At our school, we have a competitive team that participates in tournament seasons every six months. Students who want to try out for the team have a six-week trial period, and if they don't make it, they have another opportunity in the next season. We don't believe in the "everybody gets a trophy" approach and don't consider fairness a real thing. Instead, we have specific criteria for making the team, including attending at least three classes a week, showing a willingness to learn and being humble in both winning and losing and demonstrating good behavior at home and school.

Some students who are enthusiastic about joining the team may lose their motivation when they realize how much hard work it takes to make the cut. However, we have had students transfer from other gyms because they felt their competition teams weren't strong enough. Those students who don't show the necessary effort and commitment are not going to make the team. Once on the team, we require our students to compete in at least one tournament, but they can choose to compete in more if they wish. If they are first-time competitors, we always recommend they start with Naga, which offers positional-only competitions, allowing them to gain experience without worrying about more advanced techniques.

At our school, we don't force anyone to compete. Our goal is to find ways to help everyone achieve their goals collectively and individually. Whether someone is here for health benefits, self-defense, or competition, we support them. However, if someone wants to compete, they must be willing to prepare seriously, taking a camp approach. We don't allow anyone below white belt three stripe to compete, and every adult who wants to compete is required to commit to a four-week training camp beforehand. During the camp, they must attend a minimum of four classes a week, including a competition class and two technique classes.

Making our competitive team requires hard work, dedication, and commitment. We don't believe in making things "fair" or handing out participation trophies, but instead focus on developing the skills and character of our students. Our approach has led to success in tournaments and helped our students achieve their goals.