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Wesley Chapel dojo heads to karate nationals

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The 2018 AAU/USA Karate National Championships kick off this week in Fort Lauderdale — and one local dojo will be well-represented.

Wesley Chapel’s Keiko Shin Karate Academy (KSKA) is sending 22 athletes, ranging in ages 6 to 18, to square up against more than 3,000 elite, top karate competitors from the United States and beyond.

The event runs from June 27 to June 30 at the Broward County Convention Center and draws competitors from all across the U.S., as well as from Israel, Poland, Russia and South America.

Keiko Shin Karate Academy (KSKA), in Wesley Chapel, is sending 22 athletes ages 6 to 18, to the 2018 AAU/USA Karate National Championships, where they’ll square up against more than 3,000 elite, top karate competitors from the United States and beyond. The event, held at the Broward Convention Center, runs from June 27 to June 30.
(Les Borowski)

The academy, located at 3753 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., is no stranger to the national stage.

In 2015, KSKA took 20 students to the AAU nationals in Raleigh, North Carolina, and returned with 34 medals, including 22 gold medals.

The next year, the team claimed 17 medals at nationals.

Under the instruction and guidance of their sensei, Ernesto Fuentes, this year’s group has undergone rigorous preparation, enduring various types of cross-training, cardio, yoga and intense hours of traditional Shotokan karate, fine-tuning speed, agility, reaction times and more.

Since the beginning of summer, training has consisted of many 10-hour days, often from 10 am. to 8 p.m.

Alongside the fitness and technical components, Fuentes has coached his students on motivational techniques, to help them maximize their potential.

“I don’t believe that we have another academy, at least not in the state of Florida, that’s training so many hours,” said Fuentes, an International 5th Dan Karate Instructor who’s been teaching the sport since 1983. “We believe the training is going to pay off.”

Destiny Walls, 18, is the oldest member of KSKA competing at the AAU/USA Karate National Championships. She credits traditional karate for turning her life around, physically, mentally and socially.
(Les Borowski)

Several KSKA athletes are making their return to AAU nationals, including 15-year-old Lauren Anderson and 18-year-old Destiny Walls.

In 2015, Anderson, then 12, won a gold medal in the Kumite (sparring) beginner division. The following year, she placed second in the Kata (form) novice division.

An advanced brown belt, she’s hoping for similar results.

Meantime, she’s excited to cheer on 21 of her peers.

“It’s really nice to watch everyone (succeed),” said Anderson, who attends Wiregrass Ranch High School. “I like to go and support as many people as possible.”

She also noted: “It’s really nice to see them excel, but it’s also nice to be there and to help them when they fall or don’t do as well.”

Anderson said nationals is “almost the same as other competitions, but it’s just bigger.

“It gets nerve-wracking,” she said, “(but) it makes you better, because you have more people (to compete against).”

Walls, meanwhile, earned a third-place finish in the Kata intermediate division at 2016 nationals.

A black belt, Walls is striving for gold this time around.

With thousands of other top athletes looking on, Walls said she expects to feel an adrenaline rush when it’s her turn to compete.

“You’re so nervous, but at the same time when you get at the mat, the nervousness goes away, and you’re ready to go,” Walls said.

Karate offers physical, social benefits
At KSKA and other dojos, karate is more than just a martial art sport — it’s a lifestyle.

Anderson credits it for boosting her confidence and self-esteem, as well as her composure.

“I used to be super sensitive, like certain things would get to me really easily, but now I’ve learned to take control of my emotions and stuff,” Anderson said.

The sport’s benefits also translate to the classroom, she said.

“It helps you with not only being physically active, but it also helps you mentally,” she added. “My grades weren’t very good before I came here, and now I have straight As, As and Bs.”

Karate also transformed Wall’s life, since she signed up more than eight years ago.

Wall said she was headed down the wrong path, getting into trouble and performing poorly in school — but karate gave her a positive outlet and a sense of belonging.

Over the years, she’s become an honor roll student and now has aspirations to become a nurse once she graduates from Cypress Creek Middle High School in 2019.

