WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO WIN
Tournament karate has been around, in one form or another, for nearly 70 years. To many martial artists, it represents the pinnacle of skill development, but it’s never really appeared on the radar of sports fans. That could change as we approach 2020, the year karate will make its long-anticipated entry into the Olympic Games. No one is more ready to take advantage of that opportunity — and more willing to share his secrets — than Tom Scott, one of America’s most successful traditional karate competitors.
The Texas-based martial artist has practiced karate since his mother took him to a local wado-ryu school when he was 8. All she hoped for was that her son would gain self-confidence, but he wound up falling in love with the Japanese style.
“Karate just stole my heart,” Scott said. “My instructors became my heroes and my best friends. Also, I found early on that being in an individual sport suited me better than a team sport. I was directly in charge of my own progress and my success in competition. It was all in my own hands.”
WISE WAYS
At the tender age of 13, Scott
