So Proud

Ohayo Sumo's Team for the Queen City Sumo Open 

 2020 has been a hard year. A terrible year some might say. As Covid and civil unrest has taken it's toll, one has to look for bright spots wherever one can. 

 For Ohayo sumo the year did not start off the way we would have wanted. The pandemic shut us down for a few months. There were no tournaments to train for, no events to attend so we waited and reemerged in June. However, our club founder and coach, Darius Campbell was unable to come out of lockdown. His job has kept him close to home as he works for a company that is packaging the Covid vaccine. It was recommended that he not do anything extra. As frustrating as it was for him and for us, his character shined its brightest. Being a giant in the ring as well as a giant of a human being, he remains the foundation block of this club and the model of its wrestlers. 

 The task of keeping us together and moving forward fell to me. We kept working and continued to grind out our practices with the intensity that we have become known for. Our no frills practice approach is based on our appreciation for the Japanese approach, but also in our dedication to the fundamentals. Keep your head down, elbows in, keep your base and drive forward. Again. Again. Again. 

 Every practice sees our members driving from distances as far as 5 hours just to get in 2 hours practice and then hauling back home. A feature of our club that amazes me to this day. Never once a complaint out of them, but rather a deep sense of friendship and appreciation for the opportunity to gather together and grow as a club. A club that isn't merely a sports organization, but a family, a phrase that can be overused but that in this case is the most appropriate way to describe it. 

 For many of our wrestlers this has been a year of financial stress, lay offs and personal struggle. For them and I know for me, Ohayo Sumo has been the only bright spot in a year of darkness. 

 I watched all of this dedication culminate in a five medal performance by our club members, totaling 20 wins by 6 rikishi. To say that I'm proud would be an understatement. I watched them battle like the warriors they are. I am simply proud just to be able to stand beside them and call them my brothers. 

 With 2020 almost behind us, I look forward to a 2021 Sumo Season that will be nothing short of magical. 

 Hakkeyoi