“I wasn’t really focused and my self-esteem had a lot to do with it. Since I started karate, it’s helped me,” Walls said.

“I’m able to talk to (people), which I used to never be able to do that. I’m able to go out and learn, and just keep going and not quit,” she said.

Fuentes said Walls has morphed from a shy, insecure girl into a leader — “being the person that she wanted to be and we all want to see in a child.”

Now, one of the dojo’s most experienced students, Walls assists Fuentes in the afterschool program as a youth instructor.

“I love now that I teach,” Walls said. “I love helping the little ones, being able to show them what family is and how to grow with each other.”

Fuentes, who has a master’s degree in child psychology, explained the sport’s structure, plus the discipline and dedication required to master it, aids in social and intellectual development.

Fuentes trains more than 200 students at KSKA and each must maintain at least a B average in school.

“Karate works a different aspect, different segments of their brain,” Fuentes said. “It’s proven that the kids that practice karate are immediately better students in school. In a fraction of a second, they need to be able to think and be in position.”

The sensei, too, incorporates a holistic approach in his karate teachings, encouraging students to believe in themselves, show compassion for others and avoid confrontation. Sportsmanship is emphasized, too.

“It’s not about self-defense, it’s about self-esteem,” he said.

“When you have self-esteem, you’re not going to let anybody mess with you, nobody bullies you, you’re OK if somebody looks at you weird; you have self-esteem, so you don’t care.”

Wesley Chapel-based Keiko Shin Karate Academy (KSKA) has more than 200 students, ranging from youth to adults. During the past several years, the dojo has had several strong showings at nationals, including in 2015, when they brought home 34 medals, including 22 gold medals.
(Les Borowski)

Parent Les Borowksi has witnessed the benefits karate has had on his two children, Nicholas, 12, and Olivia, 10 — both of whom will compete in AAU nationals.

Borowski said his children have become more attentive at school, more respectful to adults and peers, and generally more helpful toward others since they became involved in karate.

“This thing (karate) turns lives around,” Borowski said. “When I talk to other people who have kids, they think I’m some kind of marketing person (for karate).”

While he’s not paid to tout it, he is enthusiastic: “Just find a good quality, traditional martial arts school and go for it,” Borowski said.

For more information about Keiko Shin Karate Academy, call (813) 994-9253, or visit KeikoShin.com.

Athletes from Keiko Shin who qualified to represent Florida at 2018 AAU Karate National Championships.

Preston Achille

Lauren Anderson

Nicholas Borowski

Olivia Borowski

Travis Hamilton

Kristen Hooper

Wilson Irizarry

Ella Jannette

Kiernan Lauderdale

Jacobo Lopez

Camille Pamplona

Claire Pamplona

Jude Pamplona

Kathely Pamplona

Gian Jaydem Rios

Brady Rizzuto

Joshua Robinette

Carter Robinson

Destiny Walsh

Mackenzie Whitaker

Brandon White

Kaitlyn Wilson

Published June 27, 2018

 

Trekking to Iowa to compete at World Finals

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After competing together for years, a local Odyssey of the Mind team has finally accomplished its goal of qualifying to compete at the World Finals in Ames, Iowa.

Now, the team is busy raising the $5,000 they need need to make the trip.

They’re doing car washes, a garage sale and restaurant fundraisers, and are hoping for the community’s support to help make their dream come true.

The four-member team is made up of students attending three different high schools.

Two of them — Kaden Robinson and Donovan Snider — attend Wesley Chapel High School. Another — Kayla Gutierrez — attends Wiregrass Ranch High School. And, Alec Guillen attends Eastlake High School.

The coaches for the team are Kayla’s mom, Tammy and Kaden’s brother, Devin.

