Competition

The next year, for me, took on a whole new meaning for me.

My training intensified, and I was spending most of the day at the dojo training.

Day after day my mother would drop me off at the dojo early in the morning and then run some errands, or go to some of the clubs she was a part of, like her knitting club, or her reading club.

I would spend around 4 to 5 hours training with teacher Haru.

Then we would stop for lunch and continue for another hour.

By then my mother would be back to pick me up and take me home.

At home, I would take a shower, then I would start my schoolwork.

With my mother's help, the school work was easy, and since my mother had been teaching me things since I was very little, it was all the easier.

By the time I was done with the school work, my dad would be home, and we would eat dinner together, then bedtime.

Days seemed to melt together, full of training and school.

What surprised me was the effect the training had on my body.

I've always been skinny and lanky, but now I am starting to get muscles.

We went to a doctor who would make my diet for me.

Or that's what momma said.

She said with my training I am burning away my fat much faster than I did before I started training, and it could be dangerous if I didn't eat enough food or foods that had a lot of carbs and nutrients.

And now my diet has changed drastically.

Now, every meal I eat has large amounts of either red meat or fish.

As well as rice, and noodles of some kind.

Anything with a lot of calories or carbs for each main meal.

In between I would have a few candy bars or a nutritional bar.

It was cool to look in the mirror and see what my dad called a 6 pack.

"I remember when I had those," my dad would say.

But after all of my hard work, the time had finally arrived.

The judo competition.

The competition is being held in Los Angeles.

A two-hour drive from Camp Pendleton.

So instead of waking extra early for the competition and battling the early morning traffic, we left a day early and spent the night in a hotel.

Thankfully Dad was able to get a few days of leave so he could come and see me fight.

He had yet to see me fight in a Judo match, his duties keeping him from seeing me train.

Making it to Los Angeles we stayed the night at a nice hotel.

It was strange to fall asleep in a new place, but by the time we got to the hotel, I was too tired to care.

Waking up at around 6 in the morning, we got some breakfast at a small dinner close to our hotel.

After eating a massive breakfast, we head back to our hotel room.

I grabbed my bag that held my GI and green belt.

Something else that happened within the past year is I ranked up in my belt level.

Going from the novice white to the beginner's green.

I was so happy when I leveled up my belt to green.

The feeling of accomplishment was a new feeling that I craved to feel again.

It took us around 30 minutes to make it to the place Teacher Haru told us to meet him.

The place where the competition was being held was a large open building, with a few dozen mats and bleachers to watch from.

At the main door of the event, we met up with teacher Haru.

He was standing by the door already waiting for us.

"ah, good to see you, Andrew, Misses, and Mister Cole," he said, giving me a pat on the shoulder and then shaking my parent's hands.

"It's good to finally meet you, Mister Cole." Teacher Haru said to my father.

"Please call me David, and it is a pleasure to meet you as well,"

After Signing up for the event, I went to a back area and got changed into my GI.

The pristine white clothes made my green belt pop out.

Now changed, I went back into the main area with all the mats and searched for my parents and teacher Haru.

As I was looking for them, I also looked around.

I was a little shocked, there were at least a few hundred people in the large area, and most of the other kids here were a year or two older than me.

Teacher Haru told me that girls also did Judo, so I wasn't surprised when I saw a few girls wearing a Gi.

I found my parents standing with other parents who came to watch their kids fight.

"Are you excited?" my dad asked me, as he ruffled my hair.

I chuckled and tried to avoid his hand, making him laugh as well.

"With those moves, you will do great," he said.

"Just know that even if you don't win or get a trophy, we are still very proud of you. The hard work you have put into this shows your love for it and we are sure that you will do great." my mother says.

I smile wide at her words.

"I know momma," I say, to her.

Before we could talk more, my name was called behind me.

Turning, I see teacher Haru coming towards me holding a piece of paper.

"Your first match is about to start," he said, waving the piece of paper.

"Good luck," my parents say in unison, I turn and run to teacher Haru, while waving at my parents.

My first match was against another green belt.

He looked to be around my age and height. Witch was 5 years old and almost 4 '5.

We bow to each other and then take a step forward onto the mat.

Now in front of each other, we bow again.

Then we look at the ref for the fight.

The ref went over the rules.

But I didn't need to listen to him.

Teacher Haru made sure to drill the rules of judo into my head.

It took the judge a few moments to go over the don'ts.

After he stepped back the match began.

My heart was pounding in my chest and the sweat was already starting to run down my face.

This was far from my first match, but this was my first match with real meaning to it and not just practice.

The ref held his hands up and then said "Begin"

In a flash, my opponent went on the attack first.

(There are a lot of names for certain grabs and holds that might confuse you so I will just say what is happening)

My opponent came forward and went for a torso hold.

Digging my feet in I dug my hand down and under his hold.

It was clear that I was much stronger than my opponent, giving me the ability to undo his hold.

Now with my hand under his hold, I move my and his arm out, opening my side.

Stepping to the side that I just opened I use the same move on him that he tried on me.

But instead of a front hold, I go for a side hold.

Locking my arms around his torso I come in low causing him to fall over.

Standing up I take a step back.

I could hear the cheering coming from the benches, the loudest of them all came from my parents, but I didn't look over.

The last thing I needed now was to get distracted.

My opponent stood back up and we got set again.

This time I took the initiative.

I moved fast, getting in front of him I wrapped my arms around his neck, my opponent widened his stance, trying not to be unbalanced.

But that's just what I wanted. I kicked out his forward-placed leg, grabbed the collar of his GI, and then pulled him forward. As he was falling forward I grabbed the arm he had placed on my GI and used it to make him fall on his back with me on top of him.

When I fell on him I heard the timer ring, meaning a end of the match.

winning my first match