Karate Tournament Team Excels at Nationals!

Eleven competitors from Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts attended the USKA Nationals Tournament March 30th and 31st in Albuquerque, NM. For five of the competitors, this was their very first Nationals Tournament, and most of them just started competing this point year! Our seasoned competitors did a great job as well.

The Nationals Tournament hosts the "best-of-the best"of USKA competitors across the country. In order to compete in this tournament, competitors must first qualify at the State or Regional Tournament, or by placing at Nationals the year prior. Since every single one of the Peaceful Warrior competitors placed (unheard of, by the way!!) they are all automatically qualified for next year's Nationals.

Here are the results:
Aditya Gunderia: 1st Weapons, 2nd Sparring, 2nd Team Kata, 3rd Kata
Allen Kratzer: 2nd Kata, 2nd Koshiki, 3rd Weapons, 3rd Sparring, 4th Musical Kata
Brent Armistead: 1st Sparring, First Koshiki, 1st Chanbara, 2nd Kata, 2nd Weapons, 2nd Team Kata
Cameron Kessner: 4th Kata
Chance Glover: 2nd Musical Kata, 2nd Team Sparring, 4th Sparring
Jasper Brown: 4th Kata
Julianna Chin-Tung: 3rd Sparring
Mackenzie Bouise: 2nd Kata, 2nd Weapons, 4th Chanbara
Max Bouise: 1st Team Sparring, 2nd Chanbara, 4th Weapons
Rachel Hostletler: 1st Sparring, 2nd Team Kata, 4th Kata
Sensei Poage: 1st Sparring, 1st Kata, 1st Weapons

Don't get stuck doing the same tournament circuit!

Mark your calendars for these upcoming local martial arts tournaments/events:

Grand Canyon State Games - February 25th
AZ International Open, Jiu-Jitsu - March 3rd & 4th
ASKA Tournament - March 10th
Arizona Karate Championship, USANKF - March 17th

Remember, don't get stuck by attending to the same tournament circuit all the time. You can't challenge yourself that way! Try different circuits and different competitors. You'll be amazed at what you can do!

Heading to Nationals!

Congrats to everyone who qualified to go to the USKA Nationals Tournament in Albuquerque, NM at the end of March!

What an accomplishment! Everyone who attended the State Tournament placed and qualified. We are so proud of each and every one of you.

We have 14 competitors going this year! Good luck to all.

Vagas Baby!

We will attend our very first USA World Championships open tournament in Las Vegas June 24th-26th. Contact us if you are interested in competing or going to support your dojo.

Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, North Phoenix Students Excel at

Six students from Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts recently attended the 2011 USKA Martial Arts Nationals Tournament in Albuquerque, NM on March 25-27. All six students placed high in their divisions. Chance Glover, 13, 1st place sparring, 4th place koshiki; Cameron Kessner, 13, 1st place kata, 4th place weapons; Mackenzie Bouise, 10; 2nd place sparring, 2nd place team sparring, 4th place kata; Julianna Chin-Tung, 12, 3rd place sparring, 3rd place koshiki, 5th place kata; Max Bouise, 12, 4th place weapons, 4th place team sparring; Andrew Rodgers, 11, 5th place kata. “Competing in tournaments has helped me gain confidence at school speaking in front of the class, asking questions and within my friendships,” says Cameron Kessner, a student at Scottsdale Preparatory. “I feel great knowing that I’m part of a bigger team, a team that encourages me to be a better athlete and person. I enjoy supporting my team members and seeing them succeed, knowing that I have helped them train to become great at what they do.” The competitors, all from North Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, began their martial arts training under Sensei Richard M. Poage, a National and World Champion himself and #1-rated Martial Arts Instructor six-years-running. "Martial arts is an excellent way to build confidence and focus," says Poage. "Our programs not only teach karate but assist with life skills that help kids become successful individuals in society." Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts & Healing Center’s Senior Instructor is Richard M. Poage. Mr. Poage has dedicated himself to martial arts for more than 20 years and has been rated the #1 martial arts instructor in Arizona six-years running by the United States Karate Alliance (U.S.K.A.). Mr. Poage is the current U.S.K.A. national champion in full contact continuous karate, a member of the U.S. Pan Am team and has been nominated for the U.S.K.A. Hall of Fame. Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts & Healing Center teaches traditional Okinawa Karate and offers authentic rank from Naha City, Okinawa, Japan, in one of the oldest Karate styles practiced in the world today. The school offers a wide range of classes for youth and adults including Karate, Jujitsu, MMA, Conditioning and Self-Defense.

Tournaments: A parent and student perspective

The Tournament Team at Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts has been rated #1 in Arizona and #4 in the nation five-years running by the United States Karate Alliance (USKA). Our students actively participate in AZ tournaments and travel throughout the Southwest region to go up against some of the toughest competition around. Many of our students have competed and won at State, National and World levels. A parent's point of view by Darren and Suzanne Kessner: Tournaments have helped Cameron grow in many ways both in and out of the dojo. First, his competitive nature has an outlet. It has helped him build confidence in himself and gives him a sense of both self respect and respect for others. His ability to speak in front of people in any situation is directly connected to the ability to perform in front of strangers. In the dojo, techniques are taught but in competition, the creativity to bring those techniques to life is expressed. Prior to karate, Cameron participated in soccer where everyone received a trophy at the end of the season. The first trophy that Cameron won at a local karate tournament was earned solely by his skill. His first comment, "Dad, this is the first trophy that I have really won on my own". That meant a lot to us as parents. Tournaments, particularly the sparring part, have had a profound effect in the area of bullying. Before Cameron started Karate he had been bullied at school several times. The confidence and discipline he now has inside enables him the ability to walk away on his terms and not feel powerless. For us as a family it has been a lot of fun traveling to tournaments around Arizona, California, and New Mexico. We have so many fun "Road Trip" memories. Cameron has met friends from all over. Although he competes against them, he has developed friendships with a common link-karate. Being able to have a competitive edge yet cheer on those very same competitors is not a skill taught but one learned. As parents, we have met a lot of families both within and outside of our dojo and it is very nice connecting with them at karate tournaments and establishing friendships beyond our everyday routines. Cameron's take on tournaments: In my opinion, tournaments are a good way to express yourself, meet other competitors and overall have fun. Tournaments have helped me gain confidence in not only my martial arts part of life but at school speaking in front of the class, asking questions and between my friends. I feel great knowing that I am a part of a bigger team, a team that has my back and encourages me to be a better athlete. Tournaments give me a way to connect to other martial artists whether they are judging me or competing against me. I enjoy supporting my team members and seeing them succeed knowing that I have helped them train and become a better martial artist as well.