The East West Spartan Competition Team

AAU Patch Have you noticed some of our East West Karate students proudly sporting a red, white and blue circular patch on their gi's or practicing during different times than the normal class schedule? This year, Sensei Klinger with Sempai as his right-hand man again, organized a contingent of some 20 East West students and formed the "Spartan Competition Team". These dedicated students practiced many extra hours both in and outside the Dojo, working on perfecting their katas, kumite and kubodo skills so they could proudly represent themselves and the school at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior & Senior State, Regional and National Championships.

All of their hard work and dedication payed off as, other than the displaying of East West's trademark sportsmanship at all three venues, the team collectively brought home in excess of 80 medals throughout the competitions! Our athletes ranged in age from 7 to the very mature, and win, lose, or draw, every ring we entered left a positive, East West Karate, impact statement. In addition, Mr. Dave Arlington and Mr. Nick Eliades certified as AAU Judges and represented themselves and the school, at the National Competition.

The NJ State Competition was held at Drew University in Madison, NJ several months ago and proved to be a warm-up for good things to come. It was an excellent, one-day-only local competition that brought together some of the best karate-ka in the state. Every East West student qualified that day to compete at the Regions which were held at the Crown Plaza, Albany NY.

The Region tournament draws the best competetion stretching from the Tri-State area all the way north to the tip of Canada. Like a well-oiled machine, the East West Team, every single one of them, both young and old, qualified to compete at the National level as well and did so this past July. The competition was held at the University of Albany which reduced alot of travel time and expense for both parents and students. Again, our competitors, judges, and coaches made us all very proud including several individuals bringing home a US National Gold Medal! All competitors and competition results are below.

Aside from an outstanding competition presentation, the Regions and Nationals in particular, gave the students and parents the opportunity to get together after a long day's events and do what we all do best...relax, enjoy each other, and....Party!!!! Many late afternoons and evenings were spent swimming, eating, drinking, laughing, playing arcade games and pool and piano, sight seeing, and everything in between. And let's not forget the fireworks in Albany on the 4th of July!!!!...a perfect social ending to a special and memorable week for all those who worked hard, paid the price both physically and financially, and stepped into the ring and did their best. Congratulations to all competitors for an outstanding season!!!!

None of this could have occurred without Sensei's leadership and vision. We all thank Sensei and look forward to future events. We also would like to thank our parents for their continued hard work, loyalty, and dedication managing their personal lives in a way that makes time for East West Karate.

Anyone who experienced the memorable 2008 three-event journey to the US Nationals surely knows it was worth the price of admission, with good times and lessons learned throughout....kind of like what training at East West Karate is all about.

Member Name	State	Regionals	Nationals
Kyle Allen	1st kata, 3rd Kumite	2nd Kata, 2nd Kumite	3rd Kumite
Dave Arlington	Volunteered his time to Judge all day today to help me and support our athlete’s thank you!
Jeff Beebe	4th kata, 2nd weapons	3rd Kata, 1st Kumite
Ryan Beebe	1st kata, 1st Kumite, 1st weapons	1st Kumite, 2nd Sai, 3rd Bo	3rd Kumite
Frank Cutrone	2nd Kata, 1st weapons	2nd Kata,1st Kumite, 1st Weapons	1st Kobudo, 1st Kumite
Brian Eckenrode	2nd Kumite, 1st weapons		3rd Short Kobudo
Nicholas Eliades	2nd kata, 3rd Kumite, 2nd weapons	2nd Kumite, 3rd Weapons
Jesse James Huselton	2nd Kata, 3rd Kumite, 1st weapons	1st Kata, 1st Kumite, 3rd Weapons
Ashley Jackson	1st kata, 1st Kumite	1st Kata, 4th Kumite
Brooke Klinger	1st kata, 2nd Kumite	2nd Kata	2nd Kata, 2nd Kumite
Nicholas Klinger	1st kata, 2nd Kumite, 1st weapons	3rd Kumite, 2nd Weapons
Christian Lyons	Excellent performance very large division, eligible for Regional’s	3rd Kumite
John Lyons	1st kata, 1st Kumite	2nd Kata, 1st Kumite	3rd Kata, 1st Kumite
Julia Lyons	1st kata, 1st Kumite	2nd Kata, 1st Kumite	2nd Kata, 2nd Kumite
R.J. Reisen	2nd Kumite	4th Kumite
Henry Sayyarpour	4th kata	2nd Kata, 5th Kumite	2nd Kata, 2nd Kumite
Nina Sayyarpour	1st kata, 1st Kumite	1st Kata, 1st Kumite	2nd Kumite
Gabrielle Smith	1st kata, 1st Kumite, 1st weapons	1st Kata, 1st Kumite, 1st Weapons	1st Kobudo, 2nd Kata,1st Kumite
Robert Tessier	3rd Kumite, 3rd weapons	4th Kumite, 3rd Sai, 4th Bo
Conrad Wehner	1st kata, 1st Kumite, 1st weapons	2nd Kata, 2nd Kumite, 1st Weapons	2nd Kumite
Cassandra Zoetjes	2nd kata, 2nd Kumite	2nd Kata, 5th Kumite	2nd Kumite
John Zoetjes	1st kata, 1st Kumite	1st Kata, 2nd Kumite	1st Kumite

09/04/2008