GOLDEN- Members of the Huerfano County Karate Club traveled west of Denver last Saturday to compete in the 11th annual Friendship Karate Tournament at the School of Mines, in Golden, Colorado where the team captured one Gold medal, two Silver medals and a Bronze medal for their efforts. The tournament is a major karate tournament drawing hundreds of competitors from the southwest area.
Urai Garcia won Gold in Kata (Form) competition, and Bronze in Kumite (fighting) competition. CJ Knight won Silver medals in both Kata and Kumite. Antoinette Sanders, and Matthew Setters also competed with exceptional spirit bringing honor to their team.
Ron Striegel, karate instructor for both the Huerfano County Karate Club and John Mall Jr./Sr. High School, stated “Having a club in existence for only six months, with students capturing five medals in their first competition is an exceptional feat for these young men and women”.
Ron Striegel is a 5th Dan Black Belt in Kojosho Kempo Karate who continues his study with Fred Absher, 9th Dan and chief instructor of the International Kojosho Federation headquartered in Albuquerque NM. Absher was inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame in 2007 in New York.
Huerfano Karate Club is sponsored by Huerfano County Youth Services and is free to school age youth. Class times are on Tuesday and Thursday, juniors (under 12) from 5 to 6 pm and 12 years to adult from 6 to 7 pm at the Huerfano Community Center. For more information contact Huerfano County Youth Services at: 719-738-1573.
