Who are your TKC heroes?Improving our world, one Black Belt at a time ...
My first instructor that inspires me is Mr. Bill. He has taught me everything that I needed to know since Blue Belt. After class there is rope club and he tells me that I am getting stronger. Mr. Bill is always convincing me to do stuff. Sometimes I think that it’s very difficult to learn but he said that I have to try and then when you get it I don’t think its hard anymore. I thank Mr. Bill so much for all he’s done for me. My second instructor that inspires me is Mr. Lance. Since brown belt I have been in his class and sometime he comes in the red belt class. He asks who needs help on a form and I raise my hand depends on the form. I thank him very much for helping me on my forms. My third instructor that inspires me is Mr. Ash. Mr. Ash tells me I have to be loud in a form or anything. He says that you need energy when you enter his class. So everytime when I enter his class I have to give 100% energy. He also teaches green and up to red boxing. Boxing is my favorite thing to do in karate. I thank Mr. Ash very much of what he has done to make me a stronger girl. My TKC Heroes Mr. Bill: Mr. Bill is always kind and willing to help anybody, anywhere, at anytime. He has also inspired me to take the test because once I was afraid not to do it.
Mr. Fariborz: As the founder of TKC Mr. Fariborz has inspired me to always be honest, courteous, and to have a good heart.
Mr. Ash: Mr. Ash is always willing to help and explain and gives us advice on how to do forms. He has always believed in my skills and has inspired me to continue doing karate to the point that I am now applying to test for Black Belt. My TKC Heroes I think Nancy De Long is an inspiration because after being away from TKC for 15 years she came back. To walk into the studio and the see how much thing have change had to have been mind blowing. But when we talked about it, it didn’t seem to bother her. She is focused on being the best she can be and becoming a Black Belt. I’m not sure if I could have come back to the studio after 15 years.
Mr. Patrick is great because he is always so encouraging and patient. He takes the time to work on what ever anyone needs help with. I have never heard him say no or I don’t have time. I remember when I was learning forms I thought I would never catch on but he hung in there with me and it paid off,
Mr. Terry is an inspiration because he is so focused on making his students the best that they can be. When I became a green belt and I decided that I was going to take his class I got the speech and one of the things that stood out for me was that he said he wanted to produce the best black belt candidate possible and that he would be there every step of the way. I thought OMG what have I gotten myself into, but I know that I made the right choice.
This question wasn’t an easy one to answer, I believe that all of the instructors and swat members have inspired someone at TKC to do better or push themselves to go beyond their limits. There are some other people I would like to mention Mr. Amir, Mr. Jason and Mr. Bill all have played a part in my journey to Black Belt excellence. My TKC Heroes Linda Vogel: I didn’t know Linda when she started karate, but I know that she started some years ago. She was already a mom, not a teenager. She started with no karate or athletic background. So I see her as a truly inspiration, she teaches amazing, she is strong, confident. I see that if I continue training I can get stronger and improve myself in different levels. Mr. Lief, Mr. Amir, Mr. T, Mr. Ash, Mr. Jason, Mr. Lance, Mr. Patrick: Those were my instructors since I started TKC. They are truly my inspiration, they motivated me, they encouraged me, they pushed me to my limits to reach perfection. I can tell, that they actually love teaching and they do it so well. They are amazing persons and I am happy that I had the opportunity to know them and to be taught by them. I always watch them how they never stopped training and always try to reach for excellence. They are my inspiration. Master Fariborz: When I signed my kids 2 years ago to karate, it was the first time in my life that I’ve entered a karate studio. My knowledge about karate was 0. I signed because I thought that it will give my kids confidence and fitness at the same time. What I didn’t know is that our life will change forever. It not only gave them (and me!) confidence and fitness, it gave us a new way of life, a new family. Mr Fariborz created this amazing place called TKC. Everybody is like a family. Everybody knows each other and strong