Local group heads to Karate championships

PHOTO/MIKE ROSENZWEIG Katie Sidhu practices her kata.

Westborough - Twenty-three central Massachusetts competitors ranging in age from 8 to 26 are about to go on the trip of a lifetime as they will travel to Houston, Tex., to compete in the USA National Karate Federation Championships, Friday July 18 through Sunday July 20.

 The group trains under the watchful eye of Eric Rossini, manager of Rossini's Karate and Aiki-Jitsu at the Boroughs Martial Arts and Fitness Center.

The group qualified for the trip by successfully competing in a qualifying tournament held in December 2007. They have been training for the trip to Houston ever since.

At the USA National Karate Federation Championships, the competitors will compete by age group and level of experience - novice, intermediate or advanced. They will compete in both kumite, which is sparring with another competitor, and kata, which is the form or series of movements the competitors use when competing.

Making the trip will be: from Westborough, Catherine Lung (15, intermediate), Patrick McGonagle (13, intermediate), Phillip McGonagle (10, intermediate) and Michael Cheng (10, novice); from Shrewsbury, Matt Curtis (9, intermediate), Jackie Tatro (15, intermediate), Brian Tatro (12, novice) and Ryan Welch (9, novice); and from Northborough, Drew Despres (9, intermediate).

PHOTO/MIKE ROSENZWEIG Matt Curtis attempts to score points during sparring.

Also, attending from Grafton will be James Rossini (14, intermediate), Emily Rossini (10, novice), Youki Azuma (11, intermediate) and Mike Azuma (8, intermediate).

 Others making the trip include, from Sutton, Lukas Ritzer (11, intermediate); from Worcester, Molly Kerr (26, novice); from Boylston, Evan Koogler (9, novice); from Hopkinton, Jacob Rosenzewig (9, novice) and Demi Moed (12, intermediate); from Ashland, Arun Sidhu (14, advanced) and Katie Sidhu (10, intermediate); from Westford, Jared Arnold (8, novice); and from Chelmsford, Alexa Lambros (13, novice) and Laura Hansen (13, novice).

Coaching with Eric Rossini will be Louis Lung, Paul Welch and Michael Rosenzweig.

"This is going to be huge for these kids," Eric Rossini said. "There will be 12 rings in a coliseum the size of the DCU Center, and about 5,000 competitors. In some divisions there will be as many as 40 or 50 competitors."

Drew Despres of Northborough, a Peaslee School student who has been learning kata and kumite since he was 4, thinks there might be even more competitors there.

"I'm a little nervous because there will be so many people there, maybe millions," Drew said. "What I like most about it is you get to learn kicks and punches in a controlled environment."

While most participants feel their strength lies either in kata or sparring, Shrewsbury's Ryan Welch, feels he has some expertise in both.

"I feel I do both pretty well," Ryan said, "but I think my strength right now is more in the sparring. My kata needs work; I'm not always in the right positions."

Catherine Lung of Westborough got involved through her father, who is one of the coaches on the team.

"He would go when I was little and I always wanted to go with him," she said. "One day he let me, and I've been hooked ever since. I really like the discipline that's required, plus I like the fact I'm taking care of myself and building my confidence."