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By John Streit
Correspondent
VIRGINIA BEACH
For the past two years, Craig Smith could see the potential.
He was the head promoter and operator of Columbus, Ohio's, Arnold Sports Festival - an event founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He figured a similar event based in Virginia Beach would be a hit.
And next month the groundwork will be laid for an event that could rival the size and scope of The Arnold in years to come.
But first, Smith - along with promotions company Fighter's Corner International - will host the U.S. Classic Martial Arts Festival, which will take over the grand ballroom of the Westin Town Center hotel Jan. 29 and 30.
"There are so many positives with what we can do here," said Smith, who also owns Oceana's Craig Smith Kickboxing. "There are more hotels than Columbus with more things to do. There are more restaurants, better weather - overall a better atmosphere."
The inaugural event is planned to expand into the U.S. Classic Sports Festival of Virginia Beach in 2011 and beyond by adding several other sports such as body building, weight lifting, running, cheerleading and more.
But first, the martial arts event will effectively serve as a barometer to gauge the interest of local corporate sponsors and the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitor s Bureau. According to John Babb, the project's director of operations and liaison to the city, the bureau's officials are very interested in helping the event fulfill its potential to become one of the largest sporting events in the country.
"Our goal with the city, as well, is for this to grow into a big off-season event," said Babb, who was connected with Smith by fellow Fighter's Corner partner Jerry Rodriguez. "In the January time frame, there's generally nothing going on that would draw a large crowd to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront."
And through the networking of Craig Smith, a longtime regional and national martial arts event promoter, the U.S. Classic is off to a running start.
As of Dec. 4, between 200 and 250 fighters covering four martial arts disciplines - karate, Muay Thai/low-kick kickboxing, full-contact kickboxing and mixed martial arts - are projected to compete in the professional/amateur event. More than 125 of those are expected to travel from outside the region to participate, with teams coming from as far away as Texas and New York.
According to Babb and Smith, those numbers should bring up to about 1,200 spectators to the Westin.
Smith added that the combative nature of the sports shouldn't impede the event's family atmosphere. Each discipline will be sanctioned by national governing bodies, and safety will be the top priority for competitors, they said.
"This won't be what you normally think of when you think of mixed martial arts like UFC with guys just beating on each other," Babb said.
John Streit, vb.beaconsports@yahoo.com
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GREAT Promotion By Mr. Craig Smith
I am a Mom of a Local Kickboxing Team and I want to Thank Craig Smith for doing an Outstanding Job on his latest Kickboxing/MMA promotional event. The U.S.Classic held in Va. Beach Jan. 29th and 30th had a Record breaking Snow Storm and the show went on without being slowed down or stopped due to weather. There was NOTHING in this area or the Entire East Coast going on that weekend due to the record snow storm that hit the whole East Coast. Mr. Craig Smith's hard work and efforts to keep the show going on, gave many kids including my own who trained so hard to show their skills were able to do so that weekend.
Its a shame someone has put a blog about Mr. Smith and why he should be blamed for a slow start. The CITY OF VA. BEACH SHOULD BE THANKFUL for the show going on. Without Craig Smith my own child and many others would have trained for so many months for nothing. The City should be PROUD of one of its own who promotes such great shows here in our City.
More Craig Smith Lies
Here we go again. My son trains for the opportunity to compete in what we are told is an organized event just to be let down. In my opinion Craig Smith should find another line of work. How does the city let him get away with such terrible events? The Weston was a very nice place to have the fights. Great location, nice staff, so I figured this time it would be great. I was wrong. Started late and was unorganized. From the outside it was beautiful, until the actual event began. I could not even get a fight for my son! You would think with the big sponsors (even if they were almost all beer) they had it would be a bit more organized. Take my advice... don't attend a Craig Smith kick boxing event. You and your child will be let down. I even tired to get an autograph from Joe Lewis and was made to feel bad because we did not buy anything from him booth. This is a World Champion? I should have known if he agreed to be at this event he was not what he used to be. The snow helped this event. Without the snow there would be more upset families.