friendships were formed. When I entered to the studio I can sense these positive waves around me. TKC became my second home. Mr Fariborz constantly improves the studio, always for the best of his students, changes the curriculum, add classes, he brings masters in different martial arts. He always thinks outside the box, he wants to give his students all the opportunities to learn more and more. Mr Fariborz is an amazing man, as a karate master, as a leader, as a teacher, as a business man. I am happy that I had this opportunity in life to know this remarkable man. My TKC Heroes Jake Kornack, Ron Cromar and, Mr. Farimarz are all inspiration to me. I have so much respect for Jake because he has such a great heart and is such a hard worker. He is always there to take the lead. He definitely know the true meaning of black belt and I hope I can be like him. Ron always says the right thing to make a person feel good and he always speaks the truth. He too is a great leader and I think his teaching skills and the way he speaks comes from being a great parent as well. I have the most respect for Mr. Farimarz. He doesn’t say very much but when he does it comes from his heart. I always can’t wait to here is words of wisdom and I remember the story that he bought a gun that he had on layaway that for 14 years or so still hasn’t picked it up. That’s true discipline and I truly admire that. My TKC Heroes Mr. Ash, for teaching me anything I needed to know and he is always a fun and tough instructor which helps me out a lot. Mr. Bill, for being a kind instructor that would encourage me to do the right thing and help me make a difference in my practices. Jake Strawn, because he is good with his forms and demo team and I hope to be as good as him. My TKC Heroes My three TKC instructors that inspire me are Mr. Ash, Ms. Sally, and Mr. Fariborz. Mr. Ash inspired me from white belt to brown belt. He was there for everything and cheered me on for everything. He would push us to go more which made me who I am today. He taught me pretty much everything I know. He is my role model in karate. Even though Ms. Sally left karate to go to collage she is my inspiration. In white belt through half way of brown belt she was by our classes side teaching us step by step forms and things like that. She was so nice and smart. I loved it when she taught us. When I started karate I was nervous but then I met the instructors and I was so happy because everyone was so nice. Then when I got to red belt I was nervous again but then Mr. Fariborz was our teacher and everything was fun and cool. Mr. Fariborz he helped me when I didn’t understand it, was nice to everyone including me, and has a heart of a karate master he is. When I go on my journey as a TKC student I will always look up to him. He is a magnificent teacher and a great guy. He inspired me a whole lot in my years of being in TKC. My TKC Heroes Mr. Terry - In the beginning I was scared of taking the 7:30-8:15 class. The day I received my green belt and black uniform my class schedule had changed. I had watched many classes with Mr. T and it was so hard and seemed intimidating. I did not know what to expect from the classes and how I was going to perform. From Green Belt until my Red belt exam all the classes were mentally and physically challenging. I am constantly writing notes in my TKC binder so that I can go back and refresh my brain. I learned the whys and the hows of martial arts. Thank you Mr. T, for your confidence, privates and the great classes. You are actually a soft teddy bear. Mr. Faramarz - TKC is our second home starting from the days the kids were in elementary school. I was so proud watching their promotional exam with every new belt they received…….I kept telling myself that I should try Karate out, but I was just too busy with work and other obligations; never had the time to do something for myself. Finally one day Mr. Faramarz gave me the white uniform and said go and take a class and see how it goes…..I loved my first class and continued my journey. Mr. Patrick and Mr. Bill – Both instructors are wonderful teachers. I have been working with Mr. Patrick and Mr. Bill from my white belt to present. The duo team are wonderful. I love taking their classes on Saturdays and practicing the curriculum. The passion they have for martial arts is so apparent and genuine. All the Instructors of TKC are role models. The Black belt journey is a wonderful experience of a lifetime. Thank you Master Fariborz, Mr. Faramarz and all of my instructors starting from