Coach Tammy Guitierrez, left, will be accompanying a local Odyssey of the Mind team who is making the trek to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa, at the end of May. From left are three members of the team, Kayla Guitierrez, Kaden Robinson and Donovan Snider. Alec Guillen, the other member of the team and Devin Robinson, the other coach, are not pictured. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Coach Tammy Guitierrez, left, will be accompanying a local Odyssey of the Mind team who is making the trek to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa, at the end of May. From left are three members of the team, Kayla Guitierrez, Kaden Robinson and Donovan Snider. Alec Guillen, the other member of the team and Devin Robinson, the other coach, are not pictured.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The students from Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel have been competing together since they have been in middle school.

Other team members have come and gone, even as late as this year.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international program that encourages youths to work together as teams to use their creative and analytical skills to solve problems.

Last year, the team was on the brink of qualifying for the World Finals. They placed third at state, but only the top two teams advance to the world stage.

The year before, they came in fifth.

The core group has been together for five years, and that’s an advantage, Gutierrez said.

“We’re able to get working faster because you know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You know who works well with what and who doesn’t, so you’re really able to divide and conquer the workload and get things done quickly,” she said.

Robinson noted another benefit: “It’s much easier to motivate each other, as well. Being together for so long, you tend to form a bond, like family.”

It’s a bond that extends beyond Odyssey, Robinson said. “We’re there in support for each other, whenever we’re going through anything in life.”

Snider agreed: “We’re a family first and a team second.”

The team has done most of the preparation it needs to do before making the 20-hour trip to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, for the competition that will be held May 25 through May 28.

Now, they’re focusing mostly on fundraising and have a number of events planned in coming weeks.

At the world competition, they’ll be testing their skills against teams who are converging on Iowa from all over the globe. About 800 teams are expected to compete and countries that will be represented there include Russia, China, India, Poland, Japan and Morocco, to name just a few.

During one part of the competition, they’ll be presenting a play. The theme of their presentation will be “Saying Goodbye to Odyssey,” which draws on their years of competing in the competition, and which draws on their creativity and problem-solving.

“We have 8 minutes for set up and performance,” Gutierrez said. “We’re bringing past Odyssey into the present so we can move through to the future because we’re all moving on,” she said.

The entire team plans to shift into judging OM after this year because Robinson is graduating and will no longer be able to compete with them.

Snider said he’s grateful the team has held together for this long and is happy to be going out on a high note by competing at the international level.

“We’ve been trying for five years,” Snider said.

For more information about the team or the competition, or to help the team, contact Tammy Gutierrez at

Fundraisers for Odyssey of the Mind Team

Carwash: 5811 Ehren Cutoff, Land O Lakes, May 14 and May 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Moe’s fundraiser: 28211 Paseo Drive Suite 100, Wesley Chapel. May 7 and May 14, 3 p.m. to closing

Texas Roadhouse fundraiser: 26409 Silver Maple Parkway, Wesley Chapel, May 16, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings fundraiser: 26725 State Road 56, Wesley Chapel, May 9 and May 18, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Garage Sale: 30546 Eastcourt Drive, Wesley Chapel, May 7 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Published May 4, 2016

Gas prices still recovering from Labor Day weekend

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Gas prices are still trying to come down after the expected bump during Labor Day weekend, but that hasn’t stopped gas prices from being the lowest still since 2010 as September gets under way.

And prices could get better, especially with federal employment levels lower than expected.

“Demand typically eases going into the fall, but a high jobless report causes speculation that demand for gasoline may be even lower,” said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA-The Auto Club Group, in a release. “This report, combined with easing geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and refineries beginning to switch from summer to winter blend fuels, all continue to place downward pressure on what is already unseasonably low gas prices.”

That trend, as Jenkins has shared before, could mean gas cheaper than $3 a gallon before the end of the year.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported last week that 142,000 new jobs were created in August, lowering the national unemployment rate slightly to 6.1 percent. While that is a positive growth in jobs, it was lower than analysts had expected.

Oil prices took a hit this past week as well, with a barrel of oil selling for $93.29 on Friday, a drop of $2.67 from the previous week. That is a seven-month low for crude.

The average gallon of gas in Florida was $3.36 on Sunday, down a penny from $3.37 a week ago, and 3 cents from a month ago. It’s 19 cents lower than what it was a year ago, however, AAA reported.

