Battle of the Badger State...my son took 2nd...video inside.

[AdamKralic]

Zach took 2nd place at the Battle of the Badger State yesterday in Wisconsin. Big division in that it had 7 fighters...so 2nd isn't bad at all but he was a bit "off" imho. Here is the opening fight where Zach was spamming his blitz. This fight he won 5 - 0. Great...but he fell in love with his blitz and each fighter he fought afterwards saw that. Next fight he won 3 - 2. Last fight was actually against imo the worst of the fighters he fought...and he lost that one 6 - 0. (kid just stuck up his leg and Zach ran into it over n over n over again) Uggh.

Zach also had two occasions where he hit the opponent after the judge yelled break. Was warned on both...no points deducted but it did cost him imo. (In last fight judge started the fight as he did all the point breaks with a wave and the word "fight!" Zach timed it perfectly and FLEW across to hit the kid. Judge waved it off and said that Zach jumped the call.

Zach was very angry about that...but when we got home and watched the videos...I told him that he was NOT on the judge's good side and that was his fault. Zach is mature in that he can understand that kind of criticism. (I generally compare it to adult pro sports...every pro will say..."you want the refs to like you.")

[sensei8]

Congrats to your son, Zach!!

[maisweh]

that first blitz came from FAR!!! he outclassed that first boy.

only critiques, it looked more like tickle tag than what im used to, like barely a tap got him the point when he could have been hitting alot harder.

and 2) is that NASKA or NASKA rules? since i saw everyone had that chest protector and face shield.

but this is coming from an old school NBL guy

every other blitz his timing was on point.

[AdamKralic]

that first blitz came from FAR!!! he outclassed that first boy.

only critiques, it looked more like tickle tag than what im used to, like barely a tap got him the point when he could have been hitting alot harder.

and 2) is that NASKA or NASKA rules? since i saw everyone had that chest protector and face shield.

but this is coming from an old school NBL guy

every other blitz his timing was on point.

That was a light contact tournament. The official rules even stated that controlled punches that were "pulled" an inch before the target would count...but that is impossible to judge that way in reality imo. We were a bit nervous that hard stuff would not get counted. The very first blitz did not get counted for example yet Zach knocked him over with contact to his opponents' kidney.

This is the first tourney outside my son's closed school tourneys that requires a chest protector. Zach hates the protector as he feels restricted with it on.

We probably won't go back next year for those reasons and that it seemed more like a forms/weapons tourney where sparring was an afterthought.

For kids it can be difficult learning that each tournament is judged differently. Zach fought at a tourney where he got scolded for breaking on his own before. (Zach cracks the guy in the face...backs off...judge does not count kick to face since Zach broke before she said to) For real. So...

[AdamKralic]

Here is the 2nd fight that Zach won 3 - 2. I was super nervous for this one as Zach does poorly against girls regularly. Plus she is a higher belt. She also is about 8 inches taller. (this tournament was not supposed to mix boys and girls sparring but they did not have enough fighters to go as they planned) We've "ducked" tournaments previously where it's boy/girl as Zach is really uncomfortable fighting the girls.

I'm not going to put up his loss...as well that's private learning fodder.