YOUNG TO OPEN NEW SOUTH END DOJO

Students and instructors from RMA Karate Centres have had a very busy April competing across Canada and the United States.   Not only have 8 martial artists from this martial arts club advanced to the national karate team trials, many of them have kept busy attending other competitions to keep the skills sharp and prepared for the upcoming nationals in Ottawa.

Second degree black belt instructor Tressa Young, junior black belt instructor Samantha M and blue belt student Liam N have attended competitions in Lynchburg Virginia and Quebec City, Quebec to continue their hands-on experience with top level competitors.

These martial artists have and continue to display good sportsmanship, high-level skill and the positive attitude needed to compete at a national level.   The latest two competitions that followed the provincial trials have resulted in Young winning two first places, three second places, three third places and three fourth places.

Samantha M has won one third place, two fourth places and one fifth place while Liam N has won seven first places, three second places, one third place and two fourth places.

Young, will not only be preparing for the upcoming national team trials taking place May long weekend, she is also busy getting ready to open up a second location of RMA Karate Centres.   Young, a multiple world champion, will be the head instructor of the south Barrie location set to open up June 8^th.   “The south location has already started to receive online registrations for the many programs offered at the south Barrie location including extreme martial arts and Wushu”, Young stated.

RMA 8 ADVANCE TO NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS

Eight martial artists from RMA Karate Centres in Barrie took part in the WKC Canada Southern Ontario provincial trials in London on April 13^th with the hope of making it to the national team trials in Ottawa next month.   Competitors must qualify for the national championships by placing in the top 8 of their division at one of the regional qualifiers taking place across Canada. 

The RMA martial artists who attended the Ontario qualifier performed strong in the black belt competition with all 8 advancing to the national team trials.

RMA black belt instructor Tressa Young gave a strong performance in the adult women’s divisions winning 7 gold medals and 2 silver.  The 2^nd degree black belt  won gold in traditional kata, gold in traditional weapon, gold in musical weapon, gold in musical open forms, gold in Korean forms, fold in free style forms, gold in point fighting and silver in both the creative weapon division and Chinese forms.

RMA black belt instructor Linda Young competed in the Veteran Women divisions (42yrs+) and for her first time competing at the provincial trials did extremely well.  She won silver in the traditional kata division and after competing in the 18yrs + women’s Chinese forms alongside daughter Tressa Young, she won bronze.

Young senior (Linda) said “It was fun and challenging.  A great event with so many talented martial artists from across Ontario.  I have lots to work on to help prepare for nationals next month.  And it was a blast competing alongside my daughter who always inspires me”.

RMA black belt instructor Samantha M, a seasoned WKC competitor, won silver in Korean forms, silver in Chinese forms and made top eight in the traditional weapons, musical weapons, point sparring, traditional kata and creative weapons.

Black belt Tara K, a first time WKC competitor, did well in the 35yrs+ women divisions winning gold in traditional kata, gold in traditional weapons, silver in the creative weapons and top eight in the 18yrs + women Chinese forms.

Blue belt Liam N proved all his hard work paid off when competing alongside the black belts in the boys 12yrs & under divisions.  Liam won gold in continuous fighting, gold in Korean forms, silver in point speed fighting, silver in Chinese forms, bronze in traditional weapons and top eight in the traditional kata and musical weapon divisions.

Blue belt Sale B had the attitude and determination needed for her first provincial event competing in the girls 12yrs & under divisions .  Sale won silver in Korean forms, bronze in musical weapons, bronze in traditional weapons and made top eight in the creative weapons division.

Advanced brown belt Brooke Z competing in the girls 12yrs & under divisions, is no stranger to the WKC team trials.  She did amazing winning gold in Korean forms and bronze in Chinese forms.

Orange belt Rachel W not only takes karate at RMA Karate Centres, she also attends dedicated Wushu classes with Sensei Tressa Young.  These dedicated Wushu classes helped Wilson win gold in the girls 12yrs & under Chinese forms.

The eight continue their training pushing themselves even further to give them the edge they need to make the WKC Canadian national karate & kickboxing team and represent Canada in Italy this fall.

SENSEI & STUDENT WIN AT COBRA

Black belt instructor Sensei Linda Young with student Liam N attended the International Cobra martial arts tournament in Laval, Quebec on April 6^th returning after great success.  The large scale event attracted competitors from across Quebec and Ontario with some divisions having as many as 20 competitors vying for top placement.

The two martial artists from RMA Karate Centres in Barrie gave a strong performance at the event.   Blue belt Liam N won 2^nd in traditional weapons, 3^rd in traditional kata, 3^rd in musical weapons, 4^th in creative weapons and finalist in the sparring division.

Second degree black belt Sensei Linda Young won 1^st in the Womens traditional kata and went on to compete in the mens traditional kata division winning 3^rd place.

The two along with six other martial artists from RMA Karate Centres in Barrie are headed to the WKC Canada provincial trials in London on April 13^th.  Only the top 8 from each division qualifies to advance to the WKC Canadian National karate team trials in Ottawa.

LOCAL MARTIAL ARTISTS WIN AT CANADIAN OPEN

Eight martial artists from RMA Karate Centres in Barrie took part in the Canadian Open martial arts championships in Gatineau, Quebec March 22 & 23^rd and did extremely well.

Red belt Isabelle R won fourth in musical forms and was a finalist in the weapons and forms division.   Fellow red belt Katie B won third in musical forms and fourth in forms.

Blue belt Liam N won first in musical forms, second in continuous sparring, third in point sparring, fourth in weapons and fourth in forms. Fellow blue belt Sale B won first in weapons, second in musical forms and fifth in both the forms and sparring divisions.

Advanced brown belt Brooke Z won fifth in both the forms and weapons divisions.

The highlight of the Canadian Open was the black belt divisions where the high ranking martial artists were not only hoping for bragging rights after earning top place, they were also looking forward to the tough competition from across North America.

Black belt Tara K did extremely well continuing to show steady improvement winning two thirds in the forms and weapons divisions.   Black belt Samantha M gave a strong performance after healing from an ankle injury winning second place in continuous sparring and third place in the musical forms division.

Black belt RMA instructor Tressa Young proved to her opponents that she has earned her place in the adult divisions winning first place in the elite men/women’s weapons division, women’s weapon divisions, women’s forms divisions, women’s point sparring division and women’s musical weapons division.   Young also won second in the elite men/women’s forms division.   The highlight of Young’s weekend competition was winning grand champion title in men & women’s forms division and winning grand champion title in the men & women’s elite weapons division.  

Liam, Sale, Brooke, Tara and Samantha along with RMA instructors Tressa Young and Linda Young will be headed to provincial trials in hopes of advancing to the WKC Canadian National team trials in Ottawa May Victoria long weekend.