Eight Rainier Martial Arts students earned prizes in the 2023 City of Destiny Classic in Tacoma on Saturday, Sept. 30. Two students claimed the title of grand champion in their respective divisions.
More than 400 competitors in the tournament, showcasing a variety of martial arts, came from programs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada, among others, to the Greater Tacoma Convention Center to compete for prizes. Fighters are separated into age brackets, and within those age brackets are skill sets: novice, intermediate, advanced and black belt. Fighters competed in traditional and creative forms, traditional and creative weapons and point sparring.
Yelm High School student Preston Persa won the junior grand championship in point sparring, and Shelly Clayburn, 42, won the senior grand championship in point sparring. Persa also took home first place in sparring, while Clayburn earned first place in point sparring and third place in weapons traditional forms. Persa and Clayburn took home gold gloves for their grand championship prize.
The following also earned trophies at the tournament in their respective divisions:
• Lilly Webster — First place in point sparring; first place in weapons traditional forms; second place traditional forms
• Cassiah Gilliland — First place in point sparring
• McCray Webster — First place in point sparring; second place in weapons traditional forms; second place traditional forms
• Stephan Howell — Third place in point sparring
• Soreya Celleri — First place in traditional forms; second place in weapons traditional forms
• Alexandra Ellisor — First place in point sparring; first place in traditional forms
Persa, who has a red belt with a blue stripe, was the first colored belt to win the 13-17 all-belts competition in 10 years.
“I didn’t expect to win it,” Persa said. “It was very fun and enjoyable.”
“It was like a great family environment. There’s often not many people my age to fight, and that’s kind of a bummer,” Clayburn said. “I liked the challenge though.”
Masters Robert Aubrey and Frank Persa train children and adults at Rainier Martial Arts, 307 Center St., and they take great pride in not just their students’ victories, but in their effort and competitiveness.
“Even if they don’t win, they go out there and they do their absolute best. That’s what I’m happy with,” Frank Persa said. “But it’s got to be their best. Sometimes you’re gonna win, and sometimes you’re gonna lose.”
“These kids work twice as hard as everybody else, and they deserve some recognition,” Aubrey added.
Rainier Martial Arts aims to help students “gain rock solid self-confidence, build unshakable self-esteem, and hone razor sharp focus, while adults get fit, improve flexibility and quickly eliminate stress,” according to its website. According to some of the program’s students, it is succeeding in doing so.
“I’ve gained discipline and listening skills. I have better body strength, and this has helped me in other sports, like basketball and track,” Lilly Webster said.
“It has improved my discipline and my overall focus in life,” Celleri said. “I hold myself to a high standard. This is one of my first group sports that I’ve been a part of, and we’re like a family.”
“More people need to try this,” McCray Webster, 8, added.
Gilliland said she became interested in martial arts after watching the film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”
“I’m introverted, and this has helped me be more out of my shell and do different things and push myself,” Gilliland said.
Ellisor, who competed against a black belt as a beginner purple belt with a green stripe during the tournament and was two points away from winning, said she has enjoyed working with Aubrey during her nine months with the program.
“Working with Master Aubrey has been amazing. He is such a force, and he really sees each student for who they are,” she said.
Leora Schmookler, another student at Rainier Martial Arts who competed in the tournament, said she enjoyed learning new techniques and overcoming her nerves.
To learn more about Rainier Martial Arts, visit https://nwtangsoodo.com/.
