Hi everyone,
Once again, I had the chance to be part of the amazing Tonbo Cup.
Honestly, out of all the tournaments I’ve attended or heard about over the years, this is probably the tournament system I like the most.
Having 20 teams in total, with teams made up of 3 + 1 members, competing in four separate pools in a league format, is something I really appreciate.
Personally, I’ve never liked going to a tournament, waiting for my turn to come, and then having no idea when my next match is going to be. You travel a long way, pay for accommodation, food and all the other little expenses, and there’s always a possibility that you might end up doing just one match and then going home.
At the Tonbo Cup, however, every team is guaranteed at least four matches. That means four times the experience, guaranteed. I think that’s a fantastic opportunity.
Before noon, the teams competing in two pools were divided between two shiai-jo. This year, I was assigned to Shiai-jo B.
Of course, one of the biggest challenges at every tournament showed itself here as well: not having enough referees meant that we had to stay on our feet almost continuously, without getting enough time to rest.
From my own perspective, though, there was also a very positive side to this. I had the chance to constantly test my refereeing skills.
By the end of the day, I realised something: no matter how well you know all the rules or how physically prepared you are, if you don’t get enough opportunities to referee, your confidence can still be a little low.
Having two experienced referees with EKC experience alongside us was both reassuring and, to be honest, a little stressful! But the feedback I received from them made me really happy.
If everything goes well, I would absolutely love to have the opportunity to referee at the EKC one day myself.
At the end of the day, after so many well-run and friendly matches, I’m sure everyone left the hall feeling satisfied.
Yes, we were tired, but at the same time, we learned so much and made some brand-new friendships. I honestly don’t think there could be a more valuable reward than that.
I hope that, if everything goes well, they will consider me suitable for this role again next year. I would be very happy to be part of it once again.
