University Daily Kansan, October 22, 1984
Page 9
CAMPUS AND AREA
East meets West at fifth KU Karate Club meet
By MICHELLE REDWOOD Staff Reporter
Robinson Gymnasium is an unlikely place to build cultural ties, and sparring in a 20-foot ring is an unlikely method.
But athletic competition served as the backdrop for the meeting of two cultures on Saturday as the top Japanese black belt in Okinawa karate and two of his students came to Lawrence to participate in the KU Karate Club's fifth annual karate tournament.
Three KU alumni who are karaate instructors visited the University of Hosel in Tokyo last year. Rob PReain, head instructor of KU, said he planned to go to Tokyo to complete this year's visit by the Japanese.
"We want to start friendships and learn their culture," Pitcairn said.
"Everyone shares the common spirit of karate, the bludo spirit, the warrior spirit."
PITCAIRN SAID TOSHIHAKI Takatsu, head instructor at the University of Hosei, was the top black belt in Japan in Okinawa Goji Ryu, the style of karate the KU club practices.
Takatu brought two of his students, Akira Havayashi, a senior in law, and Hiroyuki Kiyokawa, a senior in economics, with him to Lawrence.
Hayashi and Kiyokawa are black belts. Karate has four belts ranging progressively from white, green, brown to black. Black is the most advanced belt that can be achieved in karate.
Sixty-five people competed in Saturday's tournament, 45 of them KU students. Others came from around the Midwest.
The first competition was kata or a form in which each competitor
performs a prearranged technique against an imaginary opponent to demonstrate form.
HAYASHI PLACED FIRST in the black belt competition. Jill Reindl of the KU club took second, and Brad Browning of Akila (Kia). Martial Arts Center was third.
John Keating and Bruce Thatcher of the KU club placed third and fourth in brown belt competition.
"I looked at the competition and thought no way," Reindl said. "But, I've done this kota so many times it's become automatic."
Sparring competition also was held using sport karate, which was developed in America. Two competitors stand in a 20-foot ring and try to score points to target areas on their opponent's upper body — the head, ribs and kidneys. The idea is not to make contact, but to make clean, quick moves that could injure an opponent.
KU KARATE CLUB members Larry George and Rob Levitt placed first and second respectively in black belt; the two Japanese students did not compete. Club members Bruce Thatcher and Kim Gay took second and third in brown belt and David Jones, also a member of the club, won the green belt competition.
Pitcairn said Okinawan karate was a traditional style that evolved in Japan during the 16th century when Japanese who didn't have weapons used Okinawan karate to defend themselves.
The true spirit of karate is never having to fight, he said. True karate experts know they can win, so they can walk away.
Hayashi said karate made him stronger and taught him mental training and sportsmanship, in four years. He was a shodan, a first degree black belt.
ON CAMPUS
TODAY
THE STUDENT CREATIVE
Adachronists will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Trail Room of the Kansas Union
THE STRATO-MATIC BASEBALL Club will meet from 7 to 11 p.m. in Parlor C of the Union.
AMERICAN Studies will sponsor a lecture titled "The Role of Government in the Promotion of Culture in Latin America" at 3:30 p.m. in the Room of the Union.
THE CENTER OF LATIN
TOMORROW
CAMPUS CHRISTIANIS will hold a
Bible study and fellowship at 7:30
TOMORROW
p.m. in room 305 of the Frank R.
Burge Union.
THE SUA STRATEGY GAMES CLUB will meet from 7 to 11 p.m. in the Trail Room of the Kansas Union.
THE SWORD AND SHIELD CLUB will meet at 7 p.m. in the Walnut Room of the Union.
SMALL WORLD will meet from 9:15 to 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 2415 W. 32rd St.
THE PARACHUTE CLUB will present the film "Masters of the Sky" at 7 p.m. in the Oread Room of the Union.
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