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USAKF Nationals Championship, Springfield, Illinois August 2-4, 1996

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General notes"

The championships opened Wednesday with special meetings. The Referee Course started on Thursday with Major JAMES CALDWELL at the helm. Hanshi ANDERSON addressed the group and the course proceeded to get the job done.

All the referees that attended the course were given free admission to the banquet and the top senior officials were given a stipend.

The championship had about 1200 athletes, used 8 match areas and proceeded without a flaw. All the charting was done by computer beforehand as were the competitor passes; the result being the elimination of log waiting lines.

The facilities were great, the Convention Center was just across the street from the Hilton hotel and was large and spacious -- and cool!

DOUG DENNIS and his Shudo Kan Club furnished the operations staff for the tournament and MICHAEL DUNPHY oversaw the Medical Group together with GARY MASSUCCI. I don't think that we have ever had such efficient groups. MIKE BUKAL and JOYCE SWEENEY made short work of the registration - unbelievable.

And we cannot ever forget the great job JANET STANKUS singing our National Anthem.

The competition was good and I think every one went home with the memory of a strong, large event run by a vibrant efficient organization. Thanks to every one that was there and helped with the event.

The Awards Banquet and Officials Recognition Dinner was held in the hotel that evening. It was an extremely warm affair and the senior board members of the USAKF, those that were responsible for the achievement of Karate being inserted as sport of the Pan American Games were awarded the Silver Medal of the World Union of Karatedo Organizations and the titles and patch of an All American of the USA Karate Federation. Hanshi Anderson gave an inspirational address and set the course for future development fo the Federation. Go to the complete report and Hanshi's speech.

Mail received about the National Championships (excerpts)

Received: 8/11/96 9:37 PM From: Pamela Stockwell, YANKYJOE@aol.com

Yes my name is Pamela I have a twin sister named Patricia ! We are both active in the USAKF and I was pleased at the last tournament in Springfield. I also went to Seatle for the USANKF tournament and I feel as though your tournament was more professionaly operated. I placed fourth in kata and second in fighting in the 17 year old advanced and my sister placed third in kata and first place in fighting.

.........BTW, seeing my old friends from WISK, especially Sensei Kuras, added to my enjoyment of the tournament. Of course, so did the silver medal insparring. Thanks for the opportunity for both! Linnea

Dear Mr. Anderson: I have read all the mail from the different countries and I am impress with you ability to pull everyone together. I have always
known that you have a "given quality" to be a leader. Keep up the "GREAT WORK" I am going on little Vac -K

Sent: 8/10/96 4:53 PM From: Rob Alvelais dojo , budo@pacificmartialarts.com

Hi Hanshi! I just saw the picture of Rachel Emilia and me on the Web Page. Thank you for putting it up on the Web. My wife loves it. I think that this type of posting makes the USAKF seem much more friendly and inclusive than in the past or in comparison to other national karate organizations. As always, it was a pleasure to see you in Springfield. I very much enjoyed sitting around at Filia's home conversing with you. We never seem to have enough time to do this. Thank goodness for email!...I enjoyed the championships. It seemed to go smoothly. I thought that the quality of the competitors was down somewhat but it was a good championships. I very much like the idea of a team competition circut and the idea of separating out the various styles for kata competition. I think that perhaps we should consider separating out the Okinawan styles as well. I hope that the USAKF can continue to develop athletes and fufill your vision. Best regards! Rob Alvelais Pacific Martial Arts Roberto A. Alvelais

"The ultimate aim of karatedo lies not in victory or defeat but, in the perfection of the character of its participants" -Gichin Funakoshi, Founder of Shotokan Karatedo

Banquet and Speeches Report:

The Awards Banquet and Officials Recognition Dinner was held in the hotel that evening. It was an extremely warm affair and the senior board members of the USAKF, those that were responsible for the achievement of Karate being inserted as sport of the Pan American Games were awarded the Silver Medal of the World Union of Karatedo Organizations and the titles and patch of an All American of the USA Karate Federation.

