Dear KJA Members and Parents,

Registration for our in-house Shiai on Sunday, May 7, 2017 is now available through the "Member's Portal" on the "Members Page" of www.kokushikai.com.

http://kokushikai.com/memberspage.html

(Paper applications are attached and are also on the reception desk at the dojo. PDF downloadable forms will also be posted on the website).
Attachment: 2017 Kokushikai Judo Shiai May 7 App.pdf (189.6kB)

Please register before May 5 to aid with planning this event. No applications will be accepted after midnight of May 5.

Spectators associated with students may also register online when registering a competitor. Spectators also have the option to just pay at the door during the day of the event. (actual charges for attending spectators are done after May 7.)

Players will be grouped in divisions of 3-4 players based on
age, weight, rank and ability.  (eg. 4 yr olds do not compete with 6 yr olds, they are just in the same time Session.) Players at the top of their age range may compete in the next higher age group but must register in their own age bracket first.  If a player wants to compete up in the next higher age group, please make sure Celita knows this so the registration can be entered correctly. Players can enter up to a maximum of 3 divisions.

The ESTIMATED times for each Shiai Session are as follows:
Tiny Tiger/Pee Wee Judo Shiai and Newaza Shiai (4-6 yrs): 10:00am - 11:30am
Children Judo Shiai and Children's Jr. Newaza Shiai (7-9yrs): 11:15am - 1:30pm

(Lunch Break for Volunteers: 1:30pm - 2:10pm)

Youth Judo Shiai and Youth Jr. Newaza Shiai (10-12yrs): 2:00pm - 4:15pm
Teen/Adult Judo Shiai and Sr. Newaza Shiai (13 yrs+): 4:00pm - 5:30pm
(Visiting competitors from other judo schools MAY be included in the Youth and Teen Shiai.)

Pizza Party (All ages welcome): 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Please note that the Jr. and Sr. Newaza (ground/grappling) portion of the Shiai is held within each age group session of the Judo Shiai, but participation in each require separate registrations. Regular Judo Shiai are matches that start standing and include both standing and ground techniques. Newaza Shiai are matches that start on the ground with opponents facing each other with one knee up. Players must stay on the ground and execute winning ground skills. Submissions techniques are allowed in the Teen/Adult Sr. Newaza only.

The estimated time frames for each Session include check-in, warm-up, Shiai and Newaza matches, and award presentations. Exact times may need to be adjusted according to the final number of registrants. A final e-mail will be sent to the participants late on May 6 confirming registration and actual competition times for each player.

Players will be grouped in divisions of 3-4 players based on age, weight, rank and ability. If a player registers and can not be matched with appropriate opponents at the instructors discretion, registration fees will NOT be charged.

Registration and Spectator Fees are as follows:
1st Shiai Division: $35 (includes pizza party for competitor)
2nd and 3rd Divisions (Shiai or Newaza): $20 each
No registrations accepted after midnight of May 5.
Spectator Fee: $5
Fees include Pizza party and drinks for Competitors and Spectators.
(No Charge for Volunteer Staff.  Volunteers must register in advance with Celita to be counted.)

All participants will receive an award for 1st , 2nd or 3rd. In addition, to the Shiai awards, an "Outstanding Player" award will be presented to a competitor from each Session of the Shiai during the Pizza Party.

We aim to make a positive experience for all and recommend to try this in-house friendly event. It is an opportunity to test skills in a small tournament setting and learn from the experience.  Students who have a desire to compete at local tournaments and higher must start here so Sensei Matsumura and I can evaluate if a student is ready to compete elsewhere. Some players choose only to compete at our internal Shiais, which is fine. There is not pressure on any player to compete. If a student chooses not to compete, we highly recommend attending as a spectator to watch, build confidence, enjoy the award presentations and join us at the pizza party.

Teens, brown and black belts members are asked to volunteer to help-out with certain assignments such as timekeeper, scorekeeper, referee, check-in etc. during the Shiai for our younger members. Volunteers are not charged as spectators but be sure to let Celita know in advance so there is no confusion at the door for Nataliya.  Please confirm with Celita as soon as possible if you are available to volunteer.

If anyone has any difficulty registering online through the Member Portal, please notify Celita for assistance. (If you do not have a password, use your contact e-mail on file and click "forgot password" and one will be sent to your e-mail automatically. You can change once you are in the portal.)

Fundraising Raffle Baskets to support our 2017 athletes competing nationally and internationally will be displayed either prior or on the day of the Shiai. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the reception desk. If anyone would like to donate gift certificates or items to the baskets for the raffle, please contact Celita or Tamara Hemingway to include your donations.

We hope that as many of you as possible will participate on any level to help make our Kokushikai Shiai a success for all!

Sincerely,
Celita

Kokushikai Judo Academy
201-797-8988