Author Archives: kmanabe6

Michael Nilson!

[Photo retrieved from Facebook]

How did you find out about UO Wushu?

My intro to the wushu team happened when I came to school at the UO. Originally I didn’t know what wushu was or really had any initial interest in it. I even remember seeing the members of the team warming up for a demo before I joined, but it wasn’t until about a week later when my roommate for the dorms asked me if I wanted to go to one of the practices. I said sure and the rest became history, me becoming hooked from my first practice.

How long were you involved with the club?

I started in fall of 2009, attending practices for my entire college career, and even continuing to attend some practices while I was still in Eugene until 2016.

What were the most difficult and most rewarding factors of being on the team?

The most rewarding thing for me would definitely be the people that you meet. For me the team became a second family while I was at school, and in many cases I still go to many of the alumni for advice. The most difficult thing was the time management. There were many times I would have to limit how much wushu I could do outside of practice because I had something more important to do and I wasn’t too great at it.

What were the most difficult and most rewarding factors of being captain?

The most difficult, was being able to describe how a technique actually felt. I had never really thought about feeling a movement out before I became captain. It was just something that if I did the technique “correctly” I knew it from muscle memory. But if someone came up to me asking, “How should I feel when doing this move?” I was at a loss. It gave me something more to work on. The most rewarding thing was being able to see the progress other teammates made throughout the year, however big or small it was.

How did you balance all your activities during college?

I wasn’t too great at balancing everything. I ended up prioritizing wushu more over my other activities.

Did you specialize in something?

I didn’t really stick with any specific weapons or forms, other than longfist. For my first few years I dabbled in everything, learning almost a new weapon each year. It wasn’t until the later school years that I picked up eagle-claw and although I wouldn’t say I specialized in it, the form became one of my favorites for demos and competitions.

Can you describe the mental and physical progression you experienced from your first competition to your last competition?

I remember my first competition being somewhat of a blur because I had only one event and the beginners went first. But at my next competition, I became nervous thinking about competing. As I competed more over the years, the tension from competition became less and less, as I learned to relax well before my events, despite who I was going up against. As for physical progression, I tried to get input from as many sources as possible. Everyone, no matter their skill level, has their own opinion on what your wushu should be. The way I found to progress, was to actually listen to the criticism given to me, whether its something I wanted to hear or not.

How did the Wushu community impact your life?

The majority of my close friends in college came from the UO wushu team. There were many times where a few of us would stay at the gym well after practice had ended, sometimes still practicing and others just lounging in the mat room, enjoying the time spent with each other.

How has Wushu impacted your life?

I wasn’t that outgoing of a person before wushu being more of a follower, waiting for someone else to step up to a challenge. Wushu helped make me someone who’s steps up more when others are reluctant, something my previous employers have stated that they liked about me.

Where are you now in life?

Currently I am pursuing a career with Oregon’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Do you still practice?

Not as much as I would like to. I still tend to practice spear basics as it has become my favorite weapon out of all my dabbling.

Do you have any advice for current team members?

I am not the one who should be saying this but don’t procrastinate on anything. It sucks having to rush out school work or that presentation that you need to write. So just get it done.

Megan Bernatzki!

[Photo Submitted by Megan Bernatzki)

How did you find out about UO Wushu?

I first started training in Wushu during my senior year of high school with Tom Diamond, a member of UO Wushu at the time. I learned from him for about a year before I started college and joined the team.

How long were you involved with the club?

I was with the UO Wushu team for about two years, during my freshman and sophomore years of college.

What were the most difficult and most rewarding factors of being on team?

It was always rewarding to work both independently on individual forms as well as to work with my teammates in order to put on performances. Working as an individual where I could rely on myself in order to train hard enough to become more confident in a from was incredibly motivating, although encouragement from the other members was always a big help. And then working together with my teammates added a whole new level of determination, and it was satisfying to see a show come together the more we practiced for each one. I was always personally more interested in the performing aspect of Wushu rather than the competition, although competing against other athletes who have trained equally as hard was also very rewarding and inspiring.

As for difficulties, sometimes it could be disheartening when I didn’t make as much progress with a particular movement as I wanted to, or when I would end up with an injury that would limit my progress for an amount of time. But I’m thankful to my teammates who were always incredibly encouraging and supportive whenever I would hit such roadblocks.

How did you balance all your activities during college?

I don’t procrastinate! I always work on projects as soon as I am able to, rather than at the last minute. It makes things much less stressful and anxiety-inducing than putting things off until there’s barely any time to get them done. This allows me to also take somewhat frequent breaks to give myself some time to relax and get away from the stress of school before getting back into it. And I’ve found that it’s really important to find something extracurricular, such as Wushu, to be a part in during college. It gives you something fun to look forward to when school gets tough and helps build relationships with people interested in the same things as you are.

Did you specialize in something?