Given the awards were:

Grandmaster THOMAS LAPUPPET
Shihan PATRICK M. HICKEY
Shihan MINOBU MIKI
Master DOUG DENNIS
Master MICHAEL BUKALA
Excerpts from President Anderson's dinner address:

Board Members, Athletes, Referees and Coaches, Distinguished and Honored Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a real pleasure to be with you again here in Springfield at this great championship. You know the bible says that one of the great pleasures of life is to eat dinner with your friends. So it is!

You know, here, with us, is where the development of karate will be - not in the structure that other groups have developed. They give out some good things until they get set and then certain persons have their say. Their say is not always good for the USA and you and me.

I think our group is the place for you but should take what you consider to be the best option and best hold.

It is difficult to serve two masters. The NGB president cannot do it, serve the USOC and Karate, and neither can you. If you hold firm here, certain things will occur - if you go to elsewhere, then, certainly, another future may possibly be in store for you. Here are values are clear. A long time ago I learned to hold the position of supporting the worthy SENSEI over the dissident STUDENT

And we do notice whether or not the sensei and you are present at our championship. This year will be a telling one and those absent will truly be missed; maybe not being here is not so bad but we have to get together or close up as a significant national group in favor of karate as you know it. Several of our member are looking to see what they can get from the NGB. They will probably give them something - that is until their possibilities have disrupted.

The true nature of USOC national sports organization will soon come forward and the hopefuls will be abandoned to their own possibilities with their reputations traduced by their lack or loyalty and courage to their original roots.

For me, I have always recognized such traps and stood firm --and I will do that now. Few persons in martial arts have equaled my achievements and I know that my directions has been proper. A long time ago I learned to hold the position of supporting the worthy SENSEI over the dissident STUDENT. I determined early on that loyalty to principles and teachers, careful placement of my meager resources, and the group that I ran with was the key.

My advice to you then, is to remember who you are and where you come from. If you forget that, then you will we swamped in the coming flood, the overwhelming influx of shallow martial arts marketers. You must seek light in truth, service, and principles, or darkness will be your destiny.

It is a real possibility that the Olympics could very well diminish karate, just like it did with Judo. We dreamed that we could take karate there and nurture it in favor of the historical tradition. We were wrong. Evidently, Karate will be simply a sport, run by the best athletes and graduates from the USOC National Sports Academy. Eventually, it probably will be administered in states by the type that used to control the AAU - those who are not in the game, don't practice and so have lots of time for fooling around and have found a niche in which to be important.

It is clear that that does not describe us---we are simply karate-ka. Where the does that leave us?

Anyway, we have set up a system of awards and rewards - not like the rewards given to truly worthy referees in the past. - that of the opportunity to pay a lot of money for the opportunity to work and then be criticized for the effort. We intend to change that, once we figure out how.

In the meantime we have set up an outstanding HALL OF FAME, issue AlLL AMERICAN designations, and are reviving the CENTURIAN AWARD.

The direction of the USA Karate Federation now is to continue the development of elite athletes who will dominate the national karate federation and our improve our development of international karate champions. The organization and establishment of regional and national training camps is now more pressing than ever.

We are the strongest, largest, and actually --least expensive of all the nationals federations - and we believe that we are the most technically diversified and accordingly, sound. Consider the biological principal that states that specialization leads to extinction. Accordingly, we must be broad in our interests.

Our service to the national governing body will be in those areas which best serve us internationally -- the areas of kata and kumite and excluding weapons, for which there is no international competition.

We plan to have several different types of kata competitions

• 1. The traditional WKF mandatory kata.
• 2. Open kata, as usual
• 3.. Style kata champions matching off for the Grand Championship through the coordinated display of Bunkai in the same time frame as solo kata.

Let us hope that the future will be as kind to us as the past was and trust in our capacities and divine guidance to achieve our goals.