“Some markets are seeing more expensive gasoline compared to last week,” Jenkins said. “Much of that has to do with demand jumping during the Labor Day weekend, causing lower supplies and higher prices. It is possible that prices could inch up toward the middle of the month as refineries prepare to switch to the cheaper-to-produce winter blend gasoline on Sept. 15, but prices usually fall through the remainder of the year.”

The cheapest gas in Land O’ Lakes on Sunday night was $3.19 at the Mobil station on State Road 52 near the Suncoast Parkway, according to GasBuddy. The Shell station at State Road 54 and State Road 56 was listed as the most expensive at $3.37.

Wesley Chapel had some cheaper gas, found once again at Sam’s Club on State Road 56 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, where prices were reported at $3.17. Four locations — including a Shell station, 7-Eleven, Hess and Mobil — had gas prices at $3.37.

In Lutz, prices ranged from $3.21 at the Circle K on Van Dyke and Old Tobacco roads, to $3.39 at two Shell stations — one on Van Dyke near Lakeshore Drive, the other at North Dale Mabry Highway at Van Dyke.

Gas prices in Zephyrhills were found from $3.22 at a Mobil station on State Road 54 near Allen Road, to $3.34 at a Citgo on Gall Boulevard and Chancey Road. The cheapest gas in Dade City was $3.25 at three locations — Raceway, Marathon and Clark — while the most expensive, according to GasBuddy, was found at the Chevron station on Fort King Road and Clinton Avenue for $3.31.

 

World in chaos, but gas prices still dropping

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Gas prices are inching closer and closer to a milestone it hasn’t reached in nearly four years: Sell of less than $3 per gallon.

The decline in the cost of a gallon go gas continued last week, with Florida’s average dropping another 2 cents to $3.35 on Sunday, according to a new report from AAA – The Auto Club Group. In fact, gas prices in some metropolitan markets in the south have actually fallen below $3.20, which some stations not far from Tampa International Airport actually dipping below $3.10 as well.

That drop has taken place despite the turmoil happening overseas, said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins.

“Motorists are reaping the benefits of booming domestic oil production, which has provided the cheapest gas prices for August in years,” he said, in a release. “The price of oil declined slightly last week, so gas prices could skip even more this week.”

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue, as well as some unrest in Libya. Yet, nothing overseas has disrupted oil distribution, Jenkins said. The price of a barrel of oil dropped 30 cents to $97.35, suggesting there is still more room for gas costs to drop.

Nationally, gas has averaged $3.46 a gallon, down  2 cents from a week ago. Florida gas is down 16 cents from a year ago, and 18 cents from just a month ago.

Gas prices in Land O’ Lakes on Sunday were reported as low as $3.15 at the Hess station on State Road 52 and U.S. 41, according to GasBuddy. The most expensive there was reported in the Shell station on State Road 54 and State Road 56, where prices checked in at $3.39 late Sunday night.

Prices were at $3.16 in some parts of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, including the Sam’s Club on State Road 56 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, as well as the Kangaroo station at 14611 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The most expensive in that area, according to GasBuddy, was the Shell station at County Road 54 and Oakley Boulevard.

In Lutz, prices were anywhere from $3.18 like at both a Chevron and Sunoco station at State Road 54 and Collier Parkway, and $3.39 at the Shell station at North Dale Mabry Highway and Van Dyke Road.

The cheapest gas in Zephyrhills was $3.28 at a Sunoco station at Gall Boulevard and Geiger Road, with the most expensive reported at Cumberland Farms at State Road 39 and U.S. 301, at $3.36.

Dade City was a lot better, at least for anyone willing to travel north toward Hernando County. The Shell station at Cortez Boulevard and U.S. 301 was selling gas at $3.19, according to GasBuddy, while the most costly was at a Citgo at Lock and 21st streets, where regular gas was selling for $3.49 Sunday.

 

Gas prices still climbing … thanks to Russia?

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A gallon of gas in the greater Tampa Bay area is 8 cents more expensive than it was a month ago, and at least part of the blame can land at the feet of Vladimir Putin.

