The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 23, 1980, Page Page 10, Image 10
Sports^M
Mike Ge
it i
/a cnamp
By Mike Chibbaro
Sports Editor
There are a lot of self-proclaimed, boardbreaking,
brick-smashing masters of karate
in this world. Very few of them, however,
really deserve to be called masters.
And then there are others who have
devoted their lives to the advancement anH
development of karate. These are the true
masters.
Mike Genova, a 27-year old USC student
and owner of the Genova Karate Studio on
Rosewood Drive, is presently the secondranked
light heavyweight karate point
fighter in the nation. He is featured on the
cover of the latest issue of Karate Illustrated.
His success as a fighter along with the
respect he has gained as an instructor of
American karate make Genova one of the
most well-known fitflirpc in th*? Irarato
world.
"My main purpose in
karate is to let the public
know that karate is not
breaking boards or bricks,
but it's learning how to
defend yourself"
Mike Genova
Despite his popularity and success,
Genova still doesn't fell comfortable being
referred to as a "master of karate," and he
doubts the prestigious title will ever fit.
"I'd never want to be called a master
because that means I think I'm perfect and I
know I'm not perfect," the personable
Columbia native said. "In order for me to
become a master, I'm going to have to do
something to make me an immortal ? like
start a whole new fight style or something."
While Genova may, at least in his own
mind, never become a master of karate, he
is already a master of understanding. He
understands the meaning and significance
of karate. He understands the proper role
which karate must play in today's society.
He understands Mike Genova.
"My main purpose in karate is to let the
public know that karate is not breaking
I 1 ? t * '
uoarus or oricKS, dui it's learning how to
defend yourself."
GENOVA, whose school has produced
seven national champions, elaborated on
some of the common misconceptions about
karate.
"Anybody can break a board or brick.
There are a lot of tricks people use to do that
and that's why you'll never see me breaking
any boards or bricks," he explained.
"Whenever you see anybody breaking
State rivals
By Liz Chandler there in the
staff writer Martino said.
Working with a young and first game ga
inexperienced team, (JSC the upper ham
volleyball coach Judy and by the tin
Martino expected to have a the third gai
rebuilding season this year, nothing to lose
So far, however, the season The secom
has not lived up to her ex- Monday nij
pectations. (Jlemson in
This past week, the Lady match. Caroli
Gamecocks suffered match off by
disappointing losses at the Tigers 15-11
hands of two strong state game, hut Cle
rivals. next three roi
10, and 15-8.
THE FIRST LOSS came
on Thursday to the College of "The team*
Charleston. Plavine a best matched," IV
three out of five match, "Clemson just
Charleston defeated away. They bl
Carolina in the first three a?d picked up <
games, 15-5,17-15, and 15-8. should've I
"We weren't even out psyched t
The Intramural poll
will be in Friday's pat
I
nova
ion of karate,
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kick. (Photo by John Parne//)
bricks, don't be impressed because they are '
usually soaking them in water overnight I
and then drying the outside of them with a
hair dryer. It really makes them crumble." <
And so what constitutes real karate? (
"When a guy gets out there in the ring and
fights ? that's karate," Genova said.
"When I teach a girl karate and then she
goes up to USC and some guy grabs her and
she kicks him in the knee and pops him in
the face and runs to protect herself from
getting raped ? that's karate."
Genova, who is seeking a degree in health
education at USC, got his start in karate
shortly after graduating from high school. It
was a rather unique beginning. "My
roommate, Bruce Brutchy, was in karate
and I was racing motorcycles at the time,"
Genova recalled. "He was going to Los
Angeles to fight in a karate tournament and
I wanted to go to Los Angeles, but 1 didn't
know anything about karate. So I flew out
there with him and on the airplane, he
started showing me some techniques and
when we got there I fought."
"I lost my first match, but I did pretty
well and the next weekend I came back and
won my first match, but lost my second.
Hniun Pami
VIVWII ^/UJL V/J
first game," THE GAMECOCKS depend
"Winning the largely on their spiking
ve Charleston attack, according to Mari
in the second tino. When the opposition is
ne we reached picking up the spikes and
ne, they had blocking most of them, the
defense has to be ready,
i loss came Carolina's defense was too
ght against slow against Clemson,
a four game although their passing and
na started the setting has imnrnvori
0 r - ? -? J
defeating the Martinosaid.
in the first The state match which
mson won the determines the college team
jnds 15-13, 15- to advance to the regional
tournament, has Martino
concerned. Carolina and
> are evenly Clemson are the only state
lartino said. schools that will compete in
kept plugging the large college division
ocked us a lot tournament.
mr spikes. We
ippn mnrf* P/v- ? ^ ?
~ rui uic aecisuii, Carolina t
o play." has a 2-1 match lead over '
Clemson. 1
"Both teams will be
r nervous in the State tourS
nament and right now the i
match up is even," Martino ]
oer I said. "It's up to whoever
perserveres. Clemson feels <
good about winning it last ]
n
a master ojw
ys the proper form for a back hook
rhen I kept fighting and I wen the third
:ournament I was in."
