Ryan Dannels scrambles for the loose ball against the Reedsport Braves. Other Red Devils pictured are
Daniel Muntifering, Heston Altenbach, Joseph Savala and Cole Waddington


Jenna Stone scores on a lay up while Shelby Jones
is ready to rebound


After stealing the ball, Tristan Dixon scores on a lay
up against North Bend

By Karen Saxton

If you ask any Martial Arts Practitioner how to classify the martial arts, each will give you a different answer. If the answer is a one word answer, chances are they are wrong. Many martial art styles, are indeed sports. Judo, Boxing, Tae Kwon Do and several forms of wrestling are featured in the summer Olympics. Mixed martial arts aka cage fighting is one of the fastest growing spectator sports in America, and martial arts is the fastest growing health and fitness fad in America. To ignore the self defense and martial or fighting skills aspect of the martial arts is to ignore its historical roots as both a spiritual( but not religious) discipline practiced by monks in nearly every culture, and as a way to defend both monastery and castle.

And to ignore the sport and health aspect is to deny the traditions of many cultures, including our own of proving the ability of a martial artist in some form of ritual combat. Some martial arts, like Judo and Sambo were developed within the last 150 years specifically as a competitive sport. Judo was developed in the late 1800’s as a sport for Japanese children, to build character and discipline. Others, like Tae Kwon Do have a fairly long history and lineage, with its roots dating back as far as 3000 BC to the original Korean martial arts, including hwarang which was founded in 57 BC.

During the 1910-1945 Japanese occupation of Korea, only Japanese Martial arts were taught in Korea. From this fusion of ancient Korean and modern Japanese arts, the modern Korean arts, including Tae Kwon Do were developed and used by Korea, ironically enough, to free itself from the occupation and then later as hand to hand combat in the Korean conflict. After the war, Tae Kwon Do became more standardized under several different organizations and continued to be taught as a military art as it does to this day.

In its sport form, Olympic style sparring is emphasized primarily, with the goal being to deliver devastating kicks to the head and body, with the ultimate goal being a knock down of the opponant. In its more traditional style, all parts of the art are taught equally: forms, self defense, technique and a more traditional form of hand to hand, or sparring as well as some ground technique, and joint locking that was held over from the original hwarang family of arts. The weapons work that many schools practice comes directly from the Japanese occupation. This type of Tae Kwon Do has many characteristics in common with the Okinawan karate schools, due to the very similar history and background: the modern Okinawan arts were developed during the same period.

These schools generally compete in open tournaments, as opposed to Tae Kwon Do and pre - Olympic tournaments.Their more traditional style best show cased against ot her styles with similar goals and versatility. No martial art has survived entirely unchanged from its historical root. Every instructor adds his or her own ideas to the art. When the instructor holds a 3rd or 4th degree in the art(the equivalant of a Phd candidate) then this is from 10 or more years of experience in his art alone. A first degree or first dan in karate or Tae Kwon Do may have studied for as little as 3 years, in styles like Judo and Aikido, as many as ten and in some other styles, a black belt is conferred in as little one or two years.

Each additional degree ranking requires a certain number of years before it is attained, thus allowing the individual time to integrate theory with practice. Some styles add titles to their higher ranked black belts. Tae Kwon Do confers the title Master to 5th dan(degree) and above, whereas other styles use the title professor and still others confer Japanese Samurai titles, like Renshi. What most of them share is a set of standards for competence of technique and a code of honor among their practitioners, including duty to their instructor.

Master as mentioned before, is generally conferred by the organizing board that oversees each art. Grand Master is another thing entirely. It is used by someone who makes up his or her own style. It can have great meaning, if after 20-30 years his style has 100’s of schools scattered across the country(or world). One example would be Chuck Norris’s Chun Kuk Do, where his being grandmaster is significant, even though it is much understated as he prefers to stand on his dan ranking rather than the title.

Or it can mean nothing, especially if the holder has jumped around from art to art, without spending any in-depth of time in any one art, and especially if he is evasive about his former schooling. Usually in such cases his style lacks the foundation of deep study of generations of practitioners before him. So what are the martial arts? Are they sport? Are they fighting system? Are they fitness and health? Do they promote better focus? Self defense? The answer is yes to all of the above.

This week, we focus primarily on the martial art as sport. Every martial art that competes as a sport follows some standardized rules. Far from the early karate tournaments of the 1960’s in this country, participants generally come away uninjured, and they compete in more than just fighting: showing off their ability in forms, both open handed and with a variety of weapons. Some styles, such as judo and many styles of karate only compete against their own style, and others compete in open tournaments which welcome practitioners from a variety of styles: Kung Fu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do and more.

In either type of competition, there are small regional tournaments, and large national ones. Regardless of the type, the purpose is the same: to allow students to be judged by black belts other than their own instructors on their martial arts skills. Some competitions are sanctioned by a governing board, such as Sport Karate International, or National Blackbelt league, and winners receive points toward a national top ten ranking in one of those organizations. The competitions that Coquille Martial Arts enters fall under both the sanctioned and unsanctioned variety, and primarily those which are open to all styles.