Auto club group AAA says gas prices in the state are at their highest level since last September — $3.56 in Florida, and $3.49 locally — because of shorter supplies of ethanol and continued tension in Europe between Russia and the Ukraine.

“When there is no ethanol blend in the gasoline, you could see the price of gas increase,” said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman, in a release. “That is because a higher costing product, premium gasoline, is being used to increase the octane level.”

Gas prices in most areas of Florida can contain as much as 10 percent ethanol, which helps keep prices down but octane levels where they need to be. When ethanol is in short supply, petroleum companies instead have to use more expensive gasoline to make a blend that remains at 87-octane grade material, according to the Oil Price Information Service.

On top of that, tensions in the Ukraine could disrupt supply that runs through and from the country, which could cause prices to spike.

Gasoline prices have remained mostly steady over the past week, and is still cheaper than the $3.59 per gallon reported a year ago. The highest gas has ever been was in July 2008 when regular unleaded topped $4.

Diesel has remained steady over the past year, currently at $4.05 per gallon, compared to $4.03 in March 2013. Its highest price was $4.82, also in July 2008.

But there is good news on the horizon. Although there is the potential that gas could climb another 20 cents per gallon in the coming weeks nationally, it is expected to start falling as April continues on. That will especially be the case when gas stations switch over to its summer blend gasoline May 1.

Prices in March typically climb 20 cents during March, but so far this year, that average has been 8 cents nationwide. AAA says it’s not expecting prices to finish as high as they were last year.

The most expensive gas in Florida is in West Palm Beach where prices are $3.67 per gallon. The cheapest is in Tallahassee at $3.45 for regular unleaded.

In Print: Special Olympics, Sochi Olympics, trauma centers

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America is still taking a breath after a strong performance at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, last month, but locally, people still can’t get enough.

Asif Shaikh, a chaplain from Lutz, once again traveled overseas to take part in the Olympics, serving as a spiritual guide for athletes. It gave him a chance to not only see some of the medal-winning events for Americans, but also gave him a chance to wish his wife, Leaha, a happy Valentine’s Day on national television thanks to NBC’s “Today Show.”

SochiOlympics
Asif Shaikh, a chaplain from Lutz, pretends to hold up the Olympic rings. (Courtesy of Asif Shaikh)

This is his second Olympics, having attended the Summer Games in London in 2012. But while Shaikh provides a service to Olympians, he still must convince the right people to allow him to continue his services at future games.

“I’m trying to get established,” he told reporter B.C. Manion. “I think the next step would be, ‘How can I help, in the sense of volunteering my time.’ They don’t have any spiritual leaders. They don’t recognize that as something that’s important.”

A little closer to home, Wesley Chapel High School hosted the Special Olympics, which brought in hundreds of athletes from around Pasco County and beyond.

“I’m just glad to know that, not only are the parents supporting them, but they are embraced by the community,” Denise Peeks, whose daughter Tiffany competes in the games, told reporter Michael Murillo. “The business community and the volunteers come out and they get so much support that they so desperately need. I think it’s fantastic.”

Both Olympics are all about competition, but the kind of competition taking place between various hospitals in the region is much different. Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point opened a trauma center in 2011, and is now doing everything it can to keep it despite efforts by older trauma centers in Hillsborough County trying to take it away.

Dr. Scott Norwood, who runs Bayonet Point’s facility, says the more trauma centers there are, the better hospitals can treat those in accidents and other mishaps that require specialized care very quickly.

“Trauma is a time-sensitive disease,” Norwood told members of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce recently, as reported by Michael Hinman. “It’s just like heart disease or a heart attack, the quicker you can get to a facility to deal with the problem, the more likely you are to survive. And that’s reflective of what’s happening in Florida right now.”

But existing facilities like Tampa General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital, see it differently, and feel too many trauma centers will instead be detrimental because it would dilute the quality of care, and the money needed to run the facilities.

Although one state senator has introduced a bill she hopes will address the problems, it looks like the legal battle between all these hospitals fighting for trauma centers will rage on for some time to come.

