SKIF-USA Team Request for the 10th World Tournament -- Need reply by 1/12/09

Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation United States Web: www.skifusa.comP.O. Box 120904 Phone: 651 631-2379New Brighton, MN 55112 Email: SKIFUSA@comcast.net U.S.A.
TO: All SKIF-USA Members (High Priority!) The 10th SKIF World Tournament, along with Yudansha Kai training sessions and SKIF dan grading under Kancho Kanazawa, will be held in Athens Greece , from July 21-26, 2009 . Once again, SKIF-USA hopes to send a strong team to the 10th SKIF World Tournament. There is detailed information on the 10th SKIF World Tournament on the SKIF-Japan website, which you can link to from our SKIF-USA website (www.skifusa.com) or by going directly to www.skif.jp.

All the tournament rules and divisions are listed there. Because it is important to have our team roster set as soon as possible, YOU MUST LET US KNOW BY JANUARY 12, 2009, IF YOU OR ANY OF YOUR STUDENTS PLAN TO PARTICIPATE AS MEMBERS OF THE SKIF-USA TEAM. WE NEED THE PARTICIPANTS’ NAMES, ADDRESSES, AGES (dates of birth), DIVISIONS THEY WANT TO COMPETE IN, AND WEIGHT IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A KUMITE WEIGHT DIVISION. YOU MUST RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL VIA EMAIL BY JANUARY 12, 2009 OR YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SKIF-USA TEAM. The only limitations on the number of participants will be in the 20-39 year old “Senior Divisions.” (See the information on the website for details on this.)

However, we do need to know who is planning to compete in all of the divisions by January 12, 2009. With respect to the 20-39 year old “Senior Divisions,” if we have more competitors who want to compete than positions available, the SKIF-USA Board & Technical Committee will select the team members based on their participation and placement at our SKIF-USA Nationals in Florida, and on their past competition and training records, just as we have done in the past. This is another reason we need to know by January 12, 2009 if you or any of your students plan to be on the team. At this time, I am unsure how much travel planning SKIF-USA will be able to do on behalf of the team but I hope to be able to send you more information on this via email after January 12, 2009. In addition, we will probably hold a team training seminar led by our SKIF-USA Board & Technical Committee members sometime in the spring, and we will send out more information on this in early 2009. Finally, we wish you Happy Holidays, and we look forward to receiving your responses to this email by January 12, 2009.

Sincerely,
Glenn Stoddard
SKIF-USA General Secretary

Match-Style Kumite (from Kanazawa Kancho's Karate Fighting Techniques)

While there are no competitive encounters in karate as a martial art, match-style (shiai) kumite provides a substitute for actual combat that enables practitioners to experience firsthand an authentic exchange of offensive and defensive techniques. Match-style kumite represents a means of testing skills and abilities to freely evaluate one's mental, physical, and technical prowess.
Unlike tournament kumite, match-style kumite does not adhere to any special rules, such as those stipulated in competition regulations. One's conscience dictates the only rules that exist for this type of kumite and, within the framework of these rules, practitioners call on the mental, physical, and technical faculties that they have developed and polished through daily training.
The shiai-kumite of karate-do is characterized by attacks of deadly force that are controlled to stop a mere inch in front of their intended target. Mastering the control of one's body and limbs facilitates the control of one's spirit, which fosters self-discipline and contributes to the building of character. Because there are no formal rules, the threat of serious injury poses a genuine risk. Accordingly, shiai-kumite relies heavily on not only the participants' sense of responsibility, but also on mutual trust.
The true essence of karate-do boils down to how to control a strike that is powerful enough to kill with a single blow by delivering it so that its explosive force culminates at the instant before it reaches its target. This ability can only be achieved through the diligent and steady training of first tanren (training) kumite, followed by kihon (basic) kumite, and then yakusoku (promise) kumite

12/14/08 Video Training: Sensei/Jackson: Nikkyu/Ikkyu Jiyu Ippon Kumite

12/14/08 Video Training: Gerald/Jackson: Nikkyu/Ikkyu Jiyu Ippon Kumite

12/14/08 Video Training: Valentin/Jackson: Nikkyu/Ikkyu Jiyu Ippon Kumite

12/14/08 Video Training: Sensei/Jackson: Nikkyu/Ikkyu Jiyu Ippon Kumite

12/14/08 Video Training: Jiyu Ippon Kumite Nikkyu/Ikkyu Jackson & Valentin