What a journey this has been for me. It is hard for me to actually think about this as a journey, but since I have been practicing Tang Soo Do, it has been 10 years, so journey is probably an incredibly good word for it.
I found pictures and belts of my mom’s from when she was in high school and took a Japanese style of karate. I remember thinking that was pretty cool. And then I started watching Power Rangers (Samurai was my favorite) and then Lego Ninjago. The combination of all of that was enough to make me want to start training to become a ninja myself.
I started at age 4 at Ignite Martial Arts, which was run by Anthony DiLucido in Bloomsburg, PA. It was a World Tang Soo Do Association school, and I loved it. There was not a Tiny Tiger / Little Dragon program, so I started immediately in the GUP program, even though I was only four. Anthony only tested me every 6 months though, and my mom agreed that it was a good pace for that age. We did a couple shows and everything and it was always a lot of fun. Unfortunately (but fortunately, in the long run) Anthony moved away from the area and closed Ignite Martial Arts. This was in May of 2017. We were not sure what to do from there, as I really liked what I was doing, but there were not any schools in our area that are affiliated with World Tang Soo Do. My mom talked to Anthony, and he recommended trying out Jae Nam Training Academy in Kingston, PA, if we did not mind the drive. Luckily for me, my mom does not mind driving and actually used to work up in Kingston, so she knew the area well. After speaking with Master Acri, I started at Jae Nam Training Academy in July 2017. At this point of transfer, I was already a 7th Gup in the system, age 6. My mom and Master Acri agreed that we would try me out in the youth class, since I was already a 7th Gup, but Master Acri did have a Tiny Tiger / Little Dragon program that he typically had kids in until they were seven. So, if I did not do well in the youth class, I could go back to the Tiny Tiger / Little Dragon class. I did not want to give up my place as a 7th Gup, so I did my absolute best in class to make sure I could stay in the Youth class. As I did well, my mom and Master Acri agreed I could test for new ranks as long as I was ready and really knew all the material. I ended up testing every 3 months, as Master Acri runs his testing cycles. Something I do not like to put out there but is important to know about me in this context, I guess, is that I am advanced for my age. I tested out of lower grades and my test scores still show that I should be in higher grades than I currently am. (I should be in eighth grade this year, but I am in ninth and keeping a 100% average in all my classes). I remember things very easily. But, related to testing then and my age, that would eventually present a problem. I tested, as I mentioned a little bit ago, in every test cycle after coming to Jae Nam, so every 3 months, which means I got to Cho Dan Bo status in March 2019, at age 8.
So, as you can figure out, I had a long two year wait ahead of me to be able to test for Cho Dan. From a maturity perspective, of course, I needed the two years. However, to me, it was the longest time of my life (to that point). Because also during that two-year period, was COVID 19. So, we went from classes several times a week to no classes, to online classes, etc. Master Acri did an excellent job getting everything set up for however we could do classes, but for me, it was extremely tedious and boring. I really missed being in the dojang. So as much as Master Acri tried to keep things interesting and my mom tried, I began to lose a little interest. I tested for Cho Dan in April 2021, so still during the COVID 19 era. Tests were at set dojangs, and we had to wear masks, etc. Not a typical test! ☹I passed and we were finally able to move on! I began to learn new things again, which was super fun for me. Keep in mind, I was still only ten at that time, so doing the same exact thing over and over and over again was very boring. I now understand that repetition is good, but at the time, I certainly did not.
I could have tested after two years for my E Dan rank, which should have put me testing in 2023. Due to my losing interest for a time and then the injuries / car accident we were in in October 2022 I fully admit I was not ready to test. We thought about maybe in 2024 I would be ready but decided to wait again. As I have gotten older, which is weird to say at only fourteen 😊, I have realized that this is something that should not be rushed. Had I (and my mom) realized it back then, maybe we would not have had me test at every testing cycle simply because I was ready; perhaps we would have had me skip every other or something, and then I would not have had a two year wait to be able to test. Perhaps then I would not have started to lose interest like I did. Who knows? The important thing to me is that I kept going and I am now ready to test for E Dan.
