I attended two National Traditional Karate tournaments one summer, while a friend attended a national “open” tournament. Our experiences were quite different, and I think it’s appropriate that professionals in our industry discuss those differences.
The referees at the tournaments I attended were in complete charge of their rings, including the surrounding area, whether it was filled with other athletes or spectators. The referee had the authority to disqualify competitors for their actions, or the actions of their coach or supporters.
Though rarely invoked, this policy had the effect of keeping the atmosphere in check and balance. In an art, where practitioners insist that a natural byproduct is self-control and self-discipline, it’s hard to imagine what outsiders must think when they see Black Belts (high ranking or not) arguing to the point of physical confrontation. Large groups (a mob?) fist fighting on the floor demonstrates something, but I don’t think it is either self-control or self-discipline.
This insistence on practicing both of these skills inside and outside your school and inside and outside tournaments, have real benefits for students and society as well.
I’ve been told that at least one major city has suggested that Karate tournaments are not welcome there any longer. The reason is the damage to host hotels was too severe. Now that will help your enrollment drive next year, don’t you think?
Is it possible to teach Americans a measure of self-control? I think so, which is the point of this column. Certainly, the weird violence in this country can only be controlled through people learning to control themselves, i.e., self-control.
At one of those tournaments I attended, groups of competitors, divided by clubs, were seated on the floor. There were, perhaps, 900 people on the floor, and they comprised all age groups-from five years old to seniors.
“Insist on behavior at your events that’s consistent with what your say you teach.”
Suddenly, eight or ten people started throwing T-shirts into the crowd and onto the floor. This was duplicated on the other side of the gym. These people walked down the sidelines throwing T-shirts right and left.
Inwardly, I groaned. I had seen this happen once before in the 1980s, with the same organization, and was forced to help rescue the promoter’s wife, as the crowd grabbing for T-shirts almost stampeded her.
Amazingly enough, however, this time not one group broke ranks on the entire floor-No little children, no rampaging teenagers and no stampeding adults.
With no direction from anyone, and caught completely by surprise, not one individual, and not even one club, so much as broke ranks, much less stampeded.
This wonderful behavior was not orchestrated by some “edict” of the organization. If you try to take control of your organization, then that approach will never work. No, numerous club owners and coaches, who are on the front lines everyday, teaching self-control and self-discipline, developed this behavior in their students.
Whatever your martial art and school, when an organization or any club not only teaches self-control and self-discipline, but also consistently practices and demonstrates it, it can become second nature.
It’s rather amazing that many of us do what we say we do. Why not be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem? Why not take a look at your organization?
Insist on behavior at your events that’s consistent with what your say you teach. If a number of people don’t agree with that, then go somewhere else. If your organization and school take this stand, then changes will certainly occur. I have seen it happen.
