Longhorn Invitaional Team Taikai, Austin TX

[Kiki]

Just wondering who may be participating in this taikai??

It's my first taikai out of SoCal - also my first time to Texas. Uncharted territory.
:alien:

[Inouye02]

Hey Kiki, wasss up ? So when is this taikai happening? how do i get some info ..

Jamie

[swrdply400mrela]

If we can get funding, the Texas A&M University Kendo Kyokai will be going.

Mike

[Armstrong San]

Hey, Carolyn:

Shin told us last night that you would be going to Texas. Hopefully, we can bring back the bull horns (1st place prize) again? I am pretty certain that Black San and I will be going, as well. I wonder if this means that we will have two teams entered into the competition? Anyways, I thought the tournament was a sure thing, but it doesnt sound like it from the last post.

BTW, how did you get the name Kiki?

Best Regards

[swrdply400mrela]

Hey Kiki, wasss up ? So when is this taikai happening? how do i get some info ..

Jamie

It's going to be on Sunday November 9, in Austin, Texas. Teams from Texas, California, and Mexico are invited. Here is a list of invited dojos:

Association de Kendo Del Estado De Nuevo Leon
Austin Kendo Doshikai
Cornell Kendo Club
Dallas-FT Worth Kendo and Iaido Kyokai
Detroit Kendo Dojo
El Paso Kendo Club
Gardena Kendo Club
Harvard-Radcliffe Kendo Club
Hokushin Chiba Dojo
New Orleans Kendo Club
New York City Kendo Club
New York II Kum Kwan
Obukan Kendo Club
OUSULA Kendo Dojo
Redlands Fencing Center
River City Iaido and Kendo Kyokai
San Jose Kendo Dojo
Southern California Kendo Organization
Texas A&M Kendo Kyokai
University of Texas Kendo Association
West Los Angeles Kendo Dojo

You can contact
Conrad Lee
U of Texas Kendo Association
conlee@mail.utexas.edu

or

Alfred Walker
Austin Kendo Doshikai
alfred@austingeo.com

[Kiki]

Thanks Swrdply400mrela! Looking forward to meeting some more kendoka in Austin.

Welcome to KWF Armstrong san. "Kiki" is my childhood nickname. I'll answer to it if you call.
:happy:

[swrdply400mrela]

Hi Kiki, which dojo will you be representing?

Mike

[Kiki]

Hi Kiki, which dojo will you be representing?
Mike

OSULA/SoCal Kendo Org. Hope your club can round up the cash to join the taikai.

[SirFingerLickin]

Hey, do you know Josh Michael? He's from Osula dojo. He's going to UCSD nowadays so he practices with us during the school year.

[Siglith234]

It's going to be on Sunday November 9, in Austin, Texas. Teams from Texas, California, and Mexico are invited. Here is a list of invited dojos:

Association de Kendo Del Estado De Nuevo Leon
Austin Kendo Doshikai
Cornell Kendo Club
Dallas-FT Worth Kendo and Iaido Kyokai
Detroit Kendo Dojo
El Paso Kendo Club
Gardena Kendo Club
Harvard-Radcliffe Kendo Club
Hokushin Chiba Dojo
New Orleans Kendo Club
New York City Kendo Club
New York II Kum Kwan
Obukan Kendo Club
OUSULA Kendo Dojo
Redlands Fencing Center
River City Iaido and Kendo Kyokai
San Jose Kendo Dojo
Southern California Kendo Organization
Texas A&M Kendo Kyokai
University of Texas Kendo Association
West Los Angeles Kendo Dojo

You can contact
Conrad Lee
U of Texas Kendo Association
conlee@mail.utexas.edu

or

Alfred Walker
Austin Kendo Doshikai
alfred@austingeo.com

When i Read Doshikai my mouth droped, when i saw austin doshikai i gave LOUD sigh

[Kiki]

Hey, do you know Josh Michael?...

He's been at UCSD for most of the last few years so.. yes, I know who Michael san is on sight but I do not know him...yet.

[Armstrong San]

Nakatani Sensei told me that the Ni/San dan that wears all white (I forget his name) from OSULA also wanted to go to Texas.

Kiki do you know if this is the case. If so, we would have 6 people for a 5-person team (Black, Mori, Nakashima, Kiki, me, and him). Hopefully, either more people can go so that we have two teams or we may have to have an alternate or something? I am sure we will find some way to work it all out.

[misterkurukuru]

HMMM sckf didnt get an invite....it must be a DARK SIDE thing!!!!!!! :dead:
GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (havent done that for a while...just thought i would throw it in) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well good luck to all in the tournament.