The most recent tournament was held in Oregon City and hosted by Brent Mullins and Northwest Martial Arts on February 7th. 4 students from Coquille Martial Arts competed, winning 15 trophies in a variety of divisions: flag sparring, padded stick sparring, point sparring, forms and weapons.

Do you have a wedding coming up this year in your family? Are you overwhelmed with planning? Then come to the 13th annual Power 107 Wedding Fair in the Salmon Room at the Mill Casino Hotel on Saturday, February 28th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This well established Wedding Fair represents the best that Southern Oregon has to offer in wedding services and goods, all conveniently located in one place!

The Wedding Fair will feature a beautiful fashion show, displaying the latest in contemporary and traditional bridal wear, as well as tuxedos and bridesmaids gowns. Come talk to local vendors including florists, caterers, photographers, limousines, wedding planners, ceremony venues, hotels, bakeries, pianos, beauty consultants, hair and nail salons, and more! There will also be a bridal registry grand prize drawing for a lucky bride and groom that includes an overnight stay and breakfast for two at the Valley River Inn, and a romantic basket of wine, chocolate and treats that includes a $150 gift card to Valley River Center, a $300 Harry Ritchie’s gift certificate, plus dinner and suite for two at the Mill Casino Hotel! This prize is valued at over $1,000.00! No purchase necessary, general contest rules apply. For more information, log onto www.power1073.com, or call 267-2121. This event is free to the public.

Boating Safety Education
“All motor boat operators need a Boater Education Card in 2009 for boats over ten HP.”

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 51 will conduct an 8 hour boating safety education coarse on Saturday, February 21st in Charleston. The course covers the basics of boating safety, rules of the road and Oregon boating laws. A test at the end of the course will qualify boaters for their Boater Education Card, under the Oregon Mandatory Boater Education Program. In 2009 the Boater Education Card is required for all motorboat operators of all ages for boats over ten horsepower. Additional provisions apply to youths. The cost of the course and materials is $15. Pre-registration is required. To register for the class, please call (541) 267-6152.

Dr. Lyle Norton, D.C. has opened a new Chiropractic office located at 31 N.
Adams Street in Coquille. Dr. Norton is a graduate of W.S.C.C. and has been in
practice for 12 years. Dr. Norton uses a wide range of of adjusting styles such
as diversified and gousted. He also employs non-force and activator techniques.
His treatments include, when appropriate, nutrition counseling, hormone
balance, and extremity adjusting. Dr. Norton strives to match the adjusting
techniques to the individuals needs, not to the Doctor’s personal preference.
To make an appointment or just to meet the “Doc” call Coquille
Chiropractic at 824-0800.

One in three children under age eight killed or injured in crashes in 2007 in Oregon was using adult belt systems (231 children) or was totally unrestrained (16 children). That’s one reason safety advocates are promoting the use of proper safety seats for child passengers.

The other? Even though Oregonians are buckling up in record numbers, lack of safety belt use was a major factor in half of all Oregon motor vehicle fatalities in 2007. “Consistent safety belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes,” said Carla Levinski, Occupant Protection program manager at the Oregon Department of Transportation.

“It’s important that we continue getting that message out.” Law enforcement agencies around the state, including 30 Sheriff Offices, 76 Police Departments and the OSP Patrol Division, will be keeping a keen eye on safety belt, booster seat and child safety seat use from Feb. 9 – 22 in a campaign funded through ODOT’s Transportation Safety Division. A new public service announcement will also begin airing, reminding motorists that “Just one click can save your life. So buckle up.” For child passengers, that means using the proper restraint system for their size. Oregon law requires the following: • A child weighing less than 40 pounds must be restrained in a child safety seat. • A child under one year of age or weighing less than twenty pounds must be restrained in a child seat, rear facing. • A child over forty pounds but under age eight or less than 4’ 9” tall must be restrained in a booster seat that elevates them so the lap/shoulder belts fit correctly. For adults, Oregon law requires “proper use” of safety belts. That means using the entire belt system, with the lap belt low across your hips, and the shoulder belt over your collarbone and crossing the center of your chest. Belts should be free of slack and lying flat with no twists or knots.

If the shoulder belt portion of an adult safety belt rides up onto your neck or feels uncomfortable, slide the built-in adjuster up or down or move your seat forward or backward. “Your shoulder belt should not be under your arm or behind your back,” Levinski said. “Wearing a belt improperly can cause serious internal injuries or ejection in a crash.” Levinski noted that someone who is unbelted or improperly belted is five times more likely to be ejected in a crash. “The odds of surviving after you are thrown from a vehicle are about one in four,” she said. “We want Oregonians to remember just one click can save your life.” For help with child safety seats, refer to the seat manufacturer’s instructions or vehicle owner’s manual, or call ACTS Oregon Child Safety Seat Resource Center at 1-800-772-1315.