Guelph Family Martial Arts brings home nine Canadian titles at Provincial Championships

NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH FAMILY MARTIAL ARTS COMPETITION
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Guelph Family Martial Arts Competition travelled to the Canadian Martial Arts Championships and Ontario Provincial Championships in Burlington, Ontario. The event drew top competitors throughout the country and into the United States, bringing 9 Canadian Titles back to Guelph.  

The team is coached by the Nathan and Sophie Skoufis, the area’s most well-known instructors and multiple time world champions and owners of Guelph Family Martial Arts.

Head Instructor and Team Coach Nathan Skoufis said “It is a difficult competition that draws many of the top competitors throughout the country. It is an event I first competed at in 2007, which at that time was in the Hamilton Convention Centre. It is an awesome experience having your own students compete and going through that journey with them. They all trained so hard for the event, I am so proud of them. It is really rewarding for me as a coach and is a unique opportunity to help these athletes towards achieving their goals in combating fear, anxiety, self- doubt among other aspects. I am really fortunate. I know what a great coach did for me in my competition career, my mom Sophie has been coaching me around the world since I was around 10 years old and has been a mentor in my martial arts journey from age 6 when I started. They should all be very proud, as they have represented the community so well on the national stage."

Nathan Skoufis is a 16x World Champion, 5th degree black belt and has worked with UFC Fighters and Olympians. 

The team trained for months in preparation for the event.

Results were as follows:

Justin Tu:

• Gold 15-17-year-old boys sparring 

Emily Ortolan:

• Gold 15-17-year-old girls sparring 

Matylda Daza:

• Gold 18-34 years old women’s sparring

Rob Pisciuneri:

• Gold 18-34 years old men’s sparring

 Feng Lee:

• Gold 35+ years old men’s weapons
• Gold 35+ years old men’s Sparring
• Silver 35+ years old men’s kata

 Erin Grant:

• Gold 18-34 years old women’s kata
• Gold 18-34 years old women’s weapons
• Gold 18-34 years old women’s sparring

The team will next be in action in London, Ontario.

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