Ten long years…

It was on this day ten years ago that I tested for and earned my Shodan (first degree black belt) in karate. I thought that I would take this opportunity to share this story, since I know many of you probably haven’t heard it in awhile (if ever).

I was eligible to test for my first degree black belt initially in June of 1995 at the ripe old age of fifteen… I suppose technically it was for a junior Shodan, but I didn’t even really comprehend that such a thing existed at that time. I trained very hard for that exam, and I had the good fortune of testing with my good friend , Dirst-san, and a few people from the Bloomington dojo. We travelled to the Saint Louis dojo and gave it our best… it seemed like a long test with many candidates, and I remember it being nervewracking to test with people that I had never met before.

I wasn’t ready at that point, watching the video back it is pretty clear. I didn’t pass that exam and it was very tough on me, as it is on anyone that tries for something and fails. I quickly returned to the dojo and was resolved to train hard and try again at the next opportunity.

The next opportunity later that year, Sensei Hassell had decided to come to Pekin to teach a series of seminars followed by a black belt exam. I had been training hard during the interval between the exams and I was very excited to get the chance to test in my hometown for this rank again. From what I recall (there is no existing videotape that I know of), I remember having a very solid test and my sparring felt very good that day. I even got some nice comments from a few of our black belts while the board was tabulating results… I thought I had done it.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. This time I thought I had put everything I had into it, and it wasn’t enough. Suffice it to say the rebound was much harder this time around, but I resolved to dust myself off and give it another shot. Honestly, though… my resolve was starting to wane a little bit. I started doubting whether or not I had what it takes to get the job done for this, especially after a showing that I thought was pretty strong. There is still a small part of me that wonders what was wrong that day… but it doesn’t much matter anymore.

So I set out to training again, but this time I was going to give it a little more time. They had a black belt test scheduled for January 17, 1997 at a temporary location in a Saint Louis (well, technically Saint Charles) Lions Club, since the organization was between home dojos at that time. I decided to give it a shot, and I won’t lie… I was a nervous wreck for this one. I don’t remember much about the test, except for getting to watch test for Yondan (fourth degree black belt) and Sensei Brewer testing for Godan (fifth degree black belt). Also, the heat in that building was shot so the room was frigid… so cold that one of the testing examiners found a microwave in the kitchenette and microwaved his socks. My feet were numb within minutes of stepping foot on the tile floor.

I took the test with a dojomate of mine and I remember having to spar him during that portion of the exam and we scored at least one aiuchi (literally “mutual death”, a clash of techniques at the same time in sparring). I remember the coldness of that building and the nerves of waiting for the results… in the end I finally succeeded and received my Shodan.

That seems like forever ago, but I still remember it like it was last week. I’ve been lucky to have good instructors like Sensei Brewer and to pull me along all these years and they deserve more thanks than I can give. I know it is only a number, but I take some pride in being able to mark my tenure as a black belt in a decade.

The experience leading up to passing my Shodan (and later, my Nidan) really cemented one fundamental truth to me: you can do anything that you put your mind to. Too many people become convinced that when something gets hard it means that they can’t do it, and to those people I say keep trying… eventually you will get there.

Thanks to all of my friends and family that helped me train then, and those who continue to help me train now. Here’s to another decade! (or seven!)

This calls for a little sake for endurance…