will remember that when my time comes in the test. I hope to have the same courage and heart that they had. I am glad I was there to see that.
The flag game was easy to tell who won. Whoever grabbed the flag won the point. Sparring was more difficult to judge. Some matches were easy to tell who was winning. Other matches opponents were evenly matched. There were some draw matches. Sometimes it was still very close. I had to choose which person had the better techniques. What a new experience I had being on the other side of a tournament.