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embers of a local karate Mclub will be defending Canada‘s interests at the 2007 CanAM Karate Challenge. And three of them have more in common than black belts â€" the highest level achieved in karate, Lorenza, Julian and Silvana Shamuon are siblings. They also help run the Shamuon Generation of Martial Arts Club in Waterloo with their father, Tom. This isn‘t the first time the sibâ€" lings are competing together in the event. But they‘re hoping that they‘ll help Team Canada capture the title in Erie, Pa. Aug. 3â€"4. Last year, Team America won the junior and adult elite cateâ€" gories, but the previous year Team Canada won the adult elite event. Local martial artists want to win one for Canada Lorenza, 20, has been training since she was four. She‘s the coâ€" owner of Shamuon Generation of Martial Arts Club and works there full time. So when she‘s not pracâ€" tising, she‘s teaching karate to other students. "This year Team Canada wants to get it back," said Lorenza. To qualify for Team Canada,. they go through several rounds of tryouts. But to be on the elite team, the minimum requirement is they have to have a black belt. "You have to be able to have the stamina to keep going because rounds go for one minute and you get a 30â€"second break to talk to your coach before you go back in for another minute," said Lorenza. In selecting team members judges look at their skill level. And ’]:1he Waterloo peewee Tigers will have an opportunity over the next few weeks to do something only a few teams have done in the history of Waterloo baseball. They‘ll have a chance to qualify for the upcoming national chamâ€" pionships in Quebec this weekend before playing in the prestigious Lions CNE Pee Wee baseball tourâ€" nament later in August. Peewee Tigers try to recapture some baseball history By Laura MELNYCK Chronicle Staff _ By Bos VrBaNAC _Chronicle Staff Lorenza Shamuon and her brother Julian practise their forms last Saturday in preparation for the 2007 CanAm Karate Challenge where they are trying to reclaim the title for Team Canada. Just how hard is it to achieve a sweep of those two events? Ask the Tigers‘ manager Jason Marciniak, who accomplished that rare feat in 1986. The only other team to do that was the Waterloo Peewee team from the late 1990s featuring playâ€" ers like Mike Roeder, Mike Andrulis and others who went on to win a national championship. So how close is this group of Tigers to earning their own stripes? Marciniak, who inherited the coaching mantle from his dad SPORTS the lineup. I don‘t think there‘s any other club that can say that." "One through nine, the guys are consistently hitting over .300 no matter who we put in â€"Jason Marciniak Waterloo Peewee Tigers‘ manager Gary, a local coaching legend who passed away a couple of years ago, said his team is one of the top 5 squads in the province. "A lot of other clubs have a stud player, but we don‘t," said the younger Marciniak. "But what makes us good is that we‘re a lot more balanced than the other clubs. "One through nine, the guys are consistently hitting over .300 no matter who we put in the lineâ€" up. I don‘t think there‘s any other club that can say that." The challenge at the upcoming JENNIFER ORMSTON PAOTO WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, August 1, 2007 * 21 www.vwwaterioo.com participants can only compete in one event during the competition. Julian, 16, is captain of junior boys sparring, and Silvana, 14, is captain of junior girls weapons. | Lorenza will be sparring for Team Canada along with David Santos, 16, of Waterloo, who‘s new to the team this year. Sparring involves concentration and speed and you have play it smart when facing an opponent on the mat, said Santos. Santos has been involved in martial arts for eight years, and credits his coach Tom for everyâ€" thing he knows. He was recruited by Team Canada after participating in a tryâ€" out in London earlier this year. He eventually gets to the point where he doesn‘t have to think about what he‘s doing â€" it‘s instinctual â€" he just reacts to his opponent. The hardest part is "just trying to be an allâ€"around (martial artist), making sure we‘re good at every single aspect of anything that will come to us," said Lorenza. To improve his skills in sparâ€" ring, he does a lot of repetition of his moves. Lorenza also attributes much of her success in karate to her father, Tom, who‘s been coaching for more than 30 years. "It‘s great because it‘s someone who can push you to your limits. who really knows you well," she said. Although karate is a large part of the Shamuon‘s life, Lorenza said she and her siblings aren‘t treated any differently than the Continued on page 23 "We‘re right in that mix," he said. And while scoring runs is the Tigets forte, preventing them is a strength too. Especially when the bats can go cold during a short tournament, that‘s when pitching and defence can carry a team through. "We‘ve put a lot of our focus on Continued on page 27 national qualifier will come from squads like Georgetown, London, Mississauga and Windsor. s CLICK HERE Volkswagen New & Certified Preâ€"owned Cors Volkswagen Waterloo