Ms. Erin, Mr. Jason, Mr. Ash, Mr. Amir, Ms. Allison, Mr. Lief, Ms. Linda, Mr. Robert, Mr. Lance, Mr. Shaun, Mr. Josh, Mr. Bill, Mr. Patrick, Ms. Sandi, Mr. Dan, and Mr. Terry. My TKC Heroes Aria Bakshandeh – He is a wonderful young man full of life and energy. Aria has amazing ability to be positive about everything. I learned about TKC through Aria and his family. Thank you Aria for the referral toTKC to my girls. He started this wonderful journey for my family. Ron Cromar – A wonderful human being and a great teammate. I log in just to see what he journals about! He is always very supportive and constantly praising everyone. I am so proud to be testing with him. He is a VIP. Ninfa – My classmate at the 7:30pm class. She has so many things going on in her life physically but she does not let this get to her and makes it to Mr. T’s classes. Her motivation and constant and never ending improvement is great! I love her attitude. Keep it up and looking forward to seeing you test in 2011. ALL the 2010 Pre-candidates and my future teammates for 2010. Looking forward to a wonderful journey together. My TKC Heroes 1. Mr. Patrick is an inspiration to me, he was my first consistent instructor at TKC and I worked with him a lot. To see Mr. Patrick at his age keep up with the young students and still teach is inspiration to never give up no matter what 2. Adam Sturdy is an inspiration to me, when he first came in the dad warned and warned me about how he had asperser’s disease and how difficult it would be for me. Although it was a challenge for the first couple of classes, I saw some real improvement each time he came. Fast Forward to today and you see Adam giving it all and asking questions to understand even more. After class he goes and works out the sit up machine. He has been consistent with working out on the machine after each class, that amazes me each time. 3. Bob Grashaw is an inspiration to me because each day he would come in, he would come in with a such a smile and such a energy that would make you feel calm. He would also try his best in class and after he would always and I mean always say goodbye to me at the front desk before he left. My TKC Heroes Mr. Farimarz is one of those people who communicates more physically than verbally. He always plays it so calm, cool, and collected, but works his butt off. It seems like he lives by the motto “never let ‘em see ya sweat.” He makes things happen at the studio like magic, like clockwork. One thing I love about Mr. Farimarz is his outlook on Martial Arts. Mr. Farimarz once told me something that I will never forget. He said “It’s strictly self defense. Don’t play around. The way you train is the way you will be if something happens in the street.” – I couldn’t agree more. I don’t know about you, but a man who can sew AND shoot guns is awesome in my book! - Ron Cromar is a man that I have an immense respect for. A unique thing I’ve noticed about Ron is that he bows to EVERYONE, doesn’t matter your height, rank, age, gender, or creed. That’s true respect. The man has humility, a great sense of self, and always has a positive energy that I find to be contagious. He has an incredible sense of humor that is best served with a side of wit. Talk about dedication. Sure R.C. isn’t the fastest or strongest guy on the mat, but he’s in there day after day giving 110%. Consistent improvement is something I’ve noticed in Ron and I think a big reason for that is his WANT to get better. - A family man, incredible Martial Artist, and a thespian: Mr. Amir has been an inspiration to me from the minute I had the privilege of meeting him. He seemed a bit intimidating before we were professionally introduced, but I can now describe him as a loving-badass with a great sense of humor. It’s no wonder why everyone who knows Mr. Amir loves him. I thoroughly enjoy his mentoring and look forward to learning from him for years to come. Watching Mr. Amir do a form is something else. The combination of intensity and focus topped off with a twist of harmony is how I would describe it to someone who’s never witnessed it. Simply put, it’s poetry in motion. My TKC Heroes Mr. Bill Null I have a great deal of admiration for Mr. Bill. Though I don’t know him very well he has always been a kind and gracious man and treats all of the junior students with respect for their abilities, yet still pushes them to achieve what they don’t yet know they are capable of. He also shows his patience, helping those that may be having trouble in one area or another. And, Mr. Bill doesn’t just talk the talk. The man is amazing in his physical abilities and shares his “secrets” to achieving his skills. Mr. Farmarz Soft spoken, but his