Tournament Tips
Since I�ve done quite a few tournaments, I thought I�d post some things I�ve learned. These are general tips - not so much competition strategy tips...see Sabumnim for that type of advice. Please add your own comments, suggestions, etc.
1. Judging in tournaments, much like life itself, is not always fair. Judges are human and they make mistakes. It�s frustrating, when they don�t see points scored or they give higher placed trophies to competitors whose performance seemed inferior to yours. My advice is to learn from their mistakes, so that when that day comes that you are a judge in a tournament, you�ll be prepared.
2. (Mostly for the kids... :) It�s not the end of the world if you don�t win a trophy. If you come away with knowledge and experience that you didn�t have before, this is what matters. You took the time to go and represent your school, which is awesome! Don�t compare yourself to other people, they are not you. You have your own unique talents and abilities to be proud of.
3. When I see frumpy, and/or ill-fitting doboks at competitions, it really makes me squirm. Other situations to avoid are A. Loose belts B. Pants too long that may cause you to trip over them. C. Sleeves are too long, making hand motions difficult for judges to see.
4. I like to keep my Taekwon-do gear in one bag apart from the other stuff I am bringing, and check off each necessary item from a list as I put it into the bag so that nothing TKD related is left in Pittsburgh. That list? Gloves, feet protectors, shin guards, mouth guard, belt, hair bands (if you have long hair) and Dobok (some like to hang it in the car, I put it in the bag and iron it later)
5. Telling someone, "Don�t be nervous" is like putting a big delicious cookie in front of someone and saying "Don�t eat that cookie!" You WILL be nervous, it�s normal, and not easily dismissed. In sparring, you can use this nervousness for energy in your match. Sabumnim tells us not to tense up during sparring, so take his advice and RELAX. If you worry too much about "choking" while doing your pattern, then what do you think will happen?? No matter how many tournaments I do, I still get nervous. It's hard, but I try to tune out the rest of the world and pretend that I am performing my pattern alone in the dojang.
6. Never, ever, underestimate your opponent. If they are older (for adults), younger (for kids) smaller, etc. you never know what skills they have until they are in the ring with you.
7. Make sure you are well hydrated before, during and after competition day.
8. Fuel your body with healthy food. I realize it is difficult away from home. My meal of choice is a piece of fruit combined with an egg sandwich from a fast food establishment, or a bagel with some cream cheese. I like the balance of protein and carbs to give long sustained energy. For in-between snacks, I like bananas, Powerbars, or Cliff bars. Each person has their own dietary preference, so what works for me may not work for you...this is my disclaimer! Try to eat at least a little bit, even if you are nervous.
9. That minute & a half or 2 minutes which goes by so fast in real life, can seem like an eternity in the ring. Pace yourself accordingly. Know that sometimes you get a break between matches, but sometimes you don�t. During one match, I made the mistake of going full throttle at the beginning and had little left for remainder of the round.
10. Be prepared FINANCIALLY at tournaments. Bring enough cash for possible food, parking, and equipment costs. For example at the C.S. Kim tournament, we were not allowed to use our red sparring gloves, so Sabumnim had to purchase the "legal" kind for us.
11. Don't complain about another school, opponent, etc. while at the tournament. You never know who could be listening, and you are representing our school.
12. Injuries do happen - bruised shins, cuts, and maybe even broken noses. Don't live in fear of this stuff happening. But just like ANY OTHER SPORT: soccer, baseball...you name it, there is the possibility of injury. Before you panic, remember that most injuries occur in the home, so you're probably safer at the tournament!
13. A tournament day is a LONG, LONG day...know that in advance, and don�t plan anything, except, possibly, celebrating (whether you win or not) afterwards!
Good luck!
