Hiiiiiyah!

Mason participated in an intra-school tournament this past weekend and ten schools from around the Atlanta area competed. The juniors were divided into groups according to their age and belt rank. The form Mason learned for the tournament, and his upcoming belt testing, is called Choong Jung #1. You can see a video of it here (click).

There are 44 moves in Choong Jung #1 and it is the form brown belts must learn to move on to the next belt during testing. This is a very difficult form for a purple belt, but Mason handled it very well.

So well, in fact, that he placed first among 11 other students competing! This is the first time he had earned a medal at a tournament.

He received a bye in the first round of sparring, won his second match and lost the third. That was enough for him to secure 3rd place in sparring. Not too shabby for a little guy!

Brian and I are beaming with pride. Can you see my glow?

The boys compared their medals (which, oddly, are identical except for the lanyard).

I think he's hooked on tournaments now that he's done well and earned medals.

Mason discovered that, if you work hard, you are rewarded. Give yourself, and your competitors, a round of applause!