Masters Challenge

Saturday was the Masters Challenge. Basically it is a competition between the students of all three schools. There is poomse competition (choreographed forms), sparring, and board breaking. The students are divided into groups of 2-4 people based on age, weight, and height. Those 2-4 people compete against each other. Everyone gets a score based on their perfomance and everyone gets a medal. We also receive red stars for attending the challenge. We need 4 red stars to test for our black belts.

This masters challenge was a real treat for us because the two masters did a demonstration. Even though they teach us our skills, we don't get a chance to see them in action. The girls thought it was pretty cool seeing our master, Master Pehoe, breaking a board by doing a flying side kick over 8 students...
Then it was on to our board breaking. Jamie was first to show her mad skills in ring one. She broke all three of her boards with a jumping front snap kick, a front snap kick, and a roundhouse kick...

While Jamie was breaking her boards, I was (very nervously) getting ready for my turn in ring 2. She accepted her silver medal while I was waiting... Then it was my turn. I can't remember the last time I was this nervous. I mean, I actually got a little sick on my stomach. There were so many people watching and I had never actually broken a board before. What was I thinking? The girls make this look so easy. I wish I could go back to the time when I wasn't aware of how big things really were and not be nervous. They just go out and do these things, knowing that they can. That was the difference. I didn't really know for sure if I could do this and I didn't want to embarass myself. Well, it was too late. They called my name. It was my turn. So I set up my boards and presented myself to the judges and actually broke all three of my boards (with a right hammer fist, an elbow strike, and a left hammer fist)!
I was in shock the whole time. I don't even think I took one breath until I was sitting on the sidelines, watching the next person in my group. I ended up with a bronze medal and I was proud. After getting my medal, I got the camera from Jeremiah (who was sitting in the stands with Jacob and trying to snap pictures of Jamie and me-thanks, sweetie) and got to Mazie's ring just in time for her group to start competing. She broke all three of her boards using the jumping front snap kick, the jumping roundhouse kick, and the elbow strike techinques...
She also got a bronze medal...
When we got home, I insisted on getting a picture with all three of us in our uniforms with our shiny new medals. I wanted a nice picture but this is what I got instead...
But don't let those silly faces fool you. We can mean some serious business when we need to...
We really did have a great time. It's funny how much I am learning from the girls with taekwondo. They are teaching me to not sweat it and just be confident. It's just that easy. I guess I have to find my inner child when it comes to the competitions. I will work on that.