Japanese karate master judges Belizean students
Good Evening, I’m James Adderley and you know this is Sports Monday and boy do we have a hefty package for you today, so strap up.
We’re here inside the People’s Stadium at Sugar Land where the F.F.B.’s five thousand dollar football Knockout Tournament exploded to an entertaining conclusion yesterday as Sugar Boys Juventus hosted a Dangriga team called Revolutionary Conquerors in town to seal a title on the road.
With home field advantage, the Juventus ball club jumps up for the quick goal, knowing full well they face a two-zip deficit after last week’s three to one loss at Griga. The spot kick from Rojel Alamilla almost gets the job done, with almost being the operative word.
Oliver “The Lionheart” Hendricks pulls off this trick shot in traffic forcing Woodrow West to hit the turf. Oliver you’re the hit man for the Sugar, okay, and this one you’ve got to hit home to calm this nervous team. In the meantime, Harrison Tasher concedes a penalty against the Conquerors with this ill-advised tackle on Christopher Hendricks.
We’re twenty-seven minutes into the ballgame when Oliver Hendricks step up for the conversion and guess what? “Lionheart” chooses the right corner, but fails to put on the needed pace. West shines like a star in goal.
“The Lionheart” wants to make amends and would have, except Woodrow West involves the near upright to come up with a truly spectacular save.
If football is irony people, then here’s one of those moments. Luigi Gutierrez of O.W. tries to go back Venacio Sutherland, it’s a gift to the speedy Dennis Serrano and Dangriga is up 1-zip, thirty-four minutes in. Stunned, O.W.’s Juventus Sugar Boys comes right back with this floater into the danger zone. West should have handled, Dean Flowers ties the ball game at 1-apiece.
In the meantime Evan, your sister says you should have scored this one. This is really nice skills being displayed by Dean Flowers right now, but the left foot fails to curve for him.
Folks, we’re some twenty minutes into second half when Anthony Flores is taken down by goalkeeper Sutherland inside the eighteen and the Revolutionaries get a penalty. Aaron “Wiley” Lucario is sent for and he does not disappoint – Griga breaks the tie.
However, Oliver “The Lionheart” couldn’t have picked a better time to make amends and this right foot ties the ballgame for Juventus. We got a good one going people, so you say.
The Conquerors look to break the tie with this strike from Leonard Valdez, but the strike is errant. Things take a turn for the worst for O.W. when M.V.P. Harrison Tasher hangs on to convert for the 3-2 Dangriga lead.
The end comes for O.W. when Leonard Valdez, fresh off the bench, out-sprints the Juventus defence to make it 4-2 final as Revolutionary Conquerors of Dangriga take the F.F.B.’s Knockout football title and the five thousand dollar prize. O.W. takes home three thousand, five hundred dollars.
James Adderley
“You’re a champion. You won your five thousand dollars. Tell me what this win means to you and to the Dangriga community, especially after coming in second place in the National Male and National Female Competition?”
Woodrow West, Revolutionary Conquerors
“Well it’s a rebound you call it. I call it a rebound. Dangriga have a lot of talent and this is Dangriga success on football. They have a lot of talent and this is the result of the talent that we have in Dangriga. I’m just an asset to their team and I try my best to help them and now we come out as a victorious team.”
James Adderley
“What does this win mean to Harrison Tasher?”
Harrison Tasher, M.V.P.
“Well, this win da wah big win to me, you know. I usually win, I dah noh a loser. From I young and I born, I dah wah winner man.”
James Adderley
“Well, you have been voted M.V.P., how does that feel?”
Harrison Tasher
“Well, I feel proud of that. I feel I would never be di one who would get that.”
Meanwhile folks, in the battle for third place in this F.F.B. Knockout Tournament, this goal from the older Jimenez breaks a 1-1 tie between Lake I of Belize City and Hankook Verdes of San Ignacio, late in second half yesterday at Orange Walk, to give Verdes the two to one lead. That’s the way it stayed and the third place title goes to Hankook Verdes.
In other football news, Dara Cyber Home Theatre presents a tribute to Bob Marley and Dennis Brown inside the M.C.C. Grounds this Sunday, February fourth from four p.m. to twelve p.m. On the menu is an over forty football match featuring all the stars from yester year.
In cycling news from Orange Walk, Sunday’s race from Orange Walk to Corozal and back was taken by Keith Enright; Richard Murray took second; Noel Grajalez, third; Tyrel Ferguson, fourth; while Nissan Arana rounds out the top five.
Turning to the karate scene, we’re inside the Princess Hotel Saturday evening, where thanks to Victor Gomez and management, the karate community is able to display itself in a most positive light.
In Belize today is Eight Dan Sensei Takayuki Mikami, who represents the Japan Karate Association and is here to present the Kyu Exams for white-to-brown belt holders and the Dan Exam for five Belizeans wanting a black belt degree.
It’s certainly a day of great expectations for the hundred and twelve athletes who are seeking to step up on the ladder of self-improvement. Of the one hundred and twelve Kyu students, one hundred and ten were deemed worthy to move on and we must say we marvelled at the steady growth of karate in Belize.
At the Dan level only three of the five sitting the exams advanced and here are Mrs. Lauren Reardon-Smith and twelve year old Michael Leiva, demonstrating their Kata to Sensei Mikami, both received a first degree in karate. We got to mention, though, that Leiva is the youngest ever to achieve this honour.
The other successful applicant was Floyd Lino, who impressed the panel enough to gain a third degree in black belt.
For Lauren Reardon-Smith karate is very helpful.
Lauren Reardon-Smith, First Degree, Dan Level
“In all honesty, it’s given me a sense of confidence on the inside, because before you’re unsure of yourself and now as I walk down the street, you know there is a sense of, okay, if anybody tries to attack me or if anybody tries to come and take advantage or to rob me, I am prepared.”
James Adderley
“Does this mean that you are more aggressive than the young Lauren we use to know?”
Lauren Reardon-Smith
“Well actually, our dojokan is: respect others, refrain form violent behaviour. So it teaches respect and it teaches control, self-control, but if you are about to be attacked, rather than running away it teaches you to counter-attack and to be aggressive to the person who’s coming to you.”
Now meet Sensei Takayuki Mikami, Eight Dan of the Japan Karate Association, who gives us an idea of his role in Belize today.
Sensei Takayuki Mikami, Japan Karate Association
“I belong to the Japan Karate Association, headquarters in Tokyo. They send me to the United States. We have many different branch area, also this is under my area. My area, I was based on New Orleans region, so, geographically, it is a close distance. So the idea here is about twenty years they requested to come to visit them to teach proper technique, proper activity.”
James Adderley
“You have been many times to Belize. Do you see the progress you are expecting in karate?”
Sensei Takayuki Mikami
“Yes, it’s a lot faster, but time to time there is changing, the generation, the people they still keep the effort. As long as they keep the right effort, the growing also more develop the number of people.”
In closing folks, Sports Monday certainly sends warm-felt congratulates Customs Travellers who defeated K.H.M.H., yesterday, to take the Belize City Interoffice Softball title. Hey guys, when yuh big, yuh large. That’s it for now. We invite you back, same time, same place, next week. Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.