Finally, for our Zephyrhills and Dade City readers, the East Pasco edition of The Laker takes a unique look at the upcoming Founders’ Day celebration in the City of Pure Water. Michael Murillo has taken a trip into Zephyrhills’ past and shared it in a way only he could in his regular column, “Presenting the Past.”

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to find out where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800.

Retired Dade City teacher born for Peace Corps

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Barbara Colson was a freshman in college when she first heard of the Peace Corps.

Barbara Colson joins some of the Armenian students she taught English to visit a rebuilt 10th century church. Armenia, where the Dade City women spent two years as part of the Peace Corps, was the first full country to accept Christianity in A.D. 301. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Colson)
Barbara Colson joins some of the Armenian students she taught English to visit a rebuilt 10th century church. Armenia, where the Dade City women spent two years as part of the Peace Corps, was the first full country to accept Christianity in A.D. 301. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Colson)

It was 1966, and another girl in her dorm had just received a phone call and found out she had been accepted.

“I had no idea what she was talking about, so I decided to learn more about it,” the retired Dade City teacher said. “I thought it sounded good, like something I wanted to do, but life got in the way.”

And it was a lot of life. Colson would raise her family, excel in her career with the Hillsborough County school system, and travel when she could. It wasn’t until she turned 59, after her retirement, that Colson finally applied for the Peace Corps.

“This was something I always wanted to do, and I was finally doing it,” Colson said.

She was one of thousands of people vying for just 8,000 slots that are available each year in the Peace Corps, but Colson’s education background and community service made her a perfect fit to teach English as a second language. She found out quickly that her home for the next two years would be Armenia, a former Soviet Union republic that was still struggling to get back on its feet.

“They loved the Russians,” Colson said. “Back then, everybody worked, and everybody had a house. But then the Russians just packed up everything and left, and they left these countries without the resources to continue.”

Factories closed and jobs dried up. Many Armenians now look for a better life in Russia, or even the United States. That has refocused attention on education, working to help the country become more self-sufficient, and more involved in worldwide economics.

“Many of them follow learning methods originally written by the Russians,” Colson said. “We started a Girl Scout group there, and one of the things we realized was that no one there knew how to brainstorm. That was a skill we had to teach them.”

That is what helps make the Peace Corps necessary in countries like Armenia, said Alethea Parker, public affairs specialist for Peace Corps in Atlanta.

“It’s is a large commitment to be away from your family and friends for two years,” she said. “But from our perspective, it’s very rewarding and impactful … and it is important work.”

The only requirements to become a Peace Corps volunteer is being at least 18 years old, and a U.S. citizen. But getting selected, that is a much more daunting process.

“Our application process is quite competitive,” Parker said. “Most of our programs do require at least a bachelor’s degree, and we are typically looking at several years of full-time professional work experience.”

Yet, being a Peace Corps volunteer has its advantages beyond just helping out overseas. Medical expenses are covered at 100 percent, and a decent stipend is offered to cover day-to-day living expenses.

Colson lived in Kapan, a small city of just 45,000 people in southern Armenia. That worked out great for Colson, who struggled to learn Armenian. Unlike more rural areas, the cities in Armenia tend to have a more international feel.

“A lot of people speak English as it’s an international language,” she said. “They want to be a part of the world, and to get along in the world. And they’re working hard to achieve those goals.”

Even if Colson was in a bind, where she couldn’t just point to something on a store shelf she wanted, it seemed there was always someone willing to help.  It’s the kind of neighborly actions she wishes existed more back home.

“The things that Americans get upset about, it’s beyond me,” Colson said. “Try really being in survivor mode, and you’ll find out there’s a lot more we can do for our own people back home, too.”

The Peace Corps currently has 36 volunteers from the Tampa Bay area serving overseas, and have joined more than 850 volunteers from the region who have participated since President John F. Kennedy founded the program in 1961.

Right now, however, the Peace Corps needs 1,000 volunteers, and are recruiting. Details can be found online at www.PeaceCorps.gov.