Blind Karate Team Competes in Grants Pass

The California School for the Blind Karate team was one of many competing at the West Coast AAU Karate Championships at Grants Pass High School.

"Balance, a lot of balance issues and for competition stances have to be an exact prescribed way to score well in competition so that's a big thing to overcome," says Anthony Daniels the team's coach.

He coaches the students at a martial arts institute in Hayward, California.  He says teaching students who can't see has been challenging, but it's also a lot of fun.

"I have to stretch in the way that I teach, I have to be very descriptive, for instance, my school is bordered by a barbeque restaurant and a chinese restaurant and I constantly say turn to the Chinese restaurant, turn to the barbeque stand."

And it's clear that Anthony is well-liked by his students.

"He's a great coach, he's funny, he tells jokes and stuff, we have fun with him, he's not boring at all," says Alex Hernandez, one of Daniels' students.

Fifteen year-old Alex Hernandez attributes his success in the sport to all his preparation.

"Yeah, I practice and I think about it a lot, I just kind of try different stuff, sometimes they don't work, sometimes they do."

For Alex the goal is simple, to win, but for someof his peers the fun of the sport comes in a different form.

"What's the funnest...umm....I scream hi-ya!"