AC A FinilTITII rionmiQ ic o nloirnf
i i m a 1^11 i jljii, viviiuvu 10 u viv/vvi
strategist. He likes to tease and taunt his
opponent. In the ring, he's always on the
move ? waiting for just the right moment to
attack.
"I'm a defensive fighter," he confessed.
"I was just a good fighter <at one time, so I
tried to analyze what my mistakes were and
then 1 realized that it wasn't necessarily
what I was doing wrong, but I saw that I
wasn't capitalizing on what other people
were doing wrong.
"I noticed that when people attacked
other people that they were opening
themselves up a lot," he said. "So using a
videotape machine, I learned how to create
counter-offensive moves to score on these
openings."
Genova's karate style is strikingly similar
to the style of boxing which Muhammed Ali
displayed during the prime of his career.
"I'll circle the ring and let you think that
I'm running, and when you try to attack me
I'll have something up rny sleeve."
Competitive karate is an action-packed,
tension-filled sport. A fighter must always
lina Bas
year so they'll be psyched." lfl ?
n ncrvi f Knit* ? A
iy V/Opi 11IU1I lUaillg
record, the team's morale is
still good, according to >
Martino. "The team is
skilled enough, but ? ..
something is lacking. We've rp j /!
tried everything, all combinations,
but different the 1980-81 sq
people are messing up at ?
different times," she said. !]en!iy Atkins
"We make too many mental Needy,
errors." j
Tim * 1 ATKINS, ?
me itaui win u dvei 10 last vear's t
College Park, Maryland this on Nastopou
weekend to compete in the Sophomon
University of Maryland George's Coi
Invitational. Because the native Reed
tournament promises to teamdespite
offer strong competition, p
Martino believes it could be Carolina fc
a turning point for the in aclion s'
Gamecocks. Last year, th t Q|
Carolina finished fifth out of 1(l.(lft!.m
a 20-team field in this event. iw.oua.m. ai
"We're looking forward to Nov'V^hhthe
tournament in panels Xav
Maryland," Martino said. Th .. .
"Practice looks fine, I just Mrtworiri. ? 0,
Xlem."my fi"ger ?n 'he
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f ai'VIS rVIII IVJ
be alert, constantly on guard for that one
move that could leave him sprawled out on
the mat. Genova, however, says he is very
relaxed in the ring. His coolness and
composure are big advantages that he
maintains over many of his challengers.
"I don't get butterflies when I fight/'
Genova said. "I move constantly in the ring
and it releases tension. Most stationary
fighters get real nervous and intimidated."
GENOVA ALSO has a proper perspective
on competition and winning. "I want to win
and I do my best, but I don't take it as a life
or death situation," he said. "If I lose, I'll
shake your hand and we'll go eat a steak
afterwards."
Genova, who has worked as an enforcer ol
sobriety at some local night spots in
Columbia, admitted there have been times
when he has had to use his karate skills
7 want to win and / do
my best, but / don't take it
as a life or death situation.
If / lose, I'll shake your hand
and well go eat a steak
afterwards."
Mike Genova
outside the ring. "I've been in a lot of street
situations," he said. "When two guys get
ready to fight each other and you jump in
between them, you had better have a lot of
confidence in your ability to make them
stop."
Genova has earned over 200 trophies and
numerous cash prizes for his feats in the
ring, but his most meaningful thrills he said,
have come outside the ring. "Two of the
biggest thrills I've ever had in karate were
? going into a newstand in San Francisco
where some kids ran up to me and they
knew my name and who I was. They even
knew how to pronouce my name correctly,
and Genova isn't an easy name to
pronounce.
"The other one was when I was fighting in
Minnesota this year and I saw some kids
who had my name on the back of their
uniforms and one little kid had a fu-man-chu
painted on his face. It was a big thrill for me
because it was like I was their idol."
How does Genova view such admiration?
"That's better than any trophy or cash I've
urnrt TW of'p ?-*11 ~
vtvi nun, 1 uul o wiuu 11 S Ull dUUUl clIIU
that's what makes it all worthwhile."
It's statements like that which make the
title of master seem so appropriate for Mike
Genova. Even if he won't admit it himself.
ketballteam
les walk-ons
By Richard Meyers i
Assistant Sports Editor
oasketball coach Bill Foster announced
names of the four walk-ons who have made
|uad.
/ors of the four day tryout sessions are
s, Chris Nastopoulos, Terry Small and Jim
i 5-11 sophomore guard, was a member of
mm, a spot which he also earned as a walkilos
is a 6-7 freshman from Atlantn r.n
i Terry Small, a 6-0 guard from Prince
jnty, Va., made the team, as did Columbia
v. A 6-6 sophomore, Reedy made the
never having played high school basketball.
ins will get their first chance to see the team
aturdav when the Gamecocks hold
yen to the public scrimmage beginning at j
the Carolina Coliseum.
RE scrimmages are scheduled before the
ning game, an exhibition contest with St.
ier of Nova Scotia.
regular season game will be played on
8, when USC travels to Bowling Green, Ky.,
e in the Western Kentucky Classic.