I was just thinking about some of the families that train with us at both locations. We really have had the pleasure of working with some awesome people. Not many of us think of family when we hear the word "TEAM". You may think of your favorite baseball or football team. Not your family. I tend to think differently.
My favorite team is definitely my family. I think of all the little steps my team takes that later on help to become big steps. For example, my son, Cristian, is 17 months old and is already successfully using the "potty." He got to do this amazing task with help and support of his mommy, daddy, and older sister. Cristian wants to do everything his big sister Isabella does. Mommy and daddy make sure that Isabella is working on positive constructive things like reading, singing, playing nicely, speaking well with others, practicing her karate, etc. and she knows what an influence she is on her brother and tries to be a good example.
Isabella just turned four today - "Happy Birthday Princess!" You should see how proud her brother is of her. They actually practice karate together and not on each other. They know the positives of martial arts so far. They know that karate on people is a no no. I can't tell you what a team we are at home and when we go out. We look for each other's comfort and support.
I see this comfort and support everyday from other teams in my school everyday.
A family that trains together stays together! Whatever your team does together do it with passion, no matter what it is. I, of course, use karate classes as an example but it can be any sport or recreation. You can be a part of it even if you are not physically involved.
If you are one of our students, or a family member of one of our students, we thank you for your support and know that we have been watching.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
How I Got Here
Hi, this is my first post.
I have been a student of the martial arts since the age of 14. I am now 34yrs. old. As far as I can remember, my interests in martial arts began back at age 4 with my mother having studied kung-fu in her native Colombia - I think it's mostly her fault. My older brother - who is 11yrs. my senior - also studied martial arts in Colombia for a while. I'm gonna have to blame him also for my infatuations in the martial arts. Oh, and my dad used to take us to see kung-fu movies every weekend in the city. I'm going to have to put some blame on him too.
Both my parents, my older brother, and I were born in Colombia. My two younger brothers were born in the United States.
At age 14 I got my first paying job and was able to afford karate lessons for myself and my two younger brothers. I was so excited to finally be able to take real classes. Before that it was just my imagination and trying to recreate scenes and training from all the kung-fu movies that were stored in my crazy memory vault (check out: The 36 Chambers, Chinese Super Ninjas, Five Deadly Venoms, Shaolin vs. Ninja(Not for kids to watch). Here are some good ones for kids: The Karate Kid and all of the 3 Ninjas movies).
I began in a style called Goju Karate under sensei Kevin Suggs. At the time he was a 3rd degree black belt and had also studied Wing Chung kung fu. He was a great instructor and I recommend looking him up if you are interested in Goju Karate. My younger brother, Yhalid, took a few classes and decided it was not for him. My youngest brother, Hector stuck with it along side me. That is until I realized the classes were nothing like the movies I had enjoyed all those years prior to beginning my formal martial arts training. Hector and I hung in there for about a year.
During that time a friend of mine invited me to take class with him at his Kempo Karate studio. I enjoyed the class but wasn't ready to quit taking Goju to start up Kempo. I wanted to finish what I started - you know, get my black belt. But then, immediately following my lesson this little Japanese kid wearing a green belt showed up for a private lesson and started warming up. He did a form that mimicked a crane! This got me interested! Flashback to kung-fu movies! Wow! I have to learn that! All of these thoughts were going through my head. Dude, stop what your doing and join this school if you are going to learn animal movement! That's what kept going through my head. So what came next - I joined of course! Yeah man, that same day! Was even late for work.
The instructor was a real young looking guy named Corey Paternoster. He actually offered me a job as an assistant instructor once I became a blue belt. By then I was in College and was just grateful to now be involved in the martial arts full time. I actually went to an instructor's college for martial arts under Grand Master Stephen DeMasco and Master Brian Hanson. It was cool. The instructors were great to learn from and was offered the job of actually running a school in Hartsdale, NY. I jumped on the opportunity since I was at the time attending college at Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, NY. I thought, "near school, hours worked, why not." I thought this was a dream come true. Running a karate school, cool stuff!
Well, things were not so cool. It turns out that the school had been up and going for about a year and a half and had already gone through about three instructors and they were trying to get rid of the guy that was currently there for dishonesty and unethical behavior. The school had never turned a profit and was located behind a building on a one way street, so no one knew it was there. Once all the students saw me and found out their previous instructor was being "relocated" it wasn't a good scene. I didn't feel wanted or very appreciated. But who could blame the students, change is tough. Especially after having already gone through 2 instructors before that. What made me so special?
