How the WKC Works?
 

Ok I've wondered about this a long time, who selects the US Kendo team, does the USA actually recognize the US Kendo team or is it just a bunch of people the AUSKF chooses to represent the US? Since in Kumdo they do not do the sonkyo, when Korean fights the US or Japan do they not do the sonkyo and the other team does or what? What other countries participate? I tried looking on the USA and AUSKF sites but they don't say anything about my questions. How much money do the people on National Kendo Teams make and who pays them?

if i am correct they arent paid at all. but im not 100% sure.

Yeh they aren't paid, but, I would love to know if they get any type of backing for travel and equipment? I would think they get atleast that much.

You are unlikely to get the selection process from a public forum/website. Your best bet is to be in contact with the AUSKF directly or talk to people trying out.

Not sure what your getting at with "USA actually recognize the US Kendo team". You do realise that Kendo is not as high profile as Grid Iron or Base Ball . And even in those sports you would have the governing body pick the best side to represent their sport on Joe blow off the Street.

World Champs are run according to FIK rules. That means you will go into Sonkyo even if your National body rules for shiai differ.

$0, Kendo is not a profressional sport. People might get subdies, and teams may get grants. but I doubt (would be really surprised) anyone makes any money.

Oh well thanks for answering.

west tryouts
east tryouts
combo tryouts
and top 20 tryouts

they get free stuff.

they don’t get $hit from the government

they don’t get paid

US team
kendo is the easy part, its giving up your "life" that’s hard.
is kendo more important than your gf/wife?
is kendo more important than your career?
is kendo more important than your kids?

if you can put these things on hold
great! go for it!

I like football, basketball, baseball, beer, work, gf, and the beach way more than kendo.

Last tryouts I made it to the last round with only practicing once a week through out the whole tryout process. kendo is the easy part, giving up your life is a great sacrifice, one that I don't want to make. I am not looking down on those who can make the sacrifice, but I don’t think it’s up there with the Peace Corps or volunteer work.
When sacrifices are concerned, to each his own

If you guys are thinking about being on the team, see how you stack up at the nationals (yudassha division). That’s a pretty good way to evaluate whether or not you should tryout.

if you're a kendo teacher i dont the think its really much of a sacrifice.

Typically, there are tryout shiai where people compete and the winner is let into or is elgible for the US team. Then there is the AUSKF Championships where the winner is let on the team if he is citizen. Tryouts are usually East Coast/West Coast deals so people in the middle have to fly out to them and win to get on the team.

As far as US recognizing the team... if you consider the US as the body of people who do kendo (since many others probably don't know what kendo is) then you can say the US recognizes them as they have beat everyone else in the selection process.

The team does not get paid but travel and expenses are probably covered by AUSKF bank money (ie: membership money from the individual federations). Also, I am sure they get jackets and other high-dollar goodies paid for by you and me (being USA federation members). I wouldn't be surprised if they get bogu purchased for them through USA kendo equipment "sponsors". Anyway, that is what I think I know. Take it how you like.

I don’t think any sckf head instructors are trying out for the team.
including me

Really? You should give it a go sometime.

There's no such thing as a full-time kendo "teacher", or at least there are only very few. Most sensei have normal full-time jobs and teach Kendo in their free time.

Think before you post, will you? http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Count me in!

I would be surprised if they got bogu. The Canadian team got zekken, hakama, keikogi, shinai bags and team jackets but I think they might have had to chip in. I know they had to chip in towards travel costs, although that was somewhat subsidized.

Team membership is a huge commitment of time, effort and personal finances, especially if you don't live near where the team practices are held.

For 2006 the AUSKF spent $123,000 on travel expenses. The bulk of that would have been for the WKC.

So, the whole team of 12(?) got that travel to Thaiwan almost for free then? http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

Most countries (espcially us) dont recieve anything, in fact we all need to fork up thousands just to get there ourselves, not alone costs of training, seminars etc.

This year i got the first every bit of sponsorship in irish kendo history (i think)..... €200 from my employer, with that i ordered 20 T-Shirts.

Most other countries have it pretty good http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/frown.gif

Expenses would have been for the team, coaches and may have included the shinpan from the U.S. Most, if not all of the travel expenses were probably covered.

Hahaha, I am so stupid. I missed a zero. I thought it said $123.00 which makes much more sense. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Note: A comma (,) would have delimited whole dollars from fractions of dollars if written in swedish. Might be good to know to avoid future mistakes http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

I am actually quite schocked that the AUSKF had that kind of money to spend. Good for you http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Last I heard, ASUKF has like $500,000+ in the bank for a rainy day.

At the end of 2006 they had $469,499 per the tax statement. Dues for 2007 would add $150,000 or more.