Martial Arts tourney

Forty-six students from Van Wert, Ottawa-Glandorf, and Greenville schools competed in a tournament hosted by 540 Martial Arts at the S.F. Goedde Building this past Saturday. Participants, who ranged in age from 5 to 16 years-old and from white to brown belts, entered six events, including kumite (sparring), chimbara (sword fighting), and kata (forms). Local sponsors include Straightline Body and Paint, Home Health Solutions, Wallace Plumbing, Statewide Ford Lincoln, State Farm Insurance-Tisha Fast, Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home, Van Wert Federal, K & L Concrete, Cooper Foods, Lee Kinstle’s GM Sales & Service, Advanced Grain Systems, Leland Smith Insurance, Taylor Auto Sales, Kathy Williams Tail Extensions, NAPA Auto Parts, Fricker’s, Pizza Hut, Quick Change, Taylor Chiropractic, Bob Evans, Dairy Queen, Laudick’s Jewelry, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Auto Zone, Ace Hardware, Fettig’s Flowers, Nicko’s Pizza, Greve, US Bank, Rhoades Insurance, F & S Floor Covering, Subway, Citizens National Bank, Hickory Sticks Golf Club, Sycamore Ice Cream, Collins Fine Foods, Touch of Grace, Family Video, First Financial Bank, GenX Training Studio, Adam Stemen-Verizon Wireless, Scarpelli Family, DeShia, Van Wert Manor, Edward Jones, Brookside Convenience Store, McCoy’s Flowers, Total Reflections, China Town Express, and The Embroidery Coop. (photo submitted)