MMeM, Vol. 9 Issue 70 – TKD

Yesterday was a day that will live in infamy. My nephew, Wyatt-son, was in the National Taekwondo Championships for sparring. This little 9 year old bobbed, weaved, went from fighting right handed to southpaw from minute to minute and was incredible. He won his first match and barely lost his second match 2-1 in the last 9 seconds of a match that was mired by equipment malfunctions and delays.

But, he still finished 4th in his age class and was truely a champion through and through.

Now, that brings us to the event, held at Chicago’s McCormick Center. Apparently, no times or ring assignments are announced, at all. We got there at 9am and Wyatt had his first match at around 5:30pm. That was after an empty morning of something in the TKD world called “forms”. I don’t know anything about TKD, but forms look a little like Tae Chi in front of a widescreen showing that old computer game “Duck Hunt”. Just me? Yes, to be sure.

All in all, this may have been the greatest display of thousands of people watching, standing, sitting, staring, and walking around 20 empty floor mats I’ve ever witnessed for more than 9 hours.