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Three local karate team members selected for world championships

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BY ERIC HORCHY

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: June 6, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - West Pasco will be well represented in Fort Lauderdale over back-to-back June weekends as 38 Ingram's Pro Karate Center team members perform in at least one of two high-level competitions.

Highlighting the busy month are three athletes selected to the World Karate Confederation/U.S.A. World Championship Team. Recent Mitchell High School graduate Shawn Roof, 18, and Tony Previte, 23, will make the trip, but Gulf High School graduate David Brackett, 18, cannot attend, said Ingram's owner Sheri Ingram-Angwin.

The WKC's seventh-annual world competition will take place June 12-13 and will feature martial arts athletes from around the world. It has never before been held on U.S. soil.

"This is something that one out of hundreds get to be invited to, it's extremely hard," said Ingram-Angwin. "And it's actually not just physical, you have to be a good role model and they look at your character. Most sports aren't like that."

Roof and Previte have been "training really hard, six days a week," Ingram-Angwin added. "This means a lot to them."

Ingram-Angwin has also been selected to be a referee during the two-day contest and her father, John Ingram, will be a U.S.A. Team coach.

There will be three different disciplines performed during the championships: kata (forms), kobudo (weapons) and kumite (sparring).

Following the WKC World Championships will be the AAU National Championships on June 18-21, also in Fort Lauderdale.

In contrast to the WKC event, which is a senior only competition, AAU nationals is for juniors and seniors.

The Ingram's athletes competing in Fort Lauderdale at nationals advanced after super regionals, May 2. Junior Team gold medalists from that event include: Samantha Williams and Cederic Chestine, kobudo; Nicholas Hamm, kata; and Lucas Cortes, Alex Schiffer and Ryan Williams, kumite.

Senior Team gold medalists are: Todd Vanselous, kobudo; Lara Cortes, kumite; and Rae Hayward, kata and kobudo.

For those interested in attending the WKC World Championships on June 12 - 13, tickets will be $7 for one day or $12 for a two-day pass. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Ingram's Pro Karate Center, 4116 Little Road. Contact Sheri Ingram-Angwin at 727-372-7673 for additional information.

Part of the proceeds from ticket sales will go directly back to the dojo for the teams next year, Ingram-Angwin said.

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