West Coast Martial Arts students dominate competition

Minden's West Coast Martial Arts sent 15 students to compete in the Silver State Open Martial Arts Championships at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino in Reno in late August.

The students, who range in age from 10 to 40 and in rank from brown belt to third-degree black belts, competed in several division including Kata (forms), sparring, Sports Jiu Jitsu (sparring and grappling combined, Jiu Jitsu (grappling) and Goju-shorei cane fighting.

West Coast had high placings in every division students from the school competed in.

The team is coached by master instructor George Fujii, who said, "Today's success was all about hard work and dedication.

"All of our team of martial artists train hard and are respectful and humble. The students train three to five days a week in traditional martial arts, mixed martial arts, Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Goju Shorei weapons, gymnastics, acrobatics, kickboxing and Muay Thai.

"Some of the students were in the same weight division and defeated all other competitors, but had to go against their own teammate in the finals, resulting in some take second or third, although they had not lost a match to any other team."

Awards were as follows: Brenden Jobe, first Sport Jiu Jitsu; Conner Jobe second Jiu Jitsu, second Sport Jiu Jitsu; Frank Raschilla, first Jiu Jitsu; Michael Corneya, first Jiu Jitsu, second Sport Jiu Jitsu; Andrew Forest, third Jiu Jitsu, third Sport Jiu Jitsu; Alex Kallas, first Forms, first Jiu Jitsu, first Sport Jiu Jitsu; Moises Vega, first Jiu Jitsu; Tim Bowers, second Forms; John Kallas, first Forms; Kiana Memro, third Jiu Jitsu; Brianna Memro, first Forms, first Jiu Jitsu; Kylie Memro, second Forms, second Sparring, first Jiu Jitsu; Sedona Ewbank, third Forms, third Sparring, second Jiu Jitsu; Christian Hoyt, second Sparring, second Jiu Jitsu, third Sport Jiu Jitsu, third Cane fighting. 

Fujii has been training for over 35 years, has owned West Coast Martial Arts in Minden for 20 years and is a sixth-degree Black Belt.

Call 782-8343 for more information on the team.