1) What is your essential question and why? What is your best answer to your question and why?

My essential question is "What is key to winning a karate sparring division?" because coming into senior year I was looking an avid competitor in karate. My senior project was about karate, and as opposed to past years where people have focused on teaching karate, I wanted to focus on the fighting/self-defense aspect of it, as well as find out how to be more successful in my own competition. My best answer to this question was  the use of proper technique because of the fact proper technique is what separates the karate athlete from any other athlete. Proper technique can turn the tide in any situation, and although the other answers help as well, proper technique can help you completely dominate your opponent. With proper technique, you increase your efficiency in the ring, and when it comes to fighting efficiency is very important.

2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Throughout my mentorship I was taught many different things. They involved speed and timing, knowing your opponent, how teaching can help you learn, but nothing covered more ground than the use of proper technique. Over time, I gradually saw that proper technique can really accomplish anything in the ring. It makes your strikes stronger and faster with less effort, and this is really important when the objective is to fight multiple rounds without getting tired. Overall proper technique seemed like the way to go.

3) What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?

Research was a big problem for me. My research was very narrow, including only internet articles. Luckily, Mrs. Pittman/Melogno helped me out by sending me a list of karate books to take a look at, and that helped me expand my research base. Another slight problem was a turn of events that forced me to change my independent component two. My original independent component two was to compete at the biggest national karate tournament in southern California, which would have required hours of preparation. Unfortunately because of family matters, I had to change it to 30 additional mentorship hours.

4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My two most significant sources include my mentor and another one of my karate instructors. As for a printed source my most important source is the book "Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting: Part 3".  My mentor is obviously one of my most significant sources because of the fact that a majority of the hands on learning I did throughout my senior project was taught to me by him, as well as my other instructor. The book was very important to me, due to the fact that it gave me plenty of research with substance. Unlike many karate books, it went into detail on everything it said and provided information that many other sources didn't provide.

5) What is your product and why?

My product is my newfound preparation and confidence. Due to the fact that there is a huge skill difference between the youth and adult divisions, this is much needed preparation. Throughout my senior project I have picked up so much information on winning a sparring division, and I believe that this has prepared me to get into the ring and win. Hopefully I will be prepared for the adult sparring division, and this can lead to me being successful as an adult karate practitioner.