Axsom's Army Nets 30 medals at AAU Nationals

The Axsom Dojo finished out their 2020 competition campaign on a positive note, netting 30 medals at the 2020 AAU National Championships and Team Trials. 

Due to the COVID-19 virus, the championships, which were supposed to take place in July, and then again in October of 2020 at the ESPN Wild World of Sports in Orlando, FL was reconfigured, as the AAU organized a Virtual Online National Championships where competitors and coaches could video submit entries for the following categories: Kata (Empty Hand Forms), Kobudo (Weapons Forms), Team Kata, Family Kata, and Team Kobudo. 

This format was a first for the Newport News based dojo, but Axsom's Army was steadfast and undeterred, as it competed in this first-ever virtual national championships. Below are the results spread from among four teams for Team Kata.

TEAM Kata:

18-34-year-olds: Will Whitaker, Austin Galeski, and Shaun Coles (SILVER Medal/Cup); Ryan Sigsbee, Anna Deller, and Jabari Smith (GOLD Medal/Cup) 

15-16-year-olds: Brett Fallen, Alex Tomaino, and Braeden Monroe; Miranda Chellis Martinez, Daniela Chellis Martinez, and Maimouna Ouattara

13-14-year-olds: Hunter Feicht, Matthew Thomas, and Joe Fuscia (GOLD Medal/Cup)

9-10-year-olds: Conner Strickland, Amari Mathews, and Jalyn Wilks (Bronze Medal/Cup).

Kata Results:

18-34-year-old Male - Austin Galeski (Bronze Medal)

15-16-year-old Male - Alex Tomaino (Silver Medal); Brett Fallen (Bronze Medal)

5-6-year-old Male - Daniel Carney (Bronze Medal)

Kobudo Results:

18-34-year-old Male LONG Kobudo Advance (Bo and Eaku) - Austin Galeski (Silver Medal); Will Whitaker (Bronze Medal)

18-34-year-old Male SHORT Kobudo Advance (Sai, Tonfa, Kama, Nunchaku) - Austin Galeski (Bronze Medal)

18-34-year-old Female LONG Kobudo Advance - Jessica Sigsbee (Bronze Medal)

18-34-year-old Female SHORT Kobudo Advance - Jessica Sigsbee (Silver Medal)

15-16-year-old Male Novice - Brett Fallen (Silver Medal); Alex Tomaino (Bronze Medal)

13-14-year-old Male Intermediate - Joe Fuscia (Bronze Medal)

11-12-year-old Male Beginner - Ryan Wartell (GOLD Medal)

9-10-year-old Male Beginner - Moustapha Ouattara (Bronze Medal)

9-10-year-old Female Beginner - Coley Carney (Bronze Medal) 

7-8-year-old Female Beginner - Shianne Medlin (GOLD Medal)

5-6-year-old Male Beginner - Daniel Carney (GOLD Medal)

In total, the dojo had 23 total competitors and brought home a total of 30 medals for team and individual events.