Naginata

Competing in a female-dominated sport can be difficult for a young man, especially when he gets beat repeatedly. Kevin Saxton knows the feeling. Saxton, a Harbor College sophomore, has practiced martial arts for five years. When he got involved with naginata in 1991, he quickly realized that his ego would have to take a back seat. "I get my butt kicked all the time," Saxton said. "My naginata class in Torrance is all women.

Competing in a female-dominated sport can be difficult for a young man, especially when he gets beat repeatedly. Kevin Saxton knows the feeling. Saxton, a Harbor College sophomore, has practiced martial arts for five years. When he got involved with naginata in 1991, he quickly realized that his ego would have to take a back seat. "I get my butt kicked all the time," Saxton said. "My naginata class in Torrance is all women.

Under the basketball hoops in a deserted gymnasium, two barefoot women face each other and bow. They pace soundlessly along an invisible line, one woman gaining, one backing off, separated by the lengths of their long oak staffs. They move fluidly. Eyes locked together. Faces blank. Then, wood clashes against wood. A piercing cry rings out. This is the kiai , a call used for centuries in Japan by those practicing the martial art known as naginata.

The barefoot combatants face each other from a few feet away, their long, bamboo-tipped oak staffs gripped tightly in gloved hands. Clad in heavy body armor, their faces concealed by protective masks, they slide gracefully across the floor, each looking for an opening. Suddenly one combatant shrieks and strikes out with the staff. The opponent blocks the blow, producing a sharp crack of wood against wood.

A newly formed U.S. naginata team coached by a Torrance resident has tied for third place in an international tournament held in Tokyo. The tournament was the first of its kind held in naginata, a little-known Japanese martial art traditionally performed by women. Japan took first place in the Dec. 9 tournament, followed by France. In third place, the U.S. team tied with the Netherlands, said the team's coach-manager, Helen Nakano of Torrance.

Under the basketball hoops in a deserted gymnasium, two barefoot women face each other and bow. They pace soundlessly along an invisible line, one woman gaining, one backing off, separated by the lengths of their long oak staffs. They move fluidly. Eyes locked together. Faces blank. Then, wood clashes against wood. A piercing cry rings out. This is the kiai , a call used for centuries in Japan by those practicing the martial art known as naginata.

The barefoot combatants face each other from a few feet away, their long, bamboo-tipped oak staffs gripped tightly in gloved hands. Clad in heavy body armor, their faces concealed by protective masks, they slide gracefully across the floor, each looking for an opening. Suddenly one combatant shrieks and strikes out with the staff. The opponent blocks the blow, producing a sharp crack of wood against wood.

Gardena's large Japanese community is celebrating its heritage this weekend with displays and demonstrations of Japanese dolls, needlework, bonsai, sumi-ye painting and other arts, a variety of foods, as well as martial-arts tournaments. The 29th annual Japanese Cultural Show winds up a two-day run today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Nakaoka Memorial Community Center, 1700 W. 162nd St. Special attractions today will be a 1 p.m.

The Loyola Marymount women's volleyball team will play in the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo tournament this weekend. The Lions (5-3), ranked 23rd nationally by Volleyball Monthly, will open tournament play against Iowa at 5:30 p.m. today. On Saturday, Loyola will play Boise State at 10:30 a.m. and San Luis Obispo at 7:30 p.m. * The Cal State Dominguez Hills women's volleyball team (2-7) will play host to the Toro Invitational today and Saturday at the school gym. Cal State L.A.

After 110 games, a conference rival finally beat Claremont-Mudd in water polo. Redlands defeated Claremont-Mudd in the Southern California tournament Sunday at USC, 12-8 in overtime. The Stags had not lost a game to a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Assn. opponent since the the 1981 season and still have a 110-game winning streak in conference games. Sunday's game did not count against the conference schedule.

A newly formed U.S. naginata team coached by a Torrance resident has tied for third place in an international tournament held in Tokyo. The tournament was the first of its kind held in naginata, a little-known Japanese martial art traditionally performed by women. Japan took first place in the Dec. 9 tournament, followed by France. In third place, the U.S. team tied with the Netherlands, said the team's coach-manager, Helen Nakano of Torrance.

Under the basketball hoops in a deserted gymnasium, two barefoot women face each other and bow. They pace soundlessly along an invisible line, one woman gaining, one backing off, separated by the lengths of their long oak staffs. They move fluidly. Eyes locked together. Faces blank. Then, wood clashes against wood. A piercing cry rings out. This is the kiai , a call used for centuries in Japan by those practicing the martial art known as naginata.

Under the basketball hoops in a deserted gymnasium, two barefoot women face each other and bow. They pace soundlessly along an invisible line, one woman gaining, one backing off, separated by the lengths of their long oak staffs. They move fluidly. Eyes locked together. Faces blank. Then, wood clashes against wood. A piercing cry rings out. This is the kiai , a call used for centuries in Japan by those practicing the martial art known as naginata.

The Loyola Marymount women's volleyball team will play at Cal State Northridge tonightat 7. The Lions, who lost to Northridge (5-7) at home on Sept. 7, improved to 9-3 with Tuesday's victory over San Diego State at Gersten Pavilion. Loyola also won the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo tournament last weekend and middle blocker Mardell Wrensch was named tournament most valuable player and West Coast Conference player of the week.

For many Japanese, a garden is an invitation to peaceful contemplation. This weekend, the 30th anniversary Japanese Cultural Show in Gardena offers a chance to visit an oasis in the hectic urban landscape. Since 1961, the show has helped South Bay residents discover the beauty and tranquility of the Japanese garden and its meaning in Japanese culture.