AKA Grands - some thoughts

skullsplitter · Orange Belt

My 12 year old son competed in the AKA Grand Nationals in Chicago this past weekend. He went last year and competed non-NASKA, but this year he stepped up to the NASKA divisions.
Some thoughts/observations :
1. Judges – not enough of them. Twice I saw an official going through the crowd looking for judges. Judges need a uniform too. I can sort of deal with jeans and tee at a small regional tournament, but at a large national tournament the judges need to have some sort of uniform.
2. Scorekeepers – mainly what looked like several young college kids. Numerous delays in recording scores properly and simply paying attention.
3. Parents – stay out of the ring! Saw several instances of parents in the ring, a few times even when the competitors were lined up while scores were being calculated. I could not imagine going to a high school basketball game and seeing parents behind the score table or on the floor.
4. Seating – this is part of the problem with #3. No where to sit and watch. For what we pay to get into this thing there needs to be better seating.
5. Fighting!! – lots of hard hitting, fast action. Loved the fighting at the tournament, especially the women.

There is so much talent at these big tournaments, it’s just a shame that items 1-4 seem to always be an issue. Some people talk about these large tournaments getting some tv exposure, but that can’t happen with judges that look like they’ve been pulled off the streets and parents roaming the ring.
My son though, held his own competing with the NASKA kids for the first time. Middle of the pack in traditional weapons, traditional forms, and creative weapons. Lost his only fight but competed. And he and his partner earned 3rd in team synch.

Nidan Melbourne · KF Sempai

I'm surprised that an official was going through the crowd to get judges.

Here in Australia all the 'major' tournaments that are great for the state/national team members and those who want to get onto state.

Say for the Alan Murdoch Cup (refer to one of my threads) all the host school had to do other than have a date of competition, how the day is going to run, cost of registration, due dates for registration (otherwise on the day), how many of their own staff is required to supervise & run the day, contacting Karate Victoria to get enough Referees for the day (so the host school has to tell them how many tatami's there are and how many referees are required) and a host of other duties.

BUT in terms of getting the referees like i just said is to contact Karate Victoria (which obviously is the highest governing body in Victoria other than Karate Australia) and request x number of referees for the day of competition (and they have to inform Karate Victoria of the length of competition).

So our Referees/Judges are also remunerated for giving up their day to officiate the tournament.

Also all of our referees (for both Karate Victoria and Australian Karate Federation) have to wear a specific uniform. Which consists of Black Business pants, white shirt, navy blue jacket with the Australian Karate Federation Logo on it and a Australian Karate Federation Tie (pinned back to the shirt)

for the Parents that is what i find frustrating when they don't stay clear of the ring. At every tournament that i've attended there has been a rope separating where competitors (+ their coach) and all officials are allowed to go, then the other for everyone else.

The hosts were clear on ensuring parents stayed away from the ring. Only time that they are even remotely allowed near the ring is if their child gets hurt in kumite.

For seating where was the tournament held? by that i mean what type of building was it (Basketball Stadium, a local hall etc).

At the small tournaments that my dojo runs or the one that is really close to us (same style of karate) sometimes asks to borrow a couple of our senior students (aka dan graded black belts) to help referee. They do that (the other dojo) is because they don't have many advanced adults. Plus we know how to referee both kata and kumite.

AdamKralic · Blue Belt

all the tournaments in the mid west seem to be like you describe...I'd love to hear of any open tournaments in the region that you guys would recommend.

maisweh · Yellow Belt

pay the judges. seriously. i don't judge anymore because i dont get paid to judge, i pay to go and coach my students. if they want more professionalism, they need to check out how the irish open is ran.

Nidan Melbourne · KF Sempai

The alan murdoch cup tournament here in Melbourne Australia is run extremely well in comparison to this tournament you were describing.

AdamKralic · Blue Belt

oddly enough the local tournaments that are run by my son's school are VASTLY superior in efficiency and conduct to the larger tournaments in this area.

They give you fight times weeks in advance, fights are never more than 10 minutes off of scheduled times, a bit cheaper than other tournaments, all judges are in uniform and at the very least 2nd degree black belts...parents are allowed right up to ring but there is a lot more room than at other tournaments.

Good amount of participants too as it it is for 5 schools.

But all the bigger talent is in the disorganized, over crowded, poorly judged open tournaments it seems.

Nidan Melbourne · KF Sempai

all our australian referees as a minimum have to be Shodan. But for them to 'level up' is when their a minimum of a nidan or sandan

and to have studied more than 1 style of karate other than their own

maisweh · Yellow Belt

skullsplitter · Orange Belt

The AKA Grands were held in a rather large hotel. Blackbelt rings were in a large conference/banquet room while underbelts were in a smaller room. One of the jr blackbelt ings had 29 competitors and about 12 chairs. Of course parents want to see their kids thus resulting in parents crowding the ring.

Adam, here's the circuit our school is on. I think the majority are many hours away from Chicago though. I haven't been to all of them. The first one in Bowling Green is the largest outside of the Nationals on the list. Last couple of years it drew around 500, but it's not run well at all. Two smaller ones that run smoothly is the one in Evansville, IN and the SMAC in Lebanon, TN. There's also one in Hazelwood, MO that I like.

http://pro-amrskc.com/2014_Tournament_Circuit.php

AdamKralic · Blue Belt

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