[GarryPaterson]

seeing how many successful kendoka have all started very early (at around or before 10 years of age), would it be too late to start at around maybe 17 or so and still be competitive?

[pesty4077]

No.

Who cares though.

[babopeddy]

Being in the US, 17 is a young age anyways. If you practice hard, then you can still be as good as someone who started early. If you want to become good very much, and you work toward that goal, then you will get to that point.

[Buyingtime]

Competitive ability can mean a lot of things. Will you be able to be competitive at the All Japan Tournaments... no. Will you be able to be competitive at your local tournaments... yes, with diligent training. And will you be competitive and have a chance to be on your country's World Kendo Championship team... yes, but with lots more training and dilligence. Everyone can be competitive, but the level of the tournament you enter will determine how competitive you can be. Enjoy the different divisions they set up in local tournaments so the newbies can have some fair, balanced play. Once you hit the open division (the whatever minimum dan and everything else up category) then the cruelty of facing opponents far, far beyond you will kick in. Train hard so you can be competitive when you reach that level. I will cry when I do, but work even harder after the depression lifts...