One of the things I find most important is to make sure others that might end up in the same situation as I was in, with having to wait two years to be able to test, are able to keep their interest up. I do not want to see anyone lose interest and stop, simply because of having to wait. I am not sure what all I can do to help that, but I am working on it. I would not have thought this at the time, but I am glad for the age requirements when it comes to testing for different ranks. I am glad that I waited beyond the minimal time requirement for E Dan, because 12-year-old me and 14-year-old me are two vastly different people. I think anyone in our dojang would be able to attest to that.
Within this last year and a half or so, I have really started to be more of a leader in the dojang. I have helped to lead classes, run classes, just pitch in to help when needed. I enjoy working with my age group the best, but I also do not mind the younger kids, as long as they want to learn. I love to help them with things I know I have struggle with as well over the years. Completing my instructor’s hours and getting my Instructor Trainee certification was really special to me. I also completed a MaTTAC Level 1 Instructor course back in November 2024 with my mom, so I got some ideas from that as well. At Black Belt Clinic this past year (2024) I took a Leadership seminar that I really enjoyed. I am not one to enjoy having everyone look at me and I was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I do believe it has helped, as my mom and Master Acri (along with others in the dojang) have commented a lot about how much better I am doing at leading GUP testing and classes, etc.
I also really enjoyed learning about score keeping and time keeping last year and being able to be certified in that. I like knowing that I am able to help out at tournaments if the Region needs me. My mom and I have volunteered the last 2 years, and they have not needed us, but hopefully soon they will. We will continue to sign up so at least we know we are doing the best we can and making ourselves available for when they need us.
Another thing that I have been enjoying doing over the last year or two is branching out into different areas of training. I still train only Tang Soo Do, but I absolutely love the weapons aspect of it. I like learning about all sorts of weapons, regarding their history, how they are used, etc. A weapon that I have recently learned to use and really enjoy is the karambit. I have talked with Master Acri about setting up a curriculum to teach others how to use the karambit. He has agreed to that and so now that I am done with another sport I participate in for school, I am going to devote a lot of time to doing that and working through it with Master Acri and then hopefully we can find a time to be able to present it to others. I feel a little nervous about being the one teaching it / leading it, but with guidance, I think I could do it.
So, truly, as much as I did not like having to wait, it was the best thing for me. I understand why the age requirements are in place now and I would almost like to suggest a 14-year-old age requirement for E Dan. I just do not know that many 12-year-olds that would be willing / are ready to take on the kind of responsibilities that we should be doing at this stage in our training. But, if that does not change, then I would love to see all schools have the Tiny Tiger / Little Dragon programs. If my first school had had that, I would not have been in the situation I was in with having to wait so long. Perhaps I never would have begun to lose interest, but with COVID 19 also playing a part during my waiting game (as I like to call it), I might have still lost some interest. But I am so glad that I took the 4 years between Cho Dan and E Dan to make sure I was truly physically ready, mature enough, and mentally ready to handle these responsibilities that I have. On most nights when we are training, I am one of the highest-ranking Black Belts there besides Master Acri, and that can be a little daunting at times, especially when I was younger (specifically remembering that I do not like to have the spotlight on me). I have grown into these roles as I have matured.
This is why I am going to be so willing to help my mom and Master Acri if they start the Tiny Tiger / Little Dragon program back up. To be able to help these young kids that want to go to karate, want to learn to be “ninjas” like I did, that would be the best feeling ever. To be able to watch them grow, learn, mature, and take the things that we teach them and use them, not only in the dojang, but in other aspects of life as well – this would be so rewarding. I hope, with my mom, that we can open a dojang of our own someday and be able to help people in our area too (who might not want to drive up to Kingston like we do). I am so excited to see / think about the progress I have made over the last 10 years, but even more specifically, over the last 4 years and I cannot wait to see what other steps lie ahead for me in my journey.
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