starts with one step!"(Ancient Chinese proverb) "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." (anonymous and Craig, my former mentor and boss) "A Black Belt is a White Belt that never gave up!" (Master Jim Clapp, of American Karate Studios in Newark, DE.)
Well Boy number 1 just achieved a milestone in his Karate practice. Friday night he was promoted to 1st degree Brown Belt. Even though there is only one more color to go -- Black, of course -- Achieving Brown Belt is sort of a half-way mark. There are three degrees of Brown Belt in Kenpo Karate with a "stripe" level for each, making six levels until you reach Black Belt.
He also participated in a tournament last weekend where he won four medals.
Well Boy number 1 just achieved a milestone in his Karate practice. Friday night he was promoted to 1st degree Brown Belt. Even though there is only one more color to go -- Black, of course -- Achieving Brown Belt is sort of a half-way mark. There are three degrees of Brown Belt in Kenpo Karate with a "stripe" level for each, making six levels until you reach Black Belt.
He also participated in a tournament last weekend where he won four medals.
Boy number 1 (in the red pants) and his Tournament partner
Can you count 'em... FOUR!
Receiving his Brown Belt
Removing the Green Belt and putting on the Brown Belt
That Championship form!Both Boy number 1 (12) and Boy Number 2 (9) have been studying Kenpo Karate at AKS for two and a half years. Until recently they progressed at the same rate and were always promoted together. A few months back the age difference (and intensity levels) started to differentiate themselves and Boy Number 1 started leap-frogging past Boy Number 2. Boy Number 2 enjoys karate and does well but he is more like the kid in right field paying more attention to the butterfly then the pop-fly. On the other hand, Boy Number 1, attention defficits aside, has a laser-like focus and concentration towards his practice that is not manifested anywhere else in his life. He will be a Black Belt, I have no doubts!
The way AKS is laid out, on the second floor of their building, up a long set of stairs, I have never been able to watch my boys there as I use a wheelchair. Nonetheless, My wife and I (she also started karate lessons at the beginning of the year) really like the staff and approach at AKS. --they are so good with the kids, all of the instructors are!-- That we except that for what it is. I can still drop them off and pick them up, and my wife takes plenty of pictures. They get my full support regardless of whether I am in the same room or not.
Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway. I am very proud of both my boys!
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