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Andalusia Isshinryu Karate team members competed in the Tennessee Youth Games on Saturday, Nov. 16, in Crossville, Tennessee.

The Youth Games is for competitors 17 and under and is focused on shaping the future of martial arts by teaching and encouraging youth in their development as martial artists and as young men and women.

The day started with three outstanding seminars taught by black belt instructors. Those instructors were as follows:

• Fred George from Detroit, Michigan, student of Master Willie Adams of Detroit, and a student at Tennessee State University
• Laura Barnes of Bryan College and Park’s Isshinryu in Dayton, Tennessee
• Zak Barnes, martial arts program director at Bryan College

After the clinics, there was an outstanding display of young talent as youth competitors tested their skills in this year’s edition of the Youth Games.

AIK competitors finished in the following divisions:

• Johnathan Rudd earned three first places in youth 13-15-year-old black belt weapons, kata, and kumite (fighting). He also won the Youth Black Belt Grand Championship, winning versus the winners of the other black belt youth divisions.
• Lawrence Sargent was first place in intermediate kata and third place in kumite.
• Henley Sargent was fourth place in beginner kata and second place in kumite.
• Lacey Rudd was first place in intermediate kumite and third place in kata.
• Eli Rudd was fourth place in intermediate kumite.
• Harless Huckabaa also competed in a very large beginner division but did not place.

“Congratulations to Master Tony Williams, Sandra Strong, The Lebanon Dojo, and all others who contributed to make the tournament another huge success,” AIK’s Mark Rudd said.

For more information on Isshinryu Karate and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, call or text Rudd at 334-488-3104.