I specialized in twin hook swords and Nanquan, the former of which I competed with. I didn’t get the chance to compete in Nanquan, but I really enjoyed the style and am thankful to Ray Tsunoda for taking the time to teach me as much as he did.

How did the Wushu community impact your life?

The Wushu community provided a sense of place and belonging to me while I was going through my transitional years from high school to college. I made some really close friends through the team that I still communicate and spend time with, and they saw me through some difficult times in my life. I’ll always be thankful for the support and advice that they gave me, and continue to give me, they have helped shape me into the person that I am now.

How has Wushu impacted your life?

Wushu instilled in me an incredible amount of respect and admiration for athletes, both in martial arts and other sports. It allowed me to see and experience the physical, mental, and emotional journey that one goes through in the practice, and it’s always amazing to see that work pay off in performances and competitions. It also allowed me to travel to places that I wouldn’t have otherwise which was a great experience in itself.

Where are you in life now?

I’m currently finishing up my last year at the U of O with a degree in environmental science. I’m also directing a dance team on campus, which has become one of my biggest passions. And I work as a sculpture artist to help pay for tuition and textbooks!

Do you have any advice for current team members?

Please stay as encouraging and humble as you always were when I was part of the team! And to the new members that I haven’t met, never be afraid to go to those that are more experienced than you are for advice and knowledge. Some of my favorite memories from being on the team were when I was training outside of practice with some of the more senior members at the time. They were more than happy to help, and I know that this is still the case today.

Do you have any advice for the general public?

Be kind to one another 🙂

UO Wushu just competed at the 21st Annual Collegiate Wushu Tournament this last weekend! Huge thanks to Washington’s Husky Wushu Team for hosting us!

Again, our collective totals were one silver and two bronze medals! Congratulations to all competitors, jiayou!!

UO Wushu competed at the Collegiate competition in Seattle, Washington this weekend. Our collective totals were one silver and two bronze medals!

Tommy Yang: took home bronze in intermediate staff.

Kasey Sullivan: took home silver in intermediate other weapon (emei daggers).

Amelia Seifer: for her first Collegiate competition, took home bronze in beginner straightsword.

Videos to come, and congratulations to all competitors!

UO Wushu just competed at the 25th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament in Berkeley, CA a week ago! These are our competitors’ performances from the competition! Our team walked away with 5 gold and 3 bronze medals! Congratulations to all competitors!

Martin Leung!

[Photo taken by Kevin Lai]

How did you find out about UO Wushu?

I found out about UO Wushu through Ray Tsunoda, who was the captain of the wushu team a year or two before I joined. He highly suggested the sport to me so I checked out the sport and fell in love with it.

How long were you involved with the club?

I was in the club for three years and I would have definitely continued if I had stayed in Eugene.

What were the most difficult and most rewarding factors of being on team?

The most difficult part would definitely be balancing wushu, school and other activities that I enjoyed. Often times, I had to rearrange other activities to attend practices on time. The most rewarding part would be the bonding in the sport. You will make good friends on the team, after all, you are spending 6 hours during practice and countless hours outside of practice with your teammates.

How did you balance all your activities during college?

I didn’t really succeed in balancing mine but I will say what I would have done instead. It is important to set priorities and know what matters most to you now and in the future. From there, just make sure you finish what’s most important and the rest you can pick and choose.

Did you specialize in something?

Not really, I tried staff, broadsword and changquan when I was on the team and by my last year, I focused mainly on changquan and drilled on basics such as stances and jumps. Personally my favorite is jumping.

Can you describe the mental and physical progression you experienced from your first competition to your last competition?

Everybody got nervous during competition, not to mention the first competition. It is normal to get nervous and go on autopilot on your form during your first competition. Of course, that means you have to practice it quite a lot to get the body memory. By the last competition, I was less nervous and able to control myself to some degree.

How did the Wushu community impact your life?

I met some of my best friends at UO through wushu and we hung out a lot. Moreover, Ray and Kenny, previous captains of wushu, brought me to the gym and taught me how to train my body. Without them, I would continue staying home 24/7 without any exercise.

How has Wushu impacted your life?

After wushu, I got used to working out and exercising at least once or twice a week, which helps with staying healthy. When I see people doing wushu or hear some wushu song, I would stop and watch for a while.

Where are you now in life?

I moved back to Hong Kong and got a job. Looking forward for what the future might bring.

Do you still practice? 

Sadly, no. I don’t really have the time to train now and I kinda lack motivation to train by myself. Every once in a while I will wear my feiyues and do some jumps and stance drills, which is fun! I still go running and weightlifting just to stay in shape though.

Do you have any advice for current team members? 

Work hard on your stances and stretch everyday~ it’s boring and painful but it’s all worth it when you start learning more advanced moves. Don’t be afraid to ask questions since UO wushu has an amazing network with lots of wushu alumnus who will be more than happy to give you advice on your forms and training~ Jiayou!

Do you have any advice for the general public?

