Instructor qualifies for the National Karate Championships
WARWICK Glenn Finke, the owner and instructor at Traditional Karate-Do Center in Warwick, recently competed in two tournaments that helped him qualify for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Karate Championships. They will be held in Miami, Fla., from June 26 to July 1. The 35-year-old competed in the Male Black Belt (Age 19-34) Division, starting with the AAU District Championships in Hawthorne, N.J., on March 19. He won first place in kumite (sparring) and third place in kata (formal exercises). That same day he was promoted to 4th Degree Black Belt. “I was happy to get out there and compete, but surprised by the recognition of rank,” said Finke. “This is one of the biggest honors of my time in karate.” The honor was awarded by Ed DiNardo, a past member of the U.S. National Karate Team; Ron Gaeta, a long-time karate practitioner and past head instructor at the Passaic County Police Academy; Cliff Downey, a senior karate instructor and past instructor at the Bergen County Police Academy; and Tom Van Tassel, a dojo training hall owner and New Jersey State Police captain. At the AAU Regional Championships in Albany on April 23, Finke placed third in a competitive heavyweight black belt kumite division, which featured several past U.S. National Karate Team members. “I was happy but not satisfied with my efforts. The regional championships gave me an idea of a bunch of stuff that I can work with and improve on. At this point, after having knee surgery, I like the idea of going out there to compete just to see what I have. Also, I wanted to give my son, who just turned one, the experience of watching his dad compete, even if he can’t remember in the future. But it’s something we can watch on video and talk about.” Finke also hopes to compete at the U.S.A. National Karate-Do Federation Championships from July 14 to 16 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “I had the experience of being part of the national team back in 1998 and enjoyed the skill development and camraderie,” added Finke. “Although my own students may not know it, I have incorporated much of my experience into the regular class curriculum.” For more information, call 988-9223 or visit www.warwickkarate.com.