1st Place

What I love about Taekwondo

I think the question this essay is based on is wrong. It should be “What I love about studying Taekwondo under Mr. Page and Ms. Judy?” the reasoning for this statement is the fact that learning under a different set of instructors would not be the same as learning under the great teachers we have here at Black Belt. With that being said, I will answer the first question. I have been amazed by the level of enjoyment I receive from being around a great group of people. This includes not only the ones my age but also people of all ages and different backgrounds. There is so much that each and every person has to offer anyone that will take the time to slow down and listen. Then, there are the physical benefits of pushing myself to new goals, like doing more push-ups than I could before, or better cardio than I had before, and there is always the weight loss by trying to do your best. Mr. Page and Ms. Judy always say “Taekwondo is 50% physical and 50% mental.” So my answer to this question would not be complete without some discussion of the mental benefits I receive from studying Taekwondo. Such as the stress relieving ability of focusing on learning a new form or the pure delight I get from seeing someone I have worked with get a knowledge strip and then see them pass their test to a new rank. But the more I think on this question the more I realize it is not the fact that I am studying Taekwondo, but the people I study with that makes me love Taekwondo so much.

2nd Place

Black Belt Academy

What I love about ATA is All of The Above. When I hear the words Black Belt Academy, I think of what those words encompass. Black signifies all colors, ranks, experiences, and persons. Belt represents that we are all tied together in some way. Academy talks to me about a teaching institution where everyone learns and wants to be educated. With that being said, ATA says to me how we are all related and learn from one another. We are our own family within a family. This is important to me because even though I have my own immediate family, I felt as if I was a visitor to Poplar Bluff. When I started as a white belt a year ago, I was uncertain, scared, nervous, and just plain apprehensive about learning Tae Kwon Do. Now that I am a green belt I can actually claim TKD is the best thing that I have ever done for myself. Being here with Mr. Page and Ms. Judy has been such a heartwarming experience that I will always be grateful for them and this school. Being here has given me the self esteem, self assurance and self confidence that I thought I would never have. I always believed that I couldn’t do things. Tae Kwon Do has taught me differently. Every person has their own battle(s) from inside that needs to be conquered. This school helps those battles to be conquered in such a way that you don’t realize they have been until after the battle is won. It is such a great feeling of accomplishment to realize that it can be done, it has been done. For that, I thank Mr. Page, Ms. Judy and every student that I have had the privilege of working with at Black Belt Academy.

3rd Place

What ATA Means To Me

I am not a member of ATA nor do I attend the classes. I once attempted to, but did not find as much interest in ATA as my Mom did. She attends classes and has been progressing quickly. I bet you are wondering what ATA has to do with me. I benefit and enjoy ATA because it relieves my Mom from her strenuous work Monday through Friday. It really does make a difference in her day. It gives her something to look forward to when marching into a topsy-turvy day. This is a good thing, but from personal experience you don’t want to be the one who is the cause of a Taekwondo class being missed. Every time she is smiling, you know she’s been to Taekwondo. Another benefit is I get to see my Mom enjoy herself. Having two kids and a difficult job she gives up a lot. She finally gets something to herself. She says, “As long as I get to go to Taekwondo two days a week, and I see my MMA fights in peace I’m happy.” This is all she asks for, and thanks to ATA I can deal with that. Finally, she is becoming healthier. I love my Mom and I want her to be around for quite a while. ATA is helping me with this. I want to thank you for all you’ve done for her. Remember even though it seems like you’re helping just one person, you may be helping more people than you know.

3rd Place

ATA – What it means to me

Is it self defense? Is it increasing ones self confidence? Maybe its fitness, or wanting to emulate your favorite martial artist, like Bruce Lee. There are a variety of different reasons people decide to start martial arts training, I began my taekwondo training in the ATA system with 3 goals in mind; to get in shape, to learn self defense, and to gain more quality time with my boys. I have spent a lot of time working towards those goals, and during that time I have realized that taekwondo training has become much more than I expected, and not just attaining set goals, it has become a large force in my life. Suddenly I have begun to train simply because I love to train, and can't I imagine ever stopping. I am proud to be part of an organization that not only works on the physical side of training, but also puts an emphasis the mental aspect. The life skills that are taught through the ATA system are invaluable and will prepare us for those unexpected thing in life. I feel that ATA, and the excellent instruction provided here at the Black Belt Academy, have enabled me to make the journey to becoming a martial artist. Taekwondo has changed the lens by which I view many things, and now I see that being a Black Belt is not a goal, but a way of life.