Stack of Black Belts

[OldSchool]

Hi all,

My cousin was in town because her school (founded by she and her husband) were competing in a local tournament. These shots are of their demonstration team. This is the first time I've tried this camera/flash for indoor sports (D70 w/kit lens and SB800). I did have three kids with me. So, I couldn't leave the stands to get down on the floor and shoot (It would have been Ok, otherwise.).

It was exciting to see this. Do the images convey this?

Besides the harsh flash shadow and high camera angle, any other suggestions for improvement?

Please don't feel the need to comment on each one. I'm just after general recommendations for sports photography techniques. It's new to me.

Thanks in advance,
Tim