Local karate competitors take in training, teaching

A pair of local karate competitors took on the 46th annual World Seido Karate Benefit Tournament in October. The local karate duo ended up bringing home first-place Sogo trophies.

Zachary Washburn and Emma Stull, sophomores who respectively attend Dryden High School and Lansing High School, are members of the Cayuga Lake Seido Karate in Lansing who made their way through tough opponents in the tournament’s brand-new age 13-18 pool for blackbelts.

“[Zachary and Emma] are both very good students,” said Robin McColley, co-owner and instructor of the dojo in Lansing for over 15 years. “They work very hard and come to the dojo three or four nights a week. They participated in our tournament prep practice and practiced on their own.”

Washburn and Stull competed in three events at the tournament, which took place at Hackley School’s Walter C. Johnson Center for Health & Wellness in Tarrytown.

It included kata, a series of moves to memorize or perform and shows the transition from offense to defense; kumite, sparring between competitors; and board-breaking, which included qualifying and competition rounds.

Stull was first in board-breaking, fourth in kumite and second in kata. Washburn was second in kata, second in kumite and first in board-breaking.

Both Washburn and Stull went into the tournament with the thought process of having as much fun as possible. It was Washburn’s first-ever tournament, and Stull took on the second of her career.

“I planned to go in and try my best,” Washburn said. “I thought I’d do well no matter what.”

Neither ever imagined bringing home the crown was a possibility.

“They’re both pretty humble,” McColley said. “At that moment, they were both proud of themselves.”

Stull was convinced once the tournament wrapped up she was nowhere near the title, although a friend and teammate thought she had the trophy in the bag.

“I was like ‘Nah, it’s not possible,’” Stull said when her friend gave her a nudge.

Then, the tournament’s award presenters called Stull’s name. She’d won.

“I was really surprised when I won,” Stull said. “It’s been a really cool experience and kind of astonishing.”

McColley noted that she wished she’d had a camera to capture Stull’s moment of reaction to the announcement.

“The pure joy and surprise on her face was just awesome,” McColley added.

Washburn, who shared the honor with a competitor from Chicago, felt the flow of excitement right away.

“I was shocked in a way,” he added. “It was a hard competition.”

Each winner at the tournament was awarded a katana. Since Washburn’s age pool ended up having two split the win, only one katana was available.

Without pushback, McColley said, Washburn let his fellow co-champion take home the katana.

“He took it with a lot of grace and humility,” McColley said, noting Washburn will soon receive his own katana.

Washburn and Stull have both been with Cayuga Lake Seido Karate for about seven years, prompting McColley to say each has become “very strong” in their experience.

Washburn began karate with some convincing from his father, and Stull was inspired by karate when she noticed an afterschool program at her school.

“I saw it as having a general skill in life,” Washburn said. “It was good for me to go out and express my skill in something I’ve trained for.”

The unfurled passion of karate quickly became part of Stull’s life, who said “it’s the thing people know me for” in school.

“It’s my thing,” she added. “My parents were surprised I wanted to take the initiative to participate in something.”

The years of experience under their belt have raised each to new roles at the Lansing dojo. Washburn and Stull are both instructors-in-training at the dojo, teaching children as young as four the art of karate.

“I really enjoy it. It’s fun to teach the kids,” Stull said. “It’s really fun to see the kids having fun and growing up and developing. It’s really rewarding to have a student figure something out when you help them and they suddenly get it.”

Washburn agreed.

“It’s great,” Washburn said. “I love working with the little kids and to see them every week. I love to help them learn and watch them learn.”

Washburn sees the instruction of young karate members as something he can relate to when he first started at the dojo.

“It helps me understand how they are learning,” he added.

Karate has been a “central part” of Stull’s life for “a really long time” and will continue to be for years to come.

“I compete mostly because I want to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to me,” Stull added. “It’s what I’m about when it comes to karate.”

For Washburn, it’s a genuine appreciation of the community at the dojo.

“I’m training to help and make my instructors proud,” he added. “They’ve been with me through the whole process.”

Dryden Dispatch appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

In brief:

Fifth annual tree planting in the village of Freeville

The fifth annual tree planting in the village of Freeville is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday.

Eight trees will be planted at this year’s event. Since the event began in 2018, 43 trees have been planted. Two trees will be planted in honor of the late Jim Krebs and Laura Buttner, both of whom passed away this year.

The planting sites for the trees, once approved, will be marked by a wooden white-tipped stake and a pile of wood chips.

The public is invited to participate in the tree planting. Prior to the event, a brief meeting will be held in front of Freeville Elementary School. If it rains or snows Saturday, the tree planting will occur the following Sunday at 10 a.m.

For more information or questions, contact Tom Cavataio at (607) 844-9827.