More lies Craig Smith
I agree with previous post. Craig Smith should truly find another line of work! He only cares about how much money he can make and not the welfare of his students or any fighters at these tournaments. Craig Smith should be ashamed of himself and the lies he tells. Don't waste your money people!
Reply to Personal Attack on Craig Smith
It seems that who ever wrote the Blog above attacking Craig Smith has a personal issue with Craig. Maybe this is not the place to resolve any issues with him. I do know that my daughter was there as well and she had a match sometime around mid-day. I too waited for the event to start, considering the RECORD breaking Snow Storm, placing ANY blame on ANY one person or Promoter of this event is unfair to say the least.
I have been to several of Craig's events and they always start on time. I am from Northern Va. and my daughter trains with a coach that thinks very highly of Craig. He has been doing these shows for years and if I am not mistaken, he has on several occasions broken records for attendance and fighter participation. As for your son not having a fight, I believe Craig said in a parent-coaches meeting he had with our coach and team, that over (100) fighters were not going to make it due to the snow storm. Many of these fighters he said were from Texas and Ohio I believe. I was worried that my daughter would not have a fight but I surely would not have blamed Craig Smith. As for Mr. Lewis of which you said did not have the time to sign an autograph for him, your son. I will
City of Va. Beach should be Proud of Craig Smith
As stated in earlier Blog, Mr. Smith and Mr. Lewis had no blame for the HISTORY making snow storm that hit Va. Beach the noght before their show. For the person who placed a blog stating that Mr.Smith LIED seems to have personal issues with Mr. Smith. How could you blame a late start on ANYONE considering the FOOT of snow outside still falling the morning of the Tournament. I believe he did the right thing by waiting an extra 30 minutes or an hour to get started to try and allow everyone who signed up or who had already regsitered to get to the show.
We have been to many of Mr. Smith's events and we have also been to many of the WAKO and IKF events. Mr. Craig Smith and his events are much better then all the rest. USA Boxing gives out Medals only to Winners, nothing to losers. The other Sanctioning bodies only give out Belts to Winners of divisions that have more then two fighters. The Belts that Mr. Smith gave out are the nicest Belts we have seen and he gave them out to EVERYONE. As for Mr. Joe Lewis, he was there to sign autographs, why would he not sign an autograph for your son? I believe that what the person said in an earlier blog about Joe Lewis not signing his sons autog
As Valid a Sport as Those That Involve Balls and Shoes
All schools should provide some form of martial arts training be it Aikido, Tai Chi, or Boxing. There are as many forms of structured training as there are schools in this region. The independent martial arts training schools tend to turn some off since they involve contracts and monetary committments by applicants. Much like surfing, which in its purest form is also a martial art, the stress is placed on the individual not the team. Personal accountability is paramount in that constant and serious training is required, learing strange and unique techniques are not easily acquired, and one must have constant and deep respect for the teachers, associates, and opponents - all. Promoting the hit, punch, kick aspects is fine for the time, but all that is the final result of seeking excellence on a personal level over many years or decades. As Sensi Sapp once said in class a couple of decades ago - Perfect Practice Makes Perfect - another 200 sit-ups please!
Great Idea But...
I agree that offering martial arts training in schools as a club activity would be a great idea. Kids get conditioning and learn disipline etc. but the schools will never allow it. They are afraid that the first time a student uses their training to defend themselves on campus, they will get sued by the idiot who instigated the conflict.
"The school taught Johnny how to kick my son's backside, we suffered so pay us damages".
Education Without a Spine
Comment noted, but personal conduct within our school system has degraded markedly since the PC weenies removed both prayer and the Pledge of Allegance from the daily start to classes. Besides, the skilled practicioner (sp) will always seek avoidance of meaningless conflict instead of combat. If such actions are truly necessary the fallout should be minimal and besides, the other person just happened to meet the locker at the wrong time or perhaps just mis-stepped and fell across the item in the hallway.