The sweat trails down my back. I feel the foam underneath my feet and I chuckle, 'in a real fight there will be no foam'. The idea amuses me. Then the sudden realization hits me like a bucket if ice. I have forgotten everything I have learned. The months of training, of learning escapes me. 'I will be fine, I just pray that my muscles remember for me' 'Ha, this girl is taller then me, but much frailer. Attack, and feal no remorse. Remember your manners, bow, and wait for them to say fight.' I breath it took me awhile to get over my emotions. I smile, " hajime"... no more mask. I run and hit her on the side. Her parents yell to defend to block. She half heartily puts up her arm. I draw back. 'Her arms are up barley, and she's hiding behind them. One good round house and she would put her arms down.' I nailed her with my heal. 'don't break her rib cage!' I draw back. She tries to keep turning in a circle while half running half crawling, and clutching her side. I get mad and the rest becomes a blur. In the next moment I am standing in front of the judges. Apparently I was good and drawed a crowd. The judges seem solemn, and they handed me a first place trophy. I was shocked this was my first time ever getting on and my first time at a state championship. I smile bowed, then smile and bowed to the girl. She mumbles under her breath that this was her first time, waves me off and acts like I've had more experience with it so that's why she lost. I shake her hand and tell her this was my first time too. Her shock was priceless.
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This is my perspective on my first karate tournament one of my fave memories :)