Anyway, I began the job and in 4 months time almost tripled the amount of students at that location. Things were good, I loved all of my students, what fun! YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? The company was relocating me to CT, and closing down the Hartsdale location! I couldn't believe it! I felt so bad for all of those students. We had such good relationships. I didn't even want to go. Students were asking me to stay and open my own school and not deal with the company I was working for. Maybe I should have listened. I didn't have the money, I hadn't even finished college, and I felt that I should be loyal to my master instructor.
So with great regret I began teaching up in Trumbull, CT. What a big change! That school was so busy that there was already an office assistant there. Again, I fell in love with the people but the travel was killing me and my grades. I just had to get my bachelor degree. If I did I would be the very first in my family to do so. My dad never made it past 3rd grade. He was from a very poor family and needed to work even as a child to help out his family. My mom wasn't from such a poor family but still college was out of the question. My older brother made it into college but pursued other options after about a year. For me this was very important to be the first and set an example. I was always a good student and put forth my best effort in all of my studies whether they be martial arts related or not.
After a few months I left and contacted a friend who was associated with the company but owned his own franchise location, Manny Esmeraldo. His school was in CT, but much closer to where I lived. It was cool. We got along great, worked together, worked out together. Good times and I continued my college education and my Kempo studies under the same masters - you know because I never really left the company.
The year was 1999. I had been dating the same girl since high school and her father passed away from stomach cancer in February. October of the same year, my mother passed away from cancer also. Sorry Prince, or artist formerly known as, or Prince again, but we didn't "party like its 1999." I didn't go to work much that year. I didn't even attend my college graduation. I spent as much time as I could tending to my mother at bedside. I can't tell you how many doctors and specialists I contacted to try and find a cure or treatment. I had a copy of her files that were mailed, emailed, and faxed to just about everywhere. No luck. October came all too quickly. In November I decided to get together with a tattoo artist and come up with a memorial tattoo in my mother's memory. I wear it with pride. It is the only one on my body so far.
2000, what a year!
My dad, two younger brothers and I moved up to Stratford, CT. I never even heard of the town until my dad just wanted to move. I guess he just needed a change. Well, I wasn't gonna leave the old man, god knows how he was gonna make it through in a new town without mom.
A great opportunity came around in May of that year. Some one in Pound Ridge, NY owned a Kenpo Karate school and was about to close his doors, but then looked us up and offered to sell us the school. Manny and I took up the opportunity and went in 50/50. I, of course, would be the one running the place. We took over in June. As twice before, I was taking the place of another instructor. Not too many happy faces. It seemed like I just showed up one day and everybody was like, "Who is this guy and where is my old instructor." It seemed as if no one was forewarned. Oh, and I had to change the schedule around due to other programs and commitments that I had. This was really a last minute deal. Needless to say, we lost a lot of students in the beginning.
Persistence and hard work pays off. Less than a year later I bought my partner's share of the school and was engaged to my high school sweetheart. Now I have another school in Milford, CT and we are teaching our own blended style of martial arts. Our business is called Family Dragon Karate, LLC. You can check us out at http://www.familydragonkarate.com/.
I have been a student of the martial arts since the age of 14. I am now 34yrs. old. As far as I can remember, my interests in martial arts began back at age 4 with my mother having studied kung-fu in her native Colombia - I think it's mostly her fault. My older brother - who is 11yrs. my senior - also studied martial arts in Colombia for a while. I'm gonna have to blame him also for my infatuations in the martial arts. Oh, and my dad used to take us to see kung-fu movies every weekend in the city. I'm going to have to put some blame on him too.
Both my parents, my older brother, and I were born in Colombia. My two younger brothers were born in the United States.
At age 14 I got my first paying job and was able to afford karate lessons for myself and my two younger brothers. I was so excited to finally be able to take real classes. Before that it was just my imagination and trying to recreate scenes and training from all the kung-fu movies that were stored in my crazy memory vault (check out: The 36 Chambers, Chinese Super Ninjas, Five Deadly Venoms, Shaolin vs. Ninja(Not for kids to watch). Here are some good ones for kids: The Karate Kid and all of the 3 Ninjas movies).
I began in a style called Goju Karate under sensei Kevin Suggs. At the time he was a 3rd degree black belt and had also studied Wing Chung kung fu. He was a great instructor and I recommend looking him up if you are interested in Goju Karate. My younger brother, Yhalid, took a few classes and decided it was not for him. My youngest brother, Hector stuck with it along side me. That is until I realized the classes were nothing like the movies I had enjoyed all those years prior to beginning my formal martial arts training. Hector and I hung in there for about a year.
