Karate was a disaster.............

My poor son we spent hundreds dollars at physio Arnica Symphytum cream and drops and massages and ankle strapping to NO AVAIL!!! Samuel couldn't successfully perform his Team Kata "Empi" it had a huge jump in it and a push off, he attempted it gingerly in practice no good, THE group of boys he fought in 16-18yr olds they were HUGE AS!!!!! They constantly LEG SWEPT his sore foot and keep hammering him MY SON GOT UGLY UGLY UGLY MEAN and lost it he was OTT I was embarrassed for him and embarassed for myself, he threw a tanty after (well threw his gloves and mouthguard down) it took me an hour to calm him down he was wound up and shoulders tight and hrrrummmmmpppphhhfffity, WHAT did we learn NO RUGBY at least 4 weeks before a tournament, and HE is seeing the SCHOOL SPORTS psychologist for MIND over matter exercises HE really over psyched himself and the older boys got under his skin too, the high performance school programme is going to help him BULK UP as he will always be the youngest in this group OF 7 YOUNG MEN he did learn his weakness though and hopefully will grow from this I do hope so BECAUSE the UGLY MEAN young man I saw was not PRETTY AT ALL. Once the lads turn 19 they are in the OPEN MENS division 19-35. So he will have to toughen up eh.

It was an intensely long weekend and by Sunday night at 7pm I had had enough we got home 8pm after cleaning up and packing away gear THE NEXT annual tournament is Palmerston North next year, THE CLUB is now in training for the WORLD CHAMPS I think Samuel may have missed his chance to be chosen, 2 days after the tournament we went out and had coffee together, I said to my son, I KNOW you love karate but what I saw on the FIGHT day was not you and WASN"T good, and may have hurt your chances, Takahashi wont want TANTY throwers or people representing NZ if they are sulky little tanty throwers.
Also he isn't old enough yet to work through those MENTAL barriers like TENNIS players when their game is off the drop a few sets and either disintegrate or lift their game and overcome the mind games. He has had the last 2 weeks off karate to help recover the foot and has done all the right things for physio, he has not walked anywhere etc to help stay off foot no kapa haka last week either BUT back into from this MONDAY. I did point out WE have been so insanely busy last few months I daresay he was burnt out mind wise too, HE didn't go to school Monday after tournament because when he is TIRED like that he gets INTO mucho trouble when tired!!!!!!!!

We desperately need rain now I bet we have a dry long summer.

Ciao
Blondie