A Personal Acount of the 1999 Atemi Nationals
My first visit to the atemi nationals was absolutely unforgettable. Everybody had been telling me that I would be OK but I still felt nervous because of all the rumours about white belts being used as grade fodder - their bones being spat out by third dans, leaping over katanas to teach breakfalling. Despite all this, I turned up on a cold February morning to be greeted by Carrie wailing "ITS TOO EARLY' to all the bleary eyed students.
We had a pretty smooth trip down the motorway with a piss-takingly huge tailback in the other direction to laugh while Red showed off her extensive knowledge of fake blondes. We arrived at the NIA and got inside the big building-thing and followed people carrying bags with Jitsu emblems into a crowded gathering area with even more people of all ages, sizes, accents and belts. This was going to be one serious event. I was pretty blown away then but when I entered the dojo I was short of breath. I couldn't believe the veritable sea of white gi clad ukes plus more hakamas and black belts than I'd ever seen before. Just on the way to the bag depository. On the mat we went through a rigorous warm up and a load of different moves. I got to work with so many different people, meeting old friends and making new ones. Mark McNally did not like the finish a girl was doing on me. So he told me to punch him. The next thing I knew, I lay on the mat curiously wandering why I was rolling around, gritting my teeth and clutching my groin. "Are you alright?" she asked me as I staggered to my feet coughing and spluttering. I tried to say "Thanks, not so bad now" but it came out sounding more like "You mad cow" so she turned purple and walloped me back down to the mat.
After the break it was time for "V"s and gauntlets. Lots of them with lots of people for three or four intense hours. Very high octane stuff with everybody putting in 100%. That is when I really noticed the buzzing atmosphere. So many people backing each other up, concentrating on what was going on and easing the tension with one-liners. We were really going for it with the attacks, particularly one guy who was grinning his head off constantly. Suddenly the "V" was stopped by the Sensei controlling the lines who told us that we were all "crap" until another black belt who congratulated us and said that we were doing better than the yellows and oranges. Our sensei was not happy so she restarted the "V" with me at the front. "I want a kick!" she said. So I kicked her. 50 press ups later I joined in for the gauntlets.
My fortunes in the night-club were much more mixed. I could cope with Carrie laughing at my excellent dance floor footwork but things got bad en route to the bar. I noticed sensei Macdonald who had made me dance around on the end of a wristlock at the Manchester regionals. Instinctively, I dived for cover - straight into a huge girl. Two drinks went thundering straight down into her bosom followed by my head and the whole world went quiet and dark. I fell back stammering and tried to offer to replace the drinks but I just got an almighty slap which sent me flying back into somebody else. I jumped up and tried to escape but a hand grabbed my lapel and pulled me down to my knees. I froze in horror as I found myself looking at the angry face of Scary Mary!. For a moment I was torn between offering her a drink or just begging because I was on my knees anyway but then I just bolted for the Gents screaming "NOOO".
Next morning we were up early for a huge breakfast and then straight onto the mat for a huge warm up. We started with lots of throws and locks demonstrated by sensei McNally and had the added pleasure of watching Lister and other late arrivals being thrown around. Then we were split up by grade and shown a new version of osotogari with weakeners. I was treated to an osoto-otoshi with a finger poke in the eyes. I bailed out early to get my wrists bandaged by the St Johns ambulance people. As we did more breakfalling I made more trips back for my shoulders, ankles and left arm until it was competition time again. This was more of the same adrenaline packed stuff and team spirit as the day before. I really enjoyed the gauntlet because you could really go for the attacks. Pausing only to get a foot support I dived in for my turn.
It really was a great weekend, particularly with our dodgy crowd from Strettles and the University. I have never laughed so much.
Steph Preisner August 1999.
Jutsuka would like to make it clear that Scary Mary is the loveliest, sweetest and nicest person you could ever want to meet. And even if somebody was trying to escape her then they would not be safe by just hiding in the gents.