Martial arts and competition

Back in the days of junior high and high school, I did not participate in sports.  For some reason, I thought that my classmates participated and competed in sports, because he or she not only loved the sport, but excelled in that particular sport.  He or she was a talented, gifted, incredible athlete.  I realize now, that though this is true in many cases, that there are other factors--determination, hard work and motivation.  Another consideration was that  my parents both worked, and I didn't want to impose on them to drive me around the city.  As I grew older (how old, you ask--not tellin'), I began to train in hapkido.  Hapkido is a martial art form using circular self-defense techniques.  I dreamed of entering a competition and winning either a medal or trophy.  My first competition was at my home dojang almost three years ago.  Though as Kenny Chesney would say in his song The Boys of Fall, I had to "batten down those butterflies, I also had fun, and brought three trophies home.  In June, August and September of this year, I participated in tournaments--one of them the World Hapkido Games, and added gold and bronze medals to my collection.