During that time a friend of mine invited me to take class with him at his Kempo Karate studio. I enjoyed the class but wasn't ready to quit taking Goju to start up Kempo. I wanted to finish what I started - you know, get my black belt. But then, immediately following my lesson this little Japanese kid wearing a green belt showed up for a private lesson and started warming up. He did a form that mimicked a crane! This got me interested! Flashback to kung-fu movies! Wow! I have to learn that! All of these thoughts were going through my head. Dude, stop what your doing and join this school if you are going to learn animal movement! That's what kept going through my head. So what came next - I joined of course! Yeah man, that same day! Was even late for work.
The instructor was a real young looking guy named Corey Paternoster. He actually offered me a job as an assistant instructor once I became a blue belt. By then I was in College and was just grateful to now be involved in the martial arts full time. I actually went to an instructor's college for martial arts under Grand Master Stephen DeMasco and Master Brian Hanson. It was cool. The instructors were great to learn from and was offered the job of actually running a school in Hartsdale, NY. I jumped on the opportunity since I was at the time attending college at Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, NY. I thought, "near school, hours worked, why not." I thought this was a dream come true. Running a karate school, cool stuff!
Well, things were not so cool. It turns out that the school had been up and going for about a year and a half and had already gone through about three instructors and they were trying to get rid of the guy that was currently there for dishonesty and unethical behavior. The school had never turned a profit and was located behind a building on a one way street, so no one knew it was there. Once all the students saw me and found out their previous instructor was being "relocated" it wasn't a good scene. I didn't feel wanted or very appreciated. But who could blame the students, change is tough. Especially after having already gone through 2 instructors before that. What made me so special?
Anyway, I began the job and in 4 months time almost tripled the amount of students at that location. Things were good, I loved all of my students, what fun! YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? The company was relocating me to CT, and closing down the Hartsdale location! I couldn't believe it! I felt so bad for all of those students. We had such good relationships. I didn't even want to go. Students were asking me to stay and open my own school and not deal with the company I was working for. Maybe I should have listened. I didn't have the money, I hadn't even finished college, and I felt that I should be loyal to my master instructor.
So with great regret I began teaching up in Trumbull, CT. What a big change! That school was so busy that there was already an office assistant there. Again, I fell in love with the people but the travel was killing me and my grades. I just had to get my bachelor degree. If I did I would be the very first in my family to do so. My dad never made it past 3rd grade. He was from a very poor family and needed to work even as a child to help out his family. My mom wasn't from such a poor family but still college was out of the question. My older brother made it into college but pursued other options after about a year. For me this was very important to be the first and set an example. I was always a good student and put forth my best effort in all of my studies whether they be martial arts related or not.
After a few months I left and contacted a friend who was associated with the company but owned his own franchise location, Manny Esmeraldo. His school was in CT, but much closer to where I lived. It was cool. We got along great, worked together, worked out together. Good times and I continued my college education and my Kempo studies under the same masters - you know because I never really left the company.
The year was 1999. I had been dating the same girl since high school and her father passed away from stomach cancer in February. October of the same year, my mother passed away from cancer also. Sorry Prince, or artist formerly known as, or Prince again, but we didn't "party like its 1999." I didn't go to work much that year. I didn't even attend my college graduation. I spent as much time as I could tending to my mother at bedside. I can't tell you how many doctors and specialists I contacted to try and find a cure or treatment. I had a copy of her files that were mailed, emailed, and faxed to just about everywhere. No luck. October came all too quickly. In November I decided to get together with a tattoo artist and come up with a memorial tattoo in my mother's memory. I wear it with pride. It is the only one on my body so far.
2000, what a year!
My dad, two younger brothers and I moved up to Stratford, CT. I never even heard of the town until my dad just wanted to move. I guess he just needed a change. Well, I wasn't gonna leave the old man, god knows how he was gonna make it through in a new town without mom.
A great opportunity came around in May of that year. Some one in Pound Ridge, NY owned a Kenpo Karate school and was about to close his doors, but then looked us up and offered to sell us the school. Manny and I took up the opportunity and went in 50/50. I, of course, would be the one running the place. We took over in June. As twice before, I was taking the place of another instructor. Not too many happy faces. It seemed like I just showed up one day and everybody was like, "Who is this guy and where is my old instructor." It seemed as if no one was forewarned. Oh, and I had to change the schedule around due to other programs and commitments that I had. This was really a last minute deal. Needless to say, we lost a lot of students in the beginning.
Persistence and hard work pays off. Less than a year later I bought my partner's share of the school and was engaged to my high school sweetheart. Now I have another school in Milford, CT and we are teaching our own blended style of martial arts. Our business is called Family Dragon Karate, LLC. You can check us out at http://www.familydragonkarate.com/.
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