Karate competition just for kicks
Published in the Home News Tribune 3/15/04
Academy inaugurates tourney in Highland Park
By CRAIG YETSKOSTAFF WRITER
The crowd may have feared for Myer, but he and Yakoby knew everything was going to be all right. Myer stood his ground and went toe-to-toe with Yakoby, answering his opponent with solid punches. And though Myer was defeated in the end, he garnered praise for his efforts. "He is a really talented kid, he has great potential," said Yakoby. "He is as confident as confident can be." Myer said he was a bit nervous competing in front of a crowd for the first time, but he spars regularly with Yakoby and 21-year-old Moe Yarmush. "They have good control and you know you're in good shape," Myer said. "You get used to what they do." The tournament showcased the students' abilities in sparring, board breaking and self-defense. Some showed their techniques in front of a mirror and a punching bag. "My students blew me away," Sensei Joel Levy said. "I saw competitive spirit and good sportsmanship." Sensei Mike Bernescu, who teaches traditional Japanese karate at the academy, said, "I am impressed at what I've seen today." Nessa Rosenstein, 16, gave it her best shot in a sparring match against Myer. Neither backed down as they exchanged kicks and punches in an intense match. "She was awesome," Levy said. "She is one tough cookie." Myer used an inverted chip, slide up side kick, spinning hook kick, front stomp and an ax kick to break the boards. "You have to visualize what you are doing," he said. Julian Holmes, a 15-year-old Franklin resident, wowed the crowd with his high-impact kicks into the punching bag and board-breaking skills. The Rutgers Prep freshman performed a jumping turnaround back kick, a sidekick, pop kick and sidekick roundhouse into the bag. He smashed two boards with his elbow, and cracked the others with a crane kick, tornado kick and for the finale, propelled himself via a punching bag to deliver a side kick. Holmes joked that he should have put up his hands, ala Daniel LaRusso in the "Karate Kid" when he did the crane kick. "I was just concentrating in getting the technique right," he said. Holmes, a yellow belt, has only been training since September. He said playing basketball has helped his jumping abilities. He credited Levy for helping him not only physically but mentally in the martial arts. Levy said, "Julian is a supremely gifted athlete with tremendous potential." Craig Yetsko: (732) 565-7352; yetsko@thnt.com
Age and size all were in the favor of the 36-year-old Yakoby, a former member of the Israeli Air Force, as he prepared to engage his 14-year-old opponent in a sparring match during the academy's inaugural American Freestyle Karate STAR (Success Through Accepting Responsibility) tournament.
AUGUSTO F. MENEZES/Staff photographer Shoshana Levy, 5, delivering a kick to a punching bag during her tournament trials at the Family Martial Arts Academy in Highland Park yesterday. Shoshana is a junior brown belt. 
more...