Bushido Bulletin May 2019

2019 United States Karate Alliance Nationals Results

The 2019 United States Karate Alliance Nationals was held in Houston, Texas. This year’s competition was spirited and fierce. The Finals featured great kumite and kata competition. The evening started with the top two competitors in each youth kumite division fighting for first and second place. There were many exciting fights and the ballroom was packed with spectators cheering on the fighters. The first place youth kata winners competed for three kata Grand Championships. Ethan Padilla won Youth Advanced Kata Grand Champion. James Cline won Youth Intermediate Kata Grand Champion. Riley Gaubert prevailed in Youth Beginning Kata Grand Champion. Ethan Padilla, for the third year in a row, won the Youth Advanced Weapons Grand Champion. Alexandra Green won the Youth Beginning Kobudo Grand Champion.
Steve Flores (a three-time Worlds Kobudo Grand Champion) and Jake Odom were the top two finalists from the runoff round earlier in the day of all the Black Belt Weapons divisions and had to present two different weapons katas at Finals. After watching their precise and powerful weapons katas, the Judging Panel selected Steve Flores as the 2019 Black Belt National Weapons Grand Champion. Steve Queen, Matthew Bourque, Dalton Helms, Steve Flores, Scott Shook, Kristin Dupaquier and Susan Watts, the first place black belt kata division winners, presented their katas at Finals for the Black Belt Kata Grand Champion runoff. Scott Shook (the defending 2018 Black Belt Nationals Kata Grand Champion, the 2018 World Kata Grand Champion and the 2018 USKK Trias Cup Winner) and Steve Flores were selected as the top two finalists and performed a second kata. Scott Shook won the 2019 Black Belt Kata Grand Champion.
Black Belt Fighting, as always, was incredible. Kristin Dupaquier (last year’s point champion) and Jenna Brown (who has won numerous National and World titles) squared off for the Black Belt Women Kumite Grand Championship. These two fighters are quick and their techniques are sharp, so it was a fun fight to watch. Jenna Brown won and became a seven-time Nationals kumite Grand Champion. 
The finalists in the Black Belt Men’s Kumite divisions were Omar Nawwab, Matthew Bourque, Scott Shook, Larry Banks, Steve Queen, Rodney McPherson and the 2018 defending Nationals and Worlds Grand Champion Josh Quayhagen. There were many close fights and obviously many of them will be contenders at the 2019 World Championships. Josh Quayhagen captured his fifth Nationals Grand Championship and will be defending his 2018 World Grand Champion title in July.
Several rule change proposals were voted upon at the General Assembly and considered by the various committees and Executive Board. Please click on the link below for the proposals that passed and those that failed. The Rulebook will be updated with these changes and posted online. The new rules will be in effect starting May 6, 2019, after the end of the 2018/2019 point season. We have also attached as a link the upcoming tournament schedule.
Three seminars were also held at Nationals. On Thursday night, Steve Flores conducted a weapons seminar. On Friday night, Adrian Galvan, Jenna Brown and Josh Quayhagen taught a fighting seminar. These seminars were very well-attended and the participants always leave saying that they learned things that will really help them improve. Judges and Referees were certified at the certification seminar on Thursday. 
Thank you to all the competitors, judges, referees, scorekeepers and timekeepers at the 2019 United States Karate Alliance Nationals. You make our organization look great because of your hard work and the competitors’ great sportsmanship and crisp and clean techniques. We hope to see you all at the 2019 World Championships.

MEET OUR UNITED STATES KARATE ALLIANCE YOUTH GRAND CHAMPIONS
Ethan Padilla started his martial arts journey in 2010 at the of age 8. He received his 2 ^nddegree black belt in 2018. He is a student under Sensei Steve Flores of Flores Karate Academy and has competed in the USKA since he started. Ethan was selected for the inaugural USKA Junior National Team and remains a member. Karate has become an important aspect of his life teaching him to value hard training, to focus and elevate his game during competitions, and to respect and create relationships with fellow competitors. Some of his notable accomplishments are: 2012 USKA National Championships Youth Kata Grand Champion; 2013 PKC Youth Kata and Weapons Grand Champion; 2017 USKA National Championships Youth Weapons Grand Champion; 2018 USKA World Championships Youth Weapons and Kata Grand Champion; 2018 PKC Youth Kata and Weapons Grand Champion; 2019 USKA National Championships Youth Kata and Weapons Grand Champion; first place advanced weapons 2019 Ozawa Cup; and third in kata at the USA International Junior Cup.
James Cline is from Arizona. He is a student of Sensei Wayne Kline with Kline’s No Limits Karate Academy and studies Shotokan. He started karate because a friend of his got him interested in it. James is a previous National Grand Champion. James is now a blue belt. This year he won the Youth Intermediate Kata Grand Champion and he is looking forward to competing at the 2019 World Championships. James is currently ranked number one in kata and number two in fighting in the 8-9 year old intermediate national point standings.  
Alexandra Green is the 2019 Nationals Youth Beginning Kobudo Grand Champion. She is a student of Sensei Rodney McPherson of D’Arbonne Martial Arts. She is a blue belt and regularly competes in the 16-17 division in weapons, kata and kumite. She placed in all three divisions at the 2019 Nationals and is currently ranked number one in the National Points standings in kata and kumite.
Riley Gaubert is a student of Sensei Buster Cotten. He is a yellow belt and studies Tae Kwon Do. Riley is the 2019 Nationals Youth Beginning Kata Grand Champion. Riley also placed first in the 12-13 Boys Beginning kumite division at Nationals. Riley is current ranked third in the 12-13 Beginning Boys National Points Standings for kata and fourth in kumite.

