A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Spirits were high as we pulled in to The Comfort Inn and though my car sputtered and died right there, we were determined to enjoy this important weekend.  Generous parents carted Bradley and me everywhere we needed to go.  Thank you to The Lambert, Beale and Shaw families.

“States” short for The 2007 Florida State Taekwondo Championship, was held at the Lakeland Center at Lakeland, Florida, about three hours by car from Weiss. This was my second trip to States.  Several families seemed to arrive at the same time and as our competitors spilled into the lobby and parents went about the business of check in, they used the opportunity for last minute practice on their forms and to gently critic each other.  The camaraderie among the different ages was phenomenal and a testimony to our wonderful school: High-fives and good luck wishes sounded everywhere.  I saw the younger children encouraged by older students and everyone having fun.

We moved on to the compulsory check-in and weigh-in.  It went much more smoothly than last year, where long lines were common.  Students were given official badges with their names, pictures, ages and weight category, etc.  Our children were so happy to be together outside of school.  Groups formed and merged, students gathered with parents, teachers and friends.  Hugs were everywhere: anticipation high!

The Quail House restaurant was thankfully located on the same street as the hotel but despite its easy location, a caravan of cars followed the Tilton’s GPS equipped vehicle on a twisty scenic route through downtown Lakeland.  The Quail House offers unique cuisine that, of course, includes quail.  Diners enjoyed the quail, venison, rabbit, “swamp lizard” as well as more traditional fare including chicken nuggets, steak and ribs.  Shellacked tables and benches served as our dining tables and though the service took a long time, it was an opportunity to get to know each other a little better.  Though there were a few attempts to quiet the group, the room sang with excitement and anticipation and set a positive atmosphere for competition.  Several students who finished dinner early enjoyed a few rounds of mini-golf.

I understand that the smoke alarms at the hotel “chirped” most of the night.  The light sleepers were less than happy but I must have been very tired because I slept through it, waking refreshed and ready to support my excited but nervous son.  We were pleased with the hotel breakfast choices, especially the waffle machine.  After a hearty breakfast, our competitors were ready to go.

An event official explained the rules and scoring.  This was followed by the singing of The Star Spangled Banner and opening ceremonies.  When Master Powell was introduced, thunderous applause followed and Weiss students, teachers and parents cheered.  Lakeland center was set up with six matted rings for competitors.  Three judges manned each ring, carrying flip style score cards.  The adult black belts went first so the anticipation continued to build.  Next, they began to call competitors by age – youngest to oldest -- and belt level – lowest to highest -- to a holding area where parents were not permitted.  We watched as divisions of competitors were led out to their designated rings and seated at the perimeter until called.  Parents ran from one ring to another to try to see their children perform.  At States, years of practice are demonstrated in a couple of minutes.  The pressure is on!  From Black belt down to our youngest color belt, our group of twenty-six competitors showed good self-control waiting for their turns.  In a few divisions, a tied score resulted in a second demonstration of the form by the competitors. In the 8-9 year-old red red/black division, for example, seven youngsters competed and there was a tie for a second place (not Weiss competitors).   When the contestants finished their forms, they were instructed to turn their backs to the judges, who then revealed the scores to the audience.  Next, the competitors were lined up in placement order, and the results announced.

I may be a bit too close to be objective but I believe anyone who observed our competitors would see how they stood out as disciplined and polite youngsters.  While we took 12 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze medals, the most important thing of all was our sportsmanship.  All of our competitors were gracious winners and equally so when placing below gold.  We can all be inspired by 2nd Grader Lawrence Oks, who made his first appearance at States and took home gold and Mack Lemieux, who competed with a broken foot and took home silver.  In closing, I congratulate all competitors and encourage hard work over the next year.  Who knows, perhaps you will be part of the 2008 team!

Submitted by:  Ellyn Zarek

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