West Orange Students Return from National Karate Competition with Medals

West Orange students from the New Jersey Chito Ryu Karate Center in Fairfield, NJ competed in the 2011 Amateur Athletic Union Karate National Championships on June 30, 2011 at the Broward Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  

 After competing in the New Jersey AAU District Karate Championship on March 20 at Drew University as well as Pre-States in November 2010, 11 of Chito Ryu's student’s qualified to go to the Nationals and six West Orange students decided to make the journey along with more than 2,000 other competitors from across the country — this would be their biggest venue yet. 

Students immediately began training longer and harder for the National Tournament. The journey was a tough road because they had to dedicate at least three days each week to train with their Senseis Anthony Petrucci and Anthony DeSomma. Both Senseis have been training in Chito Ryu for more than two decades and have traveled nationally and internationally to compete under the instruction of Shihan John Gambino. They too have taken home many medals over their martial arts career and are so pleased that their students are keeping in the Chito Ryu tradition.  

The Dojo came together and Shihan John Gambino, Sensei Ottavio Mattia and Sensei Kenneth Frattini also worked hard to prepare the students for this national event.  All of these student’s are very active in travel soccer, competitive dance, and acting. So they had to find time in their already busy schedules to prove to us they were indeed ready for this great challenge … and they came through!

The Dojo is very proud of the dedication that the students put forth to show that they were not only ready physically for the challenge but also mentally.  

Since 1972, the AAU Karate program has annually conducted the AAU Karate National Championships.  With more than 2,000 athletes, this event has quickly become and remains the most prestigious karate event in the United States today. The event is generally held in a different geographical location each year and held primarily toward the end of June or the first week of July.  Kumite (sparring), Kata (forms), and Kobudo (weapons) competitions are open to beginner, novice, intermediate, and advanced level athletes’ ages five years and older.  Being members of the AAU our athletes now have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of former AAU athletes such as Shaquille O’Neal, Greg Louganis, Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner Kersee and many others.

The results of the 2011 AAU Karate National Championship in Ft. Lauderdale, FL were:

• AJ Petrucci -10 year old boys division: Gold (1st Place) in Kumite (Sparring), 5th place in Kata
• Jack Doyle -10 year old boys division: Silver (2nd Place) in Kumite (Sparring), 6th place in Kata
• Reyna Rahaman- 10 year old girls division: Silver (2nd Place) in Kumite (Sparring), 4th place in Kata
• Margaux Whitehead- 11 year old girls division: Bronze (3rd Place) in Kumite (Sparring), 5th place in Kata 
• Rebecca Kessler -6 year old girls division: 4th place in Kumite (Sparring), 4th place in Kata
• Olivia Petrucci- 8 year old girls division: 5th Place in Kumite (Sparring), 4th place in Kata

Students are currently in training for the AAU Junior Olympics that will take place in New Orleans, LA later this month.

— Dawn Petrucci