2019/2020 Tournament Schedule

List of Events for the USKA

Rule Changes

See Rule Changes

2019 United States Karate Alliance World Championships

The 2019 United States Karate Alliance World Championships are scheduled for July 11 through July 14 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Arizona Grande Resort. It has been thirty years since the passing of Grandmaster Robert Trias. On Thursday, July 11, at 7:00 p.m., the United States Karate Alliance will be hosting a memorial to honor Grandmaster Robert Trias. Grandmaster Robert Trias is the father of karate in America. He started the first dojo in the United States in Phoenix, Arizona and held the first tournament in the United States. Grandmaster Trias also held the first National Tournament in Chicago in 1963. There will be several of his Chief Instructors attending the Memorial and they will share their memories of him and discuss his contributions to the martial arts. From 8:00 to 8:30 p.m., Grandmaster Robert Bowles will lead a half hour memorial workout. After all, what better way to honor Grandmaster Trias than doing karate in his memory? The workout is open to all ages and styles. If you will be participating, please wear your karate uniform to the Memorial so there is no delay in starting the workout. The Memorial and the Memorial Workout are open to all ages, styles, and ranks. The National Directors and Executive Board will be participating and we look forward to seeing you there. The United States Karate Alliance will also be honoring Grandmaster Robert Trias at our Awards Banquet on Saturday night, July 13 and our Finals on Sunday night, July 14.
The flyer for the World Championships and the pre -registration link is on the website at uskaratealliance.com. The pre-registration deadline is June 18, 2019. You must reserve your rooms at the Arizona Grand by June 18, 2019, to receive the special suite group rate of $109.00, plus tax. Call 1-877-800-4888 and mention the World Championships. Each year our rooms sell out early. We sometimes are able to add more rooms to the room block. However, last year we weren’t able to add our second increase to the room block because the hotel was sold out. You don’t want your kids to miss out on the amazing waterpark, so book your rooms now.
Banquet tickets are also available for purchase online. The Arizona Grand serves a wonderful banquet meal. The last two years we have sold out at the banquet. Unfortunately, the most we can fit in the banquet room is 450 and extras can’t be squeezed in, so please reserve your tickets early. At the Awards Banquet, we recognize the top 10 nationally ranked competitors. All top 10 competitors must be pre-registered by June 18 ^th to receive a Bushido Award. You can also reserve a table for your team, but you must send us an email by June 18 to bacotten@hotmail.com , with the name of your team and the requested number of seats. 
We look forward to seeing you at the 2019 World Championships.

Register Here Now!

Parenting is Good! Hovering is Not

When you go to tournaments it’s a good opportunity to teach your child a little bit of self reliance. Now, no one is saying drop off your 4 year and leave them to their own devices. But help your child be aware of what is going on. When is their division being called up? What is going on around them? Help them to be where they need to be, but once they are there, step back and let them take the lead.
A good example of this is the bracketing area. You want to make sure that your child doesn’t miss their time to get bracketed, but you need to step back after that. The area around the bracketing table gets too crazy and congested. Step back and out of the way, make sure your competitor has their bracketing tickets and the items they need to compete. Parents standing in the middle of this area only makes it more difficult for the bracketer to do their job. This is not the place to do their hair or feed them either. 
Once in the ring, let the judges manage where they are at, don’t get involved. This is the moment where you help your child gain confidence. If you act like you are worried or concerned that they cannot handle this on their own, you are telling them that they aren’t capable. Tell them what you expect of them before they get there and then let them do their thing. The judges will make sure that they do what they are supposed to. Even if they get hit, don’t let them see you be overly concerned. Show them that you trust them and know they can handle it. If it’s anything serious, the judges will call you over. Enjoy watching your child grow in confidence and ability and tell them how proud you are of them after. 

Check out the Website

If you haven’t been to the USKA website – You should!
Check out upcoming tournaments,points, rules and much more