Empty hand, full house: Hundreds turn out for karate tournament A local karate tournament draws hundreds of competitors, and hundreds more spectators, to the Dietrich Dome.
By ALFRED DIAZ of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
WALLA WALLA -- The Dietrich Dome was a testing ground Saturday for more than 200 men, women teens and children -- almost everyone of them wearing a white gi.
"You get out there in the ring and it's just you, your God and your kata."
"Kata," a term in karate -- which translates to "empty hand" -- is a pattern of moves that is practiced and performed in competition, in this case in front of some 300 spectators for the 16th annual Walla Walla Karate-Do Invitation tournament.
"It really feels like the audience really isn't there," said brown belt Jan Scott, describing what it's like to step into the ring. But even if the audience seems to disappear, that doesn't mean this 48-year-old applications support specialist for Baker Boyer Bank won't be nervous.
"This is probably the closest amount of nervousness that I will get to the real thing," by the "real thing" Scott means having to defend yourself in a real fight. "Actually this is probably worse," she said with a laugh.
David Lybbert also was dressed in a white gi, but not to compete. Instead, he led and organized what he says is the biggest karate tournament in these parts, a tournament he started 16 years ago when he invited another karate school from Pendleton to compete with his students. It's grown ever since, and on Saturday contestants came from 14 schools throughout Oregon and Washington.
"The hardest thing for me to do is keep it moving without delays," he said.
Lybbert, who runs the Karate Center in Walla Walla, was busy instructing the judges, making PA announcements and taking time for his own students, like 7-year-old Candice Edelman.
"What are we supposed to be doing?" Candice asked Lybbert, her rosy cheeks, long chestnut hair and smile making her a black belt in cuteness.
Without hesitation Lybbert stopped what he was doing to help little Candice start a warm-up routine.
"Karate is designed to uplift the mind and soul to success," Lybbert said, "to where a person isn't afraid to take risks," even if that risk means losing, he added.
"This is karate. It's all about life's lessons," said Lybbert's wife Cindy, who also was busy keeping the event moving. "Sometimes you don't win."
It is a philosophy that she and her husband put to the test with their own son Alex, now 11. When Alex was 4, Cindy explained, he entered his first tournament and lost. And he continued to lose for the next several years.
"He was sad. But he had to learn that this is part of life, too. You just try harder," Jan said, adding that when Alex turned 8 he started winning, a lot. And on Saturday he won again, taking first place in his divisions for both kata and kumite sparring (contact fighting with an opponent).
"He learned that with patience and time come the victory," said David Lybbert. "He was sad when he didn't win, but he came home and worked harder."
Also working hard that day was a nervous looking man fidgeting with the sleeves of his gi.
"I am trying to figure if I can roll up the sleeves," said Scott Brashear, a 48-year-old Walla Walla County Sheriff's deputy. As he spoke, he twirled something that looked like a 12-inch dagger with two prongs at the hilt. "Yes. I am nervous. With the sai you have to be careful that they don't get caught in the sleeves." Scott twirled the weapons again and finally let the sleeves fall. "I think they will be fine. I can leave them down."
It was hard to say if it was the sai making Scott nervous, the hundreds of spectators in the stands, or the thought of losing to his wife, Jan Scott.
"Her weapons kata is a much more intricate kata," he said, noting that though they are both brown belts, his wife outranks him. "I think she will win."
In karate, tournament classes are divided by age, belt ranking and years of training, Lybbert explained. Though they are sometimes divided by gender, men and women often compete against each other, as did the Scotts. And Jan took first place in the brown belt kata division, defeating her husband. But in all fairness, it should be noted Brashear also won. He took first place in the senior division for kumite sparring.
The overall winner for the entire tournament went to Walla Wallan Josh Ek, 21, who won the Kumite Sparring Grand Champion and Men's Black Belt. Women's Black Belt went to Lisa Mulan of Yakima. Adult Kata Grand Champion went to Sadie Brown, 22, of Eugene, Ore. And Youth Kata Grand Champion went to Galen Card, 17, of Wenatchee.
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