Alcala tops kata, sparring at Purple Dragon Super Grading

MICHAEL Alcala, a 19-year-old red-belt holder, outperformed hundreds of other martial arts students when he placed first in both the kata and sparring disciplines at Prof Don Jacob’s Purple Dragon Don Jitsu Ryu super grading event at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo, Sunday night.

Alcala’s impressive exercises earned both himself and his Tunupuna dojo instructor Sensei Chad Stuart a sponsored trip to Florida, where the pair, along with white belt Allan Marryshow, Shihan Nicole Thomas and Sensei Jesse Mason will participate in a seminar, black-belt grading and other activities hosted by Purple Dragon.

Marryshow, also 19, placed first in self-defence techniques.

Purple Dragon hosted its grading event for 309 students, although closer to 700 attended, along with their instructors from all 18 local Purple Dragon dojos. Hundreds more spectators from Tobago and dojos from all corners of Trinidad attended in support of the students, who ranged from adolescents to adults.

The Princes Town dojo was well represented by two runners-up and a third-place finisher. Eighteen-year-old brown belt Chad Ragbir placed second in kata, while fellow brown belt and his Princes Town dojo team-mate Curtis Patterson, 15, placed second in sparring. Either Ragbir or Patterson will join the team on the Florida trip, along with Sensei Mason, but that will be determined by Alcala’s choice since he won two disciplines.

Yet another brown belt from Princes Town, Kerry Ann Patterson, finished third in self-defence techniques.

Nine-year-old purple belt Alex Seepersad performed beyond his years in the self-defence techniques, placing second.

“The power in his strength, the flow from one technique to another, his awareness, were all factors (that earned him a runner-up finish),” said Shihan Athony Thompson, a senior of Jacob’s technical and management team, speaking in an interview with Newsday yesterday.

Che Joseph, 14, of the San Fernando dojo also impressed with third in kata. Fifteen-year-old brown belt Telise Alibocas of the La Brea dojo rounded off the sparring in third place.

“This is the first super grading event in Trinidad that I’m aware of. There are always regular grading events, but that’s it.

“This event brought out greatness. They were full of enthusiasm,” Thompson said.

There were prizes given to the most supportive and the best-dressed dojos, which Princes Town/Debe and Valencia dojo won, respectively. The two dojos won $1,000 each.

Purple Dragon has 50 dojos, with branches in the UK, Canada, USA, TT, Antigua, and other regional countries and territories. It was established by Jacob, an internationally recognised ninth-degree black belt, over 50 years ago.

Super grading results

Kata

1st – Michael Alcala, 19, red belt, Tunapuna dojo; Sensei Chad Stuart

2nd – Chad Ragbir, 18, brown belt, Princes Town dojo

3rd – Che Joseph, 14, green belt, San Fernando

Self-defence techniques

1st – Allan Marryshow, 19, white belt, Valencia; Shihan Nicole Thomas, Shihan Edwin Reid

2nd – Alex Seepersad, 9, purple belt, Barataria dojo

3rd – Kerry Ann Patterson, 24, brown belt, Princes Town dojo

Sparring

1st – Michael Alcala, 19, red belt, Tunapuna dojo; Sensei Chad Stuart

2nd – Curtis Patterson, 15, brown belt, Princes Town dojo

3rd – Telise Alibocas, 15, brown belt, La Brea dojo

Most supportive dojo – Princes Town/Debe dojo

Best dressed dojo – Valencia dojo