4 Years of Hard Work!!

He was eight years old when he walked into class for the first time.  He was timid and shy.  My heart was breaking for him as he walked into a room full of people he didn't know.  A man came up to him and welcomed him into class, he took him to the back of the room and stood next to him the whole class period.  Teaching him the very first building blocks the next 4 years would be built on.

Over the next 4 years I watched this boy slowly mature into a young man, I watched him work hard at learning all he needed to know.  Over the last year he was gearing up for the final test.  There is a full year from becoming a brown belt to becoming a black belt.  There are tests and requirements that must be met.  There was an essay that needed to be written and a 128 question test on the origin of Tung Soo Do Kyohoe Kwan (that is the style of karate), many of the Korean words used, the history of the DoJang (karate studio), the meaning of the parts of the Korean flag, and the list goes on.

To say getting a black belt at Crusader Martial Arts is time consuming is an understatement.  Hours upon hours were spent in the studio or at home studying and working on all the different requirements that were needed.

As the end was approaching Micah came down with influenza and was sick the whole month before his black belt test.  He even missed the written test and had to make arrangements to take the test at a later time (he passed his test 85.5% Whoo Hoo!!).  He also was assigned a mentor to help get him ready for his physical test, but because he was sick, he was unable to meet with him at all.  A week before his physical test he was still recovering from the sickness.

The physical test is a 4-6 hr test in which the students are tested on everything they have learned since becoming white belts.  It is physically exhausting test.  I know this not only because I sat and watched the sweat fly from the faces of the students but because Micah had the chance to go to the Cottage Bar afterwards for lunch and he turned it down to go home, shower, and lay on the couch.

Micah's test lasted just over 4 hours and the reason it was one of the faster blackbelt tests was because all of the students knew there stuff so well, there wasn't much repeating techniques.  Watching I couldn't help but be over the moon proud of Micah.  He was nervous going into the test, which is understandable, but during the first shio (rest period) Sah Bum Nim Lisa (his instructor) came down from the judges box and told Micah he was doing an amazing job.  She would continue coming to him during his shios telling him "you got this Micah, your doing great", it was nice to have her reassure him that he was passing the test.

Each student had to break 5 boards.  They preselected the type of kick, strike, or block they were going to use.  At times it can be painful to watch board breaking because if they hit the board wrong... well lets just say it can be very painful.

Micah was getting ready to do a knee strike and DoJaNim joked with him about getting Sah Bum Nim Duane in the stomach. Sah Bum Nim Duane is Sah Bum Nim Lisa's son, you can see her in the back laughing about this too.

After the the test was done, we waited while the judges conferred with each other.  They made the students stand at attention then gave the news that they all passed!  Micah's reaction... "I DID IT!"

Sorry, poor picture quality, it was my phone

This next picture is Micah with his current instructor Sah Bum Nim Lisa and the man who took Micah under his wing his very first class... Kyo Sa Nim Nick.  It was a pretty special day that may or may not have included tears.

Flash back... Micah and his buddy Dan have gone through this whole process together.  They have been partners for different techniques, they have studied together, and pushed each other along on this journey, so I thought I would share a picture I found of two little boys who were white deputies getting their yellow belts.  Picture is dark, but hopefully you can see Dan on the left and Micah on the right.

and now....

Then for a whole week we had to wait until the potluck for Micah to receive his new belt.  It was a long week for him.... he couldn't wait! His black belt being tied by HuimJaNim Jaci

DoJuNim gets his hug!

The newest black belts!

Then pictures again with all the important people... except the two that paid for all of this... we never got a picture with him.  Hmm....

I now officially have a black belt living in my home.  He has decided that he is going to work towards his 2nd Don which takes about 2 years.  His ultimate goal is a Master, which would take about 9-10 years provided he passes all his tests.  In the meantime, he has applied to be an instructor which requires him to go through more training.

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Micah, I have watched you grow from a little timid boy to a confidant young man.  God has given you this desire to take your skill to the next level and I am so excited to see you continue to mature into the Man God is molding you into.  You will go far in life as long as you always remember that everything you have and everything you are is a blessing from God.  Without Him you are nothing, with Him you are Everything!!  Keep working hard, I love you Micah Bean!!