"Those things in life that we find the hardest to do, are the things we are the most thankful we did."
-Annette Ueckert
Today was our second competition for the Taekwondo season! It is personally my second competition in 4 years and I know I have still a long way to go before building up to caliber I was at and want to be at. It is also the second competition for my own students to get new experience sparring and performing forms in front of people which is all still new to them. We had a smaller group than last time, and the kids really did a magnificent job, as always full of new experiences. We got three gold in forms and three silver in forms. For sparring we got a bronze and gold.
About nine years ago I went to this very competition, which was my very first ever! I only sparred, I just turned 13, just received my Deputy Black Belt, and never sparred in competition ever. It was November 10, 2002 and I won a gold medal! I was thrilled! After that competition, I had a lot of pressure on me to continue winning gold medals by my master, and I did! I won many medals. But was my sparring really getting better?
My last competition with my old master was in 2007. And today, I am training for my 4th Degree Black Belt test, and I want to get to a particular elite level of skill in sparring. I am no longer going to competitions for medals and trophies, but to meet new people, be challenged, and to try out new ways of improving my sparring. To help me with my sparring is one of my mentors, Master Peter Bardatsos. he is the best of the best and produced and continues to produce some of the most exemplary fighters you can imagine! One of those fighters was Steven Lin. Steven and I sparred in a competition when I was 13, which feels like a hundred years ago now. He then began training wit my mentor Master Bardatsos and has become quite the distinguished fighter. Recently he won gold at the Korea Open this past summer and is now a world champion.
Well today as I am walking around in the gymnasium at Basking Ridge High School, who walks in but Master Bardastsos himself! I was very pleased to see him, I'll be meeting with him this Wednesday also, and he was with his son. I got to introduce him to one of my other mentors, Professor Lisa Sargese, who is a warrior herself but in different ways. But Master Bardatsos did not only bring his son to the competition. Following him in were the heavy hitters. A group of his top-notch, best students who I all knew by first name, one of them being Steven Lin.
Its been about 4 years since I last seen Steven and last time I sparred him. He is a world champion now! I shook hands with him, and I was very happy to see him. He asked how my school was doing and we talked, then I asked if him he was sparring today. He said YES. Well I went over to Lisa and my Black belts and I was like "Oh my gosh! I said cam here for a challenge and what better challenge would there be than to spar Steven Lin after all these years who is now a world champion!" After all, that is exactly why I am here, to find someone to challenge me and to knock me around. That's how I roll, as Lisa put it.
Well when the adult division was called, they call out the mach ups and color side of the chest protector over the microphone. Before I knew it: "Andrew Trento-- RED! Steven Lin-- BLUE!" Oh.My.God. I got exactly what I wanted! Remember, what you think about you bring about! Well this is obviously what I wanted, and I got it.
But I got extremely nervous and anxious very fast. I was almost freaking out, no lie. I know no one could tell. Actually everyone said I looked more relaxed than last time, but I was more nervous this time than last tournament! When it was time to get in the ring with Steven, first time in four years, I just said to myself, let's just get this over. I mean, I couldn't be much of a challenge to Steven at this point, but I'll sure as hell have fun with it!
I got in the ring, and I could not believe how much I held my own. I was winning for most of the match. I held back a lot because of nerves, but I as aggressive, I was smart, and I didn't let him get near my head, which is what I know he was aiming for. The audience, who were all cheering for Steven, we also surprised at how I really kept up. The final score was only 6-4, Steven. I came back toward the end for the win. But I was SOOOO proud of myself! I really didn't think I would do as well as I did sparring Steven! And I don't think he got the points he wanted to get.
The more I thought about the match, I really think that if I got rid of the "fear-factor" I kept in my head, I'd really have had a chance at winning. But Lisa made a good point: I didn't want to win. I DID say I'd be disappointed if I did, I wanted the CHALLENGE more than anything else. And I got it. First round, and it was awesome and I couldn't have been happier to have had the privilege of sparring this world champ! The competitor fom Egpyt who I sparred last month was also there and his name is-- ready for this-- Mohammed Ali! no joke! He won the whole division, so he is definitely on my list of matches to have again one day!