If you have the chance, try wushu out. It’s amazingly fun! Otherwise, your support during performances gives lots of encouragement to the performers.

UO Wushu competed in the 2017 CMAT competition at UC Berkeley this weekend. Our collective totals were 5 gold, and 3 bronze medals!

Alex Spangler: for his first and last CMAT competition as a UO Duck, took home a gold medal in intermediate straightsword. Alex will be graduating next term with a degree in physics.

Brenda Heng: for her last CMAT competition as a UO Duck, took home a bronze medal in intermediate longfist. Brenda will be graduating next term with two degrees in economics and computer and information science.

Amelia Seifer: for her first CMAT competition, took home two gold medals in beginner longfist and beginner straightsword.

Kasey Sullivan: took home two gold medals in intermediate longfist and compulsory other weapon (emei daggers).

Maya Kentala: for her first CMAT competition, took home a bronze medal in beginner longfist.

Blake Rawson: for his last CMAT competition as a UO Duck, our co-captain took home a bronze medal in advanced staff. Blake will be graduating next term with a degree in environmental studies.

Stay tuned for videos, and congratulations to all competitors! Jiayou!

Sean Friedman-Sowder!

[Photo retrieved from Facebook]

How did you find out about UO Wushu?

My roommate, Byron Chang, introduced me to the club.

How long were you involved with the club?

I was involved on and off for maybe 5-6 years but I only really seriously trained for a year or two. I wasn’t as dedicated as many of the other members.

What were the most difficult and most rewarding factors of being on team?

Well, the most intimidating part for me was competing and doing group demos. I suffered from stage freight. The most rewarding aspects were having a group to train hard with, the shared camaraderie, holding horse stance while singing Mulan’s – I’ll Make a Man Out of You… oh and beating Katsumi at CMAT!!!

How did you balance all your activities during college?

I didn’t really balance my activities very well. I ended up putting off my academics. Something I wouldn’t advise doing.

Did you specialize in something?

Not really, I never picked up any weapons. It’s one of my regrets not doing a wider range of forms.

Can you describe the mental and physical progression you experienced from your first competition to your last competition?

I only ever participated in one competition so there isn’t much I can say there but what I can say is that it took me a long time to be mentally comfortable with competing and having a supportive team there to challenge me was very helpful.

How did the Wushu community impact your life?

The UO Wushu community has had a big impact on my life. I met some truly dedicated and inspirational people. Seeing their dedication to wushu has helped me stay dedicated in my life endeavors even when I have doubted myself.

How has Wushu impacted your life?

Wushu introduced me to an incredible group of people that support and inspire each other. It is more than just a sport, it’s a way of life.

Where are you now in life?

Currently, I am working as a financial analyst at a credit union.

Do you still practice?

I don’t practice anymore but I sometimes find myself doing stretch kicks and stance work when I am warming up before other physical activities.

Do you have any advice for current team members?

Seek out a mentor/coach and listen to what they have to say. Be respectful and train hard.

Do you have any advice for the general public?

Do WUSHU!!! You won’t regret it!

Brandon (Jimmy) Fleck!

[Photo retrieved from Facebook]

How did you find out about UO Wushu?

I found out about UO Wushu and Brandon Sugiyama back in high school from my friend Kats.

How long were you involved with the club?

I was involved off and on for five years.

What were the most difficult and most rewarding factors of being on team?

The time commitment was difficult, particularly when the club grew larger, but pulling off something successful with your friends was very gratifying.

Did you specialize in something?

Yeah, but it was a part of the team instead of a weapon or style. I focused on group cohesion. We hadn’t ever seen a team that large before (50 regular members), and it was unstable. I wanted to see if I could help hold everyone together.

How did you balance all your activities during college?

I didn’t (I’m not a great role model). I had always been good at school, but not at socializing. When I found myself surrounded by so many good friends, but not enough time to balance work, school, and wushu, so I prioritized my friends.

Can you describe the mental and physical progression you experienced from your first competition to your last competition?

Well, at some point Nathan and I started lifting together, and that got me much stronger. Mentally, the stress dropped off as I grew more comfortable being around and talking to people.

How did the Wushu community impact your life?

The impact was huge. Most of the people I met through wushu I still consider family.

How has Wushu impacted your life?

It kept me active during late high school and through college. It was always fun to jump around, and I learned how important it was to injury-proof your body.

Where are you now in life?

This year I bought a house in Beaverton and my girlfriend Madison moved in with me (both firsts for me). I have been traveling internationally once a year for the past couple years, and professionally I do systems analytics and SQL for IBM. My goal this year is to become a fiduciary and pay off my student loans.

Do you still practice?

I don’t practice wushu anymore. But I do still use feiyus as my workout shoes :p

Do you have any advice for current team members?

Pushing yourself to try something new or challenging will provide perspective, and listening to other people provides understanding. Mix in a bunch of random education, shake well, and presto! New adults!

Do you have any advice for the general public?

It might be worthwhile to invest in parking lots.