It was my first visit to a Karate tournament. Our twelve year old son was participating. There were contests ranging from young children to adults. Totally unfamiliar with the proceedings, I was attending because our ten-year old son was participating.
One of several simultaneous contests took place in front of where I was sitting. A boy about ten sustained a blow (which wasn’t supposed to happen) and time was called for him to recover. His opponent was larger and aggressive. The boy clearly was dazed, was reluctant to continue, and the referee appeared ready to stop the bout. But an adult encouraged the ref from the sideline to allow the bout to continue.
Once again the youngster suffered a blow and was dazed, even crying. Surely now, I thought, the referee would halt the contest. He seemed poised to but, once again, an adult from the sidelines in an authoritative voice was demanding that the boy continue to fight.
Unfortunately the contest was one of many and taking place at the furthest distance from the event organizers’ head table, so they were unaware of what was taking place. Yet I deemed it to be clearly inappropriate. I was torn between being a stranger to the Karate customs and my impulse as a parent.
I climbed down from the stands and walked over to the referee and pointed out the the contest should not continue. The loud mouth on the sideline objected. I took out my cell phone out and told the ref either to stop the bout or I was calling the police and accusing him of child abuse. The bout was stopped. My sense was the ref, who seemed inexperienced, uncertain and weak willed, was relieved.
Subsequently I attended many a Karate tournament, both wife and son becoming advanced black belts. I never encountered anything like it. Protection and care of the children was a clear and loving priority. What I had encountered was an aberration.
Others sitting around me were witnessing the same thing and did nothing.
The lesson: Those used to being in charge are more likely to take charge.
