By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press
Local martial artists are preparing to compete on the international stage.
Copperas Cove’s own Zachary and Rodney Phillips are preparing to compete in Norway in November and have been training rigorously. Their training reached a new step as Ron Phillips, owner of FC Iron Dojo, opened his doors this Saturday and Sunday to ICO Team USA for a weekend filled with fun and rigorous martial art training. Joining the two teens in training were more than 40 families, with some travelling from as far as Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, and throughout Texas. Members of ICO Team USA attending the weekend training were preparing to compete in Wales this October.
Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. martial artists gathered at FC Iron Dojo for training in various arts and styles including working on training and improving their skills in their basics, fundamentals, fighting, point sparring, jiu-jitsu, MMA, and weapons, as well as team building. This continued well into the late afternoon and started back up early Sunday with a similar schedule, but an added friendly practice tournament.
One of the two head coaches for the weekend’s training was Clarissa DeHoyos, ICO (International Combat Organization) Team USA captain in charge of the forms portion of the tournament. Members of Team USA will be competing on the world stage in Wales for a week-long tournament taking place this October. This year is the United States’ first time competing as part of the ICO, which previously was mostly a European event. More than 30 countries are expected to compete. They are expecting 30-40 people to compete in each group for the tournament. DeHoyos is working to prepare all members of Team USA to compete to the best of their abilities.
DeHoyos said that training together is a great way to build camaraderie and help each other to improve as martial artists. She was grateful that Iron Dojo allowed the training to take place within their school.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to them opening their doors,” said DeHoyos.
“We all have different perspectives on how to build and grow as martial artists,” said DeHoyos. “We want to make sure that they are mentally, physically, and emotionally ready.”
Master Vito Rodriguez was the other primary instructor for this weekend’s training. His focus is on the sparring (or fighting) side of the tournament. He is a multiple world championship winner, Team USA gold medalist, and father of two from Laredo.
Rodriguez said that he loves being part of an organization like Team USA and described how it feels to be fighting, and, instead of his own name being cheered, he hears hundreds chanting “Team USA!” over and over.
“It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of something bigger than yourself,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said that his primary focus is on working on their basic techniques including basic offense and defense, strength training, and conditioning.
“I’m here trying to get our basics down as clearly as possible,” said Rodriguez. “Basics win championships.”
Xander Bickford (14) and his mother, Sonia Bickford, both travelled from Oregon to attend the training. Both plan to compete in Wales later this year.
“It’s such an amazing opportunity,” said Bickford.
She said that her son started training when he was 5. Later, she started training alongside him and fell in love with the art. She was very proud of her son who has participated in the NASKA world circuit and has placed top 10 in his age bracket twice now.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to come here to train,” said Xander. “This is my first time being in Texas. I am so lucky to be able to travel.”
Xander said that he felt very lucky to be able to train with the various martial artists at this weekend’s training event.
Ron Phillips, owner of FC Iron Dojo and father of Zachary Phillips (12) and Rodney Phillips (15), said that he opened his doors because his kids are both members of the team, but they will not be competing in the Wales competition because they already committed to competing in Norway in November. He said that his kids have been practicing for at least 3 hours a day to help prepare, and he said that the key to their success had been world talented instructors. In his last national scale tournament in Las Vegas, Zachary managed to place competing in a tournament with 44 countries and 1,600 competitors.
“I’m very proud of them,” said Phillips about his kids. “They are both inspiring. Rodney’s kata [form] is inspirational. They are almost always in the top three.”
“I really want to compete in Norway. I want to experience the world,” said Zachary. “I feel great, but nervous. I’m training my hardest and helping my brother.”
Zachary said that he loves sparring the most “because you get to hit somebody, but you also don’t know when you’re going to get hit”. He talked about strategy and how he is working to prioritize his speed over his power.
Rodney said that he prefers perfecting his forms and learning how to defend himself. When it comes to forms, he described it as being like an art.
“Forms to me feels like I’m putting on a show,” said Rodney. “I try to put as much effort into it as possible.”
Rodney said that he enjoyed the weekend’s training as it gave him a lot of feedback on what he is doing well and how he can improve. He said that getting to compete in Norway later this year is “unbelievable but exciting.”
Both brothers will be competing in point sparring, kata, team kata, team synchronized, continuous sparring, kickboxing. Zachary will also be competing in team fighting.
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