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Definitely! We participate in regional, national, and international ATA competitions and (with permission) open tournaments throughout the various martial arts communities. Region 102W, the region we belong to, hosts five regional tournaments each year (typically in the Chicago, Milwaukee, or Madison areas). There are also two National tournaments (Fall in Orlando, FL and Spring in Las Vegas, NV) and one World Championship (June or July in Little Rock, AR) tournament each year that our students frequently attend. Though tournament participation is not required, it is our believe that these tournaments offer an exciting opportunity for our students to gain invaluable insight on their strengths and weaknesses in addition to getting exposure to other competitive styles.
In general tournaments are not required!  However, we strongly encourage our students to attend at least one tournament before earning their Black Belt. This helps hone one's skills by demonstrating/presenting in front of people [aka 'public speaking' which is an extremely valuable life skill].
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