June 14, 2009

KARATE KIDS KICK TO TOP AWARDS

Craig Ridout, head instructor of RMA Karate Centres in Barrie, is holding his head high after 11 of his
students participated in the Bonsai Open in Georgetown on June 13th.  The tournament attracted
competitors from across Ontario with the local karate kids kicking their way to top awards.  

"We had 11 students participating and we came home with over 30 awards!" says Ridout.  "My students
always give their personal best and their performance at this tournament was no exception."  

Black belt Tressa Young is proof of the dedicated training given at RMA Karate.  The 2009 Canadian
national sport karate team member is an instructor at the club giving the students top-notch instruction while also
being a positive role model.  She placed first in musical weapons, first in musical creative open, first in
traditional weapons, first in girls 13-17 sparring and second in traditional kata.  The fourteen-year-old also
went on to compete in the boys 13-17 black belt sparring division finishing 2nd and topping the day winning
junior black belt grand champion.  

The tournament had divisions in sparring, kata, weapons and musical forms.  The following competitors from
RMA Karate competed at the Bonsai with great success.  

Green belt Jessica C placed first in kata, second in sparring and fifth in weapons.  Sister Felisha C,
a yellow belt, placed second in sparring, fifth in weapons and was a finalist in kata.  

Red belt Brooke Zenon was a finalist in the kata, weapons and sparring division while older brother Tyler
M-Z, a red belt, placed first in sparring, second in weapons and fifth in kata.  

Purple belt Samantha M placed first in sparring, third in kata and fifth in both the musical forms and
weapons divisions.  Older brother Codie M placed third in sparring, fourth in weapons and fifth in kata.  

Orange belt Jacob M placed second in weapons, fifth in kata and fifth in sparring.    

Green belt Rachel P placed fifth in weapons and was a finalist in both the kata and sparring divisions. White
belt William M placed first in sparring and second in kata.  

RMA Karate Centres is located in the north east end of Barrie and is dedicated to building a strong community
one black belt at a time by developing students with strong healthy bodies and the ability to defend themselves
and loved ones.  .