Yesterday was the 6th Annual Ocean City Classics Martial Arts tournament. It wasn't until Thursday that I decided that I wanted to try and compete there. I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid that I would place horribly and just embarrass myself.

So one thing led to another and after a 3 hour car ride at 6 in the morning, Jimmy and I were registering for a tournament that I had zero preparation for. Jimmy was going to do Extreme Musical Forms and I was going to compete in Black Belt Point Sparring Ages 16-17.

I've only ever sparred people shorter than myself up to this point and I figured that these matched would be no different. After 10 hours of waiting for my division to be called I met who I would fight. There was a very short Korean guy, about 5' 7", I never got his name. There was a Tae Kwon Do fighter named Kevin who was about 6' 5" and very lean. The last fighter was dressed in a T Shirt rather than a traditional Gi. Everyone at the tournament knew him as PJ and he was a fighter. He didn't do a traditional stlye as much as a straight fighter.

I know no one knows how point sparring works so here it is: Fights are scored to 5 points. Kicks to the body or head are worth 2 points and punches to the body or head are worth 1 point. When the judges think a point has been scored they separate the fighters and vote on the point scored. There are 3 judges and it takes a majority opinion to award any points.

The first fight was me vs. Kevin. I have not have been more nervous in my entire life. My whole body was shaking but after the first round of contact, however, I had a sudden feeling of familiarity. It was the same fight I fought once a week for the last 5 years. Like Jimmy told me, I tried to throw the first kick and keep pumping my front leg to get him immediately on the defensive. Throughout the whole fight I steered him around the ring. The final score was 5-3 in my favor. At that moment I had already won in my mind. I went to my first tournament wanting to do nothing more than put up a good fight. By winning that fight I got the chance to fight the winner of the next round for first place.

The next fight was the short Korean guy vs. PJ. PJ was a professional and had a huge size advantage over the other guy so the fight ended 5-0.

I was glad I got to rest for another round. Kevin fought the Korean guy and it ended 5-1 for Kevin. So Kevin clinched 3rd place and it was just up to PJ and I to decide who would win 1st.

I'm not going to lie. I was terrified. PJ was a tournament regular and I had only fought in my own school. Before I could realize how afraid I was I connected a side kick to his shoulder followed by a quick roundhouse kick right to the side of his head. I don't know who was more surprised that the new fatty had kicked the pro in the head; him or me. That got me a quick 2 points. The fight went on and when it got to 4-4 I hesitated. I was too afraid of losing that last fight that I didn't want to rush in. He blitzed me and connected a really hard clean punch to my left temple. That was the end of the fight.

I walked away with a rather large 2nd place trophy. More than that, I realized so much. Before then, I thought that I only won fights because of my size. At this tournament I didn't have the size advantage, and certainly not the speed advantage, but I learned I had technique. Other than earning my black belt I have never been more proud of myself. I feel like I can now call myself a legitimate martial artist. I can't even describe that feeling, that the past 6 years have really been worth something. I'll post picture soon.