By Luke Sheehan
STAR Wars’ villain Darth Vader and Seddon’s Kate Sylvester share some common ground. They both wear masks and they both are pretty handy with a sword-like instrument.
Sylvester’s weapon of choice however is not a lightsabre, but a ‘Shinai’; the sword used in the Japanese sport of Kendo.
Kendo, a Japanese form of martial arts, is a sport where the aim of the game involves hitting one’s opponent in particular parts of the body with the sword (made of bamboo), as well as synchronising mind, mouth and movement.
“There are four targets you can strike,” Sylvester said.
“There’s the head, the right wrist, the torso or there’s a thrust to the throat. So there are only four targets that you can hit that are valid.
“So within that you need to be able to strike, shout and stomp with your right foot all at the same time. So it creates one explosive, powerful cut.”
Kendo translates to ‘way of the sword’ with Sylvester revealing it is as much about martial arts as it is about self-improvement.
“‘Ken’ means sword. And ‘Do’ is like the way, or the road. Through the use of the sword, you can cultivate yourself, and it makes you a better person.”
Sylvester represented Australia at the Kendo World Championships at Brazil in August.
As team captain she led the side to their third consecutive top-eight placing at the tournament, and picked up the Fighting Spirit award along the way.
However, it was the team’s goal to go one better in 2009 and make the top four, which Sylvester said was an ambitious objective.
“Nothing’s impossible, but it is a very high goal to set. In some ways, before we even got to the World Championships, we knew we weren’t going to finish top four.
“From that I learnt the most important thing is being your personal best. Whatever happens is meant to happen.
“So that will be what I set for the next world championships.”
Sylvester said the game’s founders, Japan, and other Asian countries, encourage Australia’s contribution to the traditional discipline.
“Yes, they (the Asian teams) are very supportive, because basically you’re just trying to be your best.
“But when it comes to fighting, behind that mask it doesn’t matter who it is. It’s only their energy, it’s not the person.
“It’s quite difficult to differentiate, but for you to be successful, you have to cut off who’s behind that mask.”
Sylvester said the attitude of Kendo players in Australia was not always about winning and losing.
“The really good thing about Australian Kendo is that we try to use competition as a means to set a goal to improve ourselves, and not to win at all costs or tricky tricks.
“It’s about strengthening our basics, and playing with integrity and honesty.”
Sylvester started playing Kendo after going on a high-school exchange program to Japan at age 15.
“I thought it looked amazing. It’s so exciting with all the noise.
“There’s no other sport or activity like it because the cracking of the Shinai on armour is really loud, and all the stomping and the screaming… it’s pretty exciting.”
It is estimated that 1500 people play Kendo competitively in Australia, and Sylvester said only a small percentage of that number were women; a fact which she hopes to change next year.
“I’m looking at helping to develop future of women’s Kendo, as we’ve got a much smaller pool of women.”
Sylvester said Kendo requires both physical and mental attributes to be successful in combat.
“If you’re scared of being physical with someone, Kendo can be quite overwhelming.”
“I would say (Kendo is) physical when you’re starting, but then it gets more mental. You need to be disciplined to go regularly (to training) so you get better consistently.”
The way to train for Kendo, according to Sylvester, is to practice technique and posture.
“From the outside, it (training) looks very repetitive. But it’s really small things you’re trying to improve, and those small basics make your movements more efficient and effective… As soon as you have a slightly off posture, or your timing is not right, it’s very obvious to see your movement.”
The next World Championships are in Novara, Italy in 2012, but Sylvester’s next target is the National Championships in Melbourne next April.
Expect to see Sylvester use the force in her home town next year, where she will aim to become Australia’s best fighter.
