Mitchells kick to win

Staff

Published Saturday, July 27, 2002

When Brian Mitchell stepped onto the mat at the Commonwealth Games of Virginia Karate Champion-ships in Roanoke last weekend, he knew he was in for a fight. Standing across from him was Alex Peters, a fellow student of Brian's at Jeff Bateman's School of Karate.

"He was bigger than me," recalls Brian, 8. "But I still tried to beat him up!"

In the end, Alex came out on top for his third consecutive gold medal in sparring. But for Brian, competing in his first-ever tournament, a silver medal was inspiration enough.

"I think I'll beat him next time!" promises the Oakland Elementary School honor student.

Since joining Bateman's school nearly two years ago, Brian has moved up the karate ladder, says his teacher. "It used to be that every time he came in, he'd come up to me and say, 'Renshi (teacher), I want to test for a belt today!'" says Bateman. "But he knows now that he has to work his way up. When he tests, he always does really well."

Testing hasn't been a problem; Brian recently earned a blue belt. "First I had a white one, then a purple, gold, orange, and now blue!"

Until last weekend, though, he hadn't competed in a tournament. "I don't know how I felt before it started."

His sparring medal wasn't Brian's only victory; he also took home a bronze in 'kata' (forms).

But Brian wasn't the only Mitchell to tear up the mats in Roanoke; his older sister Jeymie took golds in weapons, kata, and sparring.

"I was never nervous, not even when I started sparring," says Jeymie, 13, a student at King's Fork Middle School. "It was fun to kick their butts."

Training with her little brother is usually an enjoyable experience, she continues. "It's fun, because I get to see how much he improves and how much he's growing up."

Now a green belt, Jeymie helps in the assistant trainer program, learning to teach students at Brian's level and below. "I want to become a black belt, and go from there," she explains.

She's already getting a bit of instructional experience in the Mitchell home. "Sometimes he and I practice together," Jeymie says of her brother. "We'll work on forms, and things like that."

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