| Pictures from the Tournament Area | Making Connections - Page 1 |
| Making Connections - Page 2 | Dancing the Night Away - Page 1 |
| Dancing the Night Away - Page 2 |
Getting together for the Nationals is a tradition that I have followed almost every year since I began my training in 1986. I remember like yesterday the first tournament I attended in Connecticut as a beginner student. I made many friends and quickly learned that the Nationals had to be part of my annual Soo Bahk Do calendar.
At that Connecticut tournament, we had many members from our dojang attend since it was only hours from the school. Once at the tournament site, it was clear that the Federation was much bigger than I had imagined. None-the-less, there was a spirit evident that bonded each student. There really was a "oneness" that I felt.
The first person I met that day (from outside Region 1) was Master Broughton (at the time Mr. Broughton.) He and his crew of students adopted me as though I was one of them. I have retained that friendship with Master Broughton through the years.
Fourteen years later I still attend the Nationals and feel like I am just as much a part of any region in the country as I am with Region 1. The Oneness is incredible.
I hope that all first-time tournament goers had as good an experience this year as I had in my first year. The connections that you made will last a lifetime.
Soo Bahk!
-John Maihos