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Caitlin (who is different from the site author) is a provisional black belt candidate for 1st degree. She and her younger sister have been with NWSMA for about a decade. Here is her essay about what it means to become a black belt!

“Black Belt: What It Is and What It Takes” by Caitlin

When you think of a black belt, what is it that you think of?  Well if you’re like most people, you think of a black belt as someone who, obviously, wears a black belt and is good at martial arts.  If you’ve watched movies with people like Bruce Lee in them, you even have a visual.  These things all are parts of what a black belt does and wears, even what they can sometimes become, but not what they are.

Andrew is a provisional black belt candidate for 1st degree, but has also received his black belt in Arnis. Here is his essay on what it means to be a black belt!

“Black Belt: What It Is and What It Takes” by Andrew

I first went to Tae-Kwon-Do in September 2010. My parents took me there so I could get prepared for hockey. They wanted me to practice Tae-Kwon-Do so I could get prepared for hard hits and the roughness that hockey is known for. I did not know anything about Tae-Kwon-Do. The only martial arts, like Karate, I ever saw was from watching it on TV or at the movie. So when I started I loved the different forms and moves, and the fact I could protect myself. I also started to practice Arnis and loved the weapons forms, and stick manipulation. So I quit hockey and started practicing more Tae Kwon Do and Arnis.

A black belt to me is just not something that holds your pants up. It is a belt that shows you have respect, honor, courage, and integrity. All of these gave me strength to pursue and challenge my fears. Now I can face and conquer them.

I’m grateful for what I’ve learned. I thank all the people that have helped me get to where I am now.

Tae-Kwon-Do is now part of my life. It will always be in my heart. Tae-Kwon-Do has taught me to take on challenges like school work, chores my Mom and Dad give me, as well as everyday living and to face it head on and not fear it but accept it.

Being a black belt is hard, but it is great being one. It is great helping others. Other students give you respect for being a black belt. You also have to give them respect too. Always encourage others to keep going. Like I said being a black belt is hard, but it’s also great being one.

I have been in Tae-Kwon-Do for 2 to 3 years. There have been times I wanted to quit. It was so hard or because I hated it. The reason mostly was it was getting boring to me same exercises over and over, repetivness, not realizing I was honing my skills to become better, stronger and faster. Now that I have my provisional black belt, I just want to keep going.

What does it take to be a black belt? You need to have respect for others. You need to honor your family, friends, and others. But what does it really take? Never giving up, never quitting what you are doing. Most importantly all the other challenges life gives you.

I would like to thank Kio-Bi-Nim Chris Apprecio for teaching me what I need to do to be where I am now. I would like to thank my family and friends for encouraging me to keep going on. I would also like to thank other instructors passing what they have learned down to me, my instructors, and everyone else.