The ATA Martial Arts School in Mobile, Alabama hosted it's first Regional Championship Tournament on January 17, 2009. Three members of our ATA Academy were able to attend. Todd Besier, his son Ethen, and I represented Statesboro at the day-long event held at the Mobile Convention Center.
ATA tournaments start with a Black Belt Judges meeting at 7:30 am. Competition then begins with the youngest competitors and continues throughout the day, finishing with the adults.
At days end, we three competitors from Statesboro had earned 4 second place finishes and 4 first place finishes. Todd Besier, one of our color belt adult students, was competing in free-sparring for the first time. He received 2nd place finishes in Forms, Weapons and Sparring. Ethen Besier, competing in the junior blue belt division, finished 2nd in Forms, 1st in Weapons and 1st in Sparring. I received 1st in Forms and 1st in Sparring.
The three of us are looking forward to the next regional tournament in Atlanta, GA in March.