[Kiki]

HMMM sckf didnt get an invite....it must be a DARK SIDE thing!!!!!!! :dead:
GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (havent done that for a while...just thought i would throw it in) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well good luck to all in the tournament.

One of you SCKF honchos should call introduce yourself and see if there are any openings left.

to armstrong san - I have NO idea... :puzzled:

[swrdply400mrela]

Looks like our University was kind enough to fund our trip! This means we get to stay in Austin the night before and get a good night's sleep instead of waking up at 5:30am on the day of tournament and driving to Austin.

This is my first tournament, and I'm not that experienced in Kendo. My sensei placed my on the B team, at senpo. I don't expect to win, but I do expect to meet people and learn from them.

Mike

[Kiki]

Hey Mike - That's great news. I'll be looking for you.
We had a visiting 8th dan sensei this week, Sumi Sensei. In his closing speech he said: "Kendo is not Winning, it is Learning and Teaching. When some one scores on us say 'Thank you, I learned from that point' and if you score say 'Thank you, because of your semi I was able to score'." (Not an exact quote.) Naturally you wouldn’t actually say anything during a match but rather have that kind of gracious spirit. I was very impressed by Sumi Sensei, on many levels.

Have fun and play your own kendo.

[Kiki]

1st: NY 'A'
2nd: Houston 'A'
3rd: Austin 'A'
(did I get that right?)

The tournament had 17 teams including 2 from Mexico. The Austin dojo members did a fantastic job of running every thing including a endless 3 day shuttle movement, and we finished the shaii on time - impressive.

Team SCKO lost in the quarter finals to Austin 'A'. However, every one on our team played well. Our team was made up of three - 1kyu, a 2 dan and a yon dan. I learned a lot about team strategy and also about my own kendo. After the shaii we had a 1-hour free jigeiko which was fun. Got some good advice from TX sensei and guys from the 1st & 2nd place teams.

Next year we all agreed we want to try and have and 'A' and 'B' teams like most of the other dojos. A lot of fun - after my anxiety wore off!

One thing I have to say about Austin and probably TX in general, besides fantastic people, is MEAT! Oh my gosh, I have had my fix for a year. It was yummy.

Pics to come soon. If anyone was taking videos of our matches please let me know.

Thank you Austin! Yeehaa!

[tango]

good luck to everybody at this taikai...


watch out for kevin abe from the dallas/ft worth group... i think he might be a sandan by now.. he's pretty good.

david cooper is another story, though... (haha.. just kidding, David!)

(i miss kinda being out of touch with the dallas group.. they've got a good bunch of folks down there and some excellent instructors)...

cheers,
tango

EDIT: oops! guess that'll teach me to read page 2 before posting anything.. haha...
umm.. hope everybody had a good time at the tournament! :)

[swrdply400mrela]

1st: NY 'A'
2nd: Houston 'A'
3rd: Austin 'A'
(did I get that right?)


Hi Kiki, I got your message. I saw a few ppl from SCKO, but I wasn't sure if any of them were you.

And no you didn't get that right. Texas A&M 'A' tied for 3rd place with Austin 'A' ;)

I'd like to see some pics if you got any. I don't think we had anyone take pics...

[Kiki]

And no you didn't get that right. Texas A&M 'A' tied for 3rd place with Austin 'A' ;)


SORRY TEXAS A&M did not mean to leave you out!

[DavidOfTheEast]

I know that this is my first post on the forums, but I'm proud to say that our dojo won 1st place at the Longhorn competition.

Kenshin Kai dojo of New York City took first place. I congradulate my sensei, Ken Kishimoto, along with the rest of the team for a splendid job well done!

[Kiki]

Finally some picture. Sorry this took so long. Too busy with real work and then uploading Snafus which forced me to use very low-res jpegs...blablabla.... I wish I had some action shots to share.

1) NYC • Kenshin-kai/A - 2003 Champions
(photo credit: www.kenshin-kai.com)

2) AUSTIN/A&B - tied 3rd w/Texas A&M

3) DALLAS/A&B

4) Justin and Paul from UT dojo They took excellent care of all of us!
Thank You :)

5) Special “Thank You” to Walker Sensei (L) at the airport:
20 years of service at the UT dojo, never missed a practice!

[Kiki]

three more...

1) Sayonara party - I am the short one

2) The infamous trophy - about 6’ wide - Who's gonna take it from NY next year!?

3) Team SCKO

[hyouriittai]

If we can get funding, the Texas A&M University Kendo Kyokai will be going.

Mike

Which campus? I've got family at Corpus Christi campus. My nephew lives with his mom over there, and I'm kind of interested in getting him into kendo.