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Through his time of training he has competed in and received victories in several tournaments including ones located in Las Vegas, California,Hawaii and Locally. Hawaii being known as the Island of Champions several USNKF National and Workl Champions reside there.
His Black Belt Essay reads like this:
What I have learned about myself while becoming a black belt is how much I changed over the years. When I first began raining I had just graduated high school. I had already spent a great deal of time figuring out who I was, and the man I would become. With that I was surprised how much I seemed to change over the years.
In the beginning I was cocky and headstrong, and far too concerned about portraying who I was, and what I stood for to everyone else. Who I was, was based on what I felt everyone needed me to be rather than who I really was.
Over the years that side of me subsided. I no longer found the need to show off or felt the need to never lose a kumite match. I became more reserved and collected. I didn't lose my passion for the training, I simply didn't feel the need to make sure everyone else knew what I was capable of.
I had always heard the philosophy behind martial arts. Selected media taught me old sayings through movies and quotes. They spoke of the journey of constantly better yourself, respecting others as you would yourself, backing away from a fight that you would have no trouble winning. Promises that I spoke before each and every class. These teachings seemed to become a part of me rather than something I knew and believed in.
I even began teaching karate to children. Before I had never been fond of kids. Now I find the highlight of my week is training them, and watching them grow in skill and character. Teaching them life lessons and moral virtues along with form and technique. Plenty of times I even sat around with them and just talked about their lives and goals. I was even told by their parents that they considered me a member of the family. Which is well put, because I am as close with them as I am with members of my own family. It was around this time when I looked at the word Sensei. I had always been told it meant teacher. Upon looking more closely at the translation I found sen means before and sei means life. Translating to "before in life". So the word Sensei is closer to meaning guide rather than teacher. Meaning that the Sensei is guiding us through life as well as Karate. Because they themselves have traveled the path.
In short what I learned about myself over the years is that I may never stop growing in the man I am meant to become. I will always learn , grow and become better from it. I have changed a great deal since that first day I set foot in my new dojo and I have become a better man because of it.
His Black Belt Essay reads like this:
What I have learned about myself while becoming a black belt is how much I changed over the years. When I first began raining I had just graduated high school. I had already spent a great deal of time figuring out who I was, and the man I would become. With that I was surprised how much I seemed to change over the years.
In the beginning I was cocky and headstrong, and far too concerned about portraying who I was, and what I stood for to everyone else. Who I was, was based on what I felt everyone needed me to be rather than who I really was.
Over the years that side of me subsided. I no longer found the need to show off or felt the need to never lose a kumite match. I became more reserved and collected. I didn't lose my passion for the training, I simply didn't feel the need to make sure everyone else knew what I was capable of.
I had always heard the philosophy behind martial arts. Selected media taught me old sayings through movies and quotes. They spoke of the journey of constantly better yourself, respecting others as you would yourself, backing away from a fight that you would have no trouble winning. Promises that I spoke before each and every class. These teachings seemed to become a part of me rather than something I knew and believed in.
I even began teaching karate to children. Before I had never been fond of kids. Now I find the highlight of my week is training them, and watching them grow in skill and character. Teaching them life lessons and moral virtues along with form and technique. Plenty of times I even sat around with them and just talked about their lives and goals. I was even told by their parents that they considered me a member of the family. Which is well put, because I am as close with them as I am with members of my own family. It was around this time when I looked at the word Sensei. I had always been told it meant teacher. Upon looking more closely at the translation I found sen means before and sei means life. Translating to "before in life". So the word Sensei is closer to meaning guide rather than teacher. Meaning that the Sensei is guiding us through life as well as Karate. Because they themselves have traveled the path.
In short what I learned about myself over the years is that I may never stop growing in the man I am meant to become. I will always learn , grow and become better from it. I have changed a great deal since that first day I set foot in my new dojo and I have become a better man because of it.
