Karate Tournament

For weeks, we've known today was a Karate Tornament. This time Hannah said she wasn't up to going and competing. That was fine, she gets so anxious and nervous about performing, we didn't push the issue and it's not mandatory. So we didn't plan to go.

Me and the girls went to a city parade this morning, and one of the entries was the local martial arts class...doing all the kicks that Hannah knows. I asked her if that made her want to go to tournament today and she said "nah". So we went about our way and were strolling among the booths at the fair, and Hannah decides she might want to go to the karate tournament. So we hightailed it home, as her portion of the tournament was only about 2 hours away. She had just enough time to practice her form a few times and me to spiffy up her karate uniform and off we went.

Usually her cheering section is quite extensive with both sets of the grandparents and last tournament a girlfriend and her four kids. This time her cheering section consisted of Mommy, Daddy, and Rachel. LOL. She wasn't going to this tournament, so no one planned to go, her deciding only 2 hours prior to the event gave us no time to gather our normal cheering squad. LOL.

Warming up and reviewing stances, punches, and kicks. Performing her 20 step form. Just like last tournament, she was called up to reperform her form. We had warned her ahead of time, that if she was called up a second time to not get nervous and do her best, and that they were trying to decide who got a trophy. Hannah placed 3rd in all the seven year old yellow and orange belt girls and boys!!!! I overheard the instructor tell her she would have had 2nd place had she had been a little louder with her shouts. Despite the look on her face, she really was excited. She was still pretty nervous about the whole thing. "Guess what Gramma?!?!?"Getting ready for her next competition, sparring.Hannah is on the right side, orange belt with black stripe.Hannah didn't place in sparring, but she got her competition trophy. We're so very proud of Hannah and her placing 3rd for her form. She's practiced a lot since last tournament, although not much this week because we weren't going to tournament. LOL. She has a belt test on Monday night and if she passes that, she'll be a purple belt.