Tennessee, The Place to Be

          The LM Karate Academy once again strutted their stuff at the AAU (Amatuer Athletic Union), Jr. Olympic Games in Knoxville, Tennessee on July 27^th and 28^th.  “We brought six of our top National Competitors”, states Shihan Rob Silverman, “and they all medaled in the top three at the Jr. Olympic Games.”  

          The Jr. Olympic Games are held each year always at a different location and every sport is represented there.  Coaches in each sport bring their top athletes to compete against one another in their respective sport.  Athletes come from all over the country and some come from over sees as well. 

          Along with the intense competition, an award is given out each year, in each sport to honor “Outstanding Athletic Performance” by an athlete.  It recognizes both athletic ability and sportsmanship in the ring.  The Joel Ferrell Award is the highest honor an athlete can receive at the AAU Jr. Olympic Games.  Joel Ferrell was a prominent figure in AAU Sports.  He passed away in 1988.  Each year at the Jr. Olympic Games one male and one female athlete in each sport receives this great award.

          This years’ male recipient in Karate was LM Karate Academy’s 7 year-old Gage Silverman.  “AAU informed me that they had been watching Gage’s performance and his medal count over the past year and chose him as the Joel Ferrell recipient.”  Gage is the youngest male athlete to ever win this award in Karate.  Gage was honored with a beautiful glass plaque at the Jr. Olympic Games and his name will be engraved on a wall with all the other past and present Joel Ferrell Award winners located at the AAU Headquarters right outside of Walt Disney World.  We are all really proud of Gage.  Keep up the awesome work LM Karate. 

Jr. Olympic Game results:

Joey Kubistek: 1^st Place Weapons, 2^nd Place Kata, 3^rd Place Kumite

Amber Lyon:  1^st Place Kumite

Lauren Skidmore; 3^rd Place Weapons 3^rd Place Kata

Kesley Silverman: 2^nd Place Weapons, 1^st Place Kata, 2^nd Place Kumite

Shannon Clarke:    2^nd Place Weapons, 2^nd Place Kata, 1^st Place Kumite

Gage Silverman: 2^nd Place Weapons, 1^st Place Kata, 1^st Place Kumite