Steven missed a lot of head shots, which is unusual for him. But then Lisa, once again brings up an excellent point: Was this really a fair match?, she asked. I asked her "What do you mean?" She responds that we never took off the shields that were put on me the other day! Could that have been what was protecting me? He could not land on my head when he tried! Possibility? That would be pretty cool if it was! But I also used Lisa's warrior blend of essential oils that was supposed to empower my senses, protect me, and make me see my opponents moves in slow motion. Well, maybe for Steven's standards they were slow, but my eyes still have to double take.
Next year, I want to win the title belt and become a Garden State Champion! I always wanted that, ever since I entered the first time. I think I'll bring it back onto the table for next year. Today was truly an awesome day! A challenging experience, and a motivated Black Belt here!
Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO
Its been about 4 years since I last seen Steven and last time I sparred him. He is a world champion now! I shook hands with him, and I was very happy to see him. He asked how my school was doing and we talked, then I asked if him he was sparring today. He said YES. Well I went over to Lisa and my Black belts and I was like "Oh my gosh! I said cam here for a challenge and what better challenge would there be than to spar Steven Lin after all these years who is now a world champion!" After all, that is exactly why I am here, to find someone to challenge me and to knock me around. That's how I roll, as Lisa put it.
Well when the adult division was called, they call out the mach ups and color side of the chest protector over the microphone. Before I knew it: "Andrew Trento-- RED! Steven Lin-- BLUE!" Oh.My.God. I got exactly what I wanted! Remember, what you think about you bring about! Well this is obviously what I wanted, and I got it.
But I got extremely nervous and anxious very fast. I was almost freaking out, no lie. I know no one could tell. Actually everyone said I looked more relaxed than last time, but I was more nervous this time than last tournament! When it was time to get in the ring with Steven, first time in four years, I just said to myself, let's just get this over. I mean, I couldn't be much of a challenge to Steven at this point, but I'll sure as hell have fun with it!
I got in the ring, and I could not believe how much I held my own. I was winning for most of the match. I held back a lot because of nerves, but I as aggressive, I was smart, and I didn't let him get near my head, which is what I know he was aiming for. The audience, who were all cheering for Steven, we also surprised at how I really kept up. The final score was only 6-4, Steven. I came back toward the end for the win. But I was SOOOO proud of myself! I really didn't think I would do as well as I did sparring Steven! And I don't think he got the points he wanted to get.
The more I thought about the match, I really think that if I got rid of the "fear-factor" I kept in my head, I'd really have had a chance at winning. But Lisa made a good point: I didn't want to win. I DID say I'd be disappointed if I did, I wanted the CHALLENGE more than anything else. And I got it. First round, and it was awesome and I couldn't have been happier to have had the privilege of sparring this world champ! The competitor fom Egpyt who I sparred last month was also there and his name is-- ready for this-- Mohammed Ali! no joke! He won the whole division, so he is definitely on my list of matches to have again one day!
Steven missed a lot of head shots, which is unusual for him. But then Lisa, once again brings up an excellent point: Was this really a fair match?, she asked. I asked her "What do you mean?" She responds that we never took off the shields that were put on me the other day! Could that have been what was protecting me? He could not land on my head when he tried! Possibility? That would be pretty cool if it was! But I also used Lisa's warrior blend of essential oils that was supposed to empower my senses, protect me, and make me see my opponents moves in slow motion. Well, maybe for Steven's standards they were slow, but my eyes still have to double take.
Next year, I want to win the title belt and become a Garden State Champion! I always wanted that, ever since I entered the first time. I think I'll bring it back onto the table for next year. Today was truly an awesome day! A challenging experience, and a motivated Black Belt here!
Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO
No comments:
Post a Comment