Local martial artists medal at nationals

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on July 27, 2014 1:50 AM

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Adam Stewart has come a long way for a kid who wanted nothing to do with karate. 

His father, Jeff, coaxed him into doing karate at age five, and Adam was not a fan. He hated it.

Then, he disliked it.

Then, he kind of liked it. 

Then, he loved it.

Now, at age 13, the discipline consumes his life. 

He's also a two-time national champion.

Stewart came home from the National Karate Federation national championships in Reno last week sporting the gold medal he won for his routine in advanced Kata. 

Five other members of Sweeney's Martial Arts and Fitness Center brought home medals as well. Jeremiah Strozier, 13, won three bronze medals for his performances in the 13 male novice kata, 13 male novice kumite (sparring) and 12-13 male beginner/novice weapons categories. 

Ichika Sweeney, 4, won bronze in 5-U female beginner/novice kata. 'Miss Kim' Weimer, as many in the dojo call her, won bronze in the 35+ female beginner/novice kumite category. And dojo sensei Berris Sweeney won bronze in the 45+  male intermediate/advanced kumite.

"Last year someone came up and said he's had students go to 10-12 tournaments and never medal in anything," Adam Stewart said. "But I think it's because sensei is just so good. He gets us."

But for the members of the dojo it's not about medals. It's about exactly what Jeff Stewart wanted his son -- the discipline. The way of life that is karate.

Adam Stewart is perhaps the poster boy for that way of life. He exhibits extreme focus and discipline in all things. He's a straight-A student, and has played three sports while pursuing his dream of being on the Team USA-elite karate team. If it happens to become an Olympic sport for the 2020 games in Tokyo, Stewart will be of age to compete, and hopes to be on the team. 

"I mean I didn't understand it when I was little," Stewart said. "I was just sort of punching and kicking, but it's taught me a lot about self-control. It's helped me in school because it's given me self-confidence and helped me focus more. 

"Who was it Jackie Chan? That said 'It's not just discipline, it's life. That's how it is."

Unlike Adam Stewart, who's been practicing karate for eight years, Strozier is new to the discipline. He formerly participated in Judo before Sweeney convinced him to come try out karate. In just more than a year, Strozier has picked up on the discipline and compete in five tournaments. At nationals, he medaled in three events while competeing in the novice category as a beginner. 

"That felt really good," Strozier said. "Because I wasn't supposed to be there, in that division, but I still placed so that felt awesome. I was really nervous because there were a lot of people in my division, but I pushed through it. I messed up (on my kata routine), but I dont thinkthe judges noticed."

Ichika Sweeney also competed against martial artists older than her in the 5-U kata competition. But, being the sensei's daughter tends to give her somewhat of an advantage, despite the age difference. She only needed to see her kata routine one time before she knew all of the moves and was ready to compete.

When asked if she was nervous to compete at nationals, the youngest member competing for Team Sweeney simply shook her head 'no.'

"She already knows all the moves," Berris Sweeney says. "She's lives here. So, because of that she's able to go out and compete in front of hundreds of people and be OK with it."

Going into the tournament, Berris Sweeney was one of the favorites to win a gold in the kumite category. But he fell victim to an unfortunate holding call in the semi-final match and had to settle for bronze.

"I've been in hundreds of thousands of tournaments throughout the world and I've never been disqualified for holding," Berris Sweeney said. "So, it was a pretty strange call to me. But it is what it is. I don't do this for me. I compete for the kids. It doesn't mean a whole lot to me if I don't win gold."

Spoken like someone who truly lives the way of life he teaches.