wisdom shouts volumes. I met Mr. Faramarz on our second or third visit to TKC. We exchanged pleasantries but I could tell that this man was much deeper than that. Since that first meeting we have had the opportunity to speak a few times. He is always ready to impart of small piece of wisdom that is appropriate to the situation. When I have approached him with a difficult decision, he would remind me to focus on my goals and not concern myself with what I happened to be feeling at that moment. I also appreciate his dry sense of humor. I have also had the opportunity to watch him in action on a few early Saturday mornings, wielding the shinai during Kendo class. Powerful, commanding, graceful are a few terms that come to mind. But most important to me, he is the presence of TKC, whether coming or going, I see him and know that things are good. Mr. Jamal Behpoornia My first experience meeting Mr. Jamal was “who is this nice man holding the door for me and my children?” Little did I realize that this was a TKC Black Belt, doing what he always does – making me feel special just walking in the door! Always quick with a bow and a “how are you today, Sir” this man is the embodiment of Black Belt Excellence. I have seen how his children, Ms. Sally and Mr. Ali, respect him and the way he respects them. And I can tell that this is not just a show for the public; I am convinced that this is the way they live their life – with grace and respect. I had the honor of witnessing Mr. Jamal’s 2nd degree Spectacular as my children were obtaining their 1st degrees. Although suffering from an injury there was nothing that was going to stop him from executing his forms and kicks and conditioning. Watching his performance still inspires me to do the best that I possibly can. My TKC Heroes Mr. Fariborz Mr. Fariborz is one of my karate heroes for a few reasons. For one thing he has always been really nice but strict with me so that I wouldn’t learn something wrong. Also he is still pursuing his passion. Another thing is that he found a way to make his passion into his work. He is an amazing martial artist and a great man. Mr. Dan I chose Mr. Dan as one of my heroes because of everything he’s done to get to the he is at now. He had to turn his life around completely and I believe has become a better man for it. He is always really nice to everyone and he always believed in me and helped me believe in myself. Also he’s so honest with everyone and is always willing to help. Mr. Farimarz Mr. Farimarz is always a good face to see around karate. He’s always so helpful and nice. Whenever you need anything if you just go to him it will get done. I admire him because he works so hard and is always so nice and helpful. Almost everything that needs to happen at karate happens because of him and he’s always there when you need him. My TKC Heroes 1: Mr Ash: Ash inspired me because he instructed me since I was a white belt. I always thought he was the best and he helped me learn a lot about karate. 2: My sister Gabriela: If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be in karate. I saw her doing it as a Little Dragon and I got inspired to join TKC. 3: Mr Fariborz: He inspires me because he had a talk with me a few years ago when I wanted quit. If he hadn’t done what he did, I might have quit without thinking it all the way through. My TKC Heroes 1: My Dad: He’s my hero because he’s my dad, he supports and loves me. He is very inspiring to me. 2: Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson: These two are because they are race car drivers that are really cool and I love racing. Also, they try their best and because of that, they win a lot. 3: My Mom: She’s my hero because she supports and loves me like my dad. She inspires me like my dad too. My TKC Heroes Miss Nina is an instructor that I really admire. I really loved taking her classes. I will admit that in the beginning I didn’t like the classes at all. The physical contact was a little beyond my comfort zone and I came very close to skipping Mondays. But the more I came, the more I came to realize that I enjoyed her classes. What I really liked was how tough Nina was on us. She didn’t cut us any slack because most of us were moms in our late 30’s/early 40’s. She would egg us on to hit harder because we could take it and in the end she was right. She brought out the warrior in each and every one of us making us all stronger and tougher martial artists. Another instructor that I admire is Master Fariborz. What I admire most about him is the community that he has created at TKC. From the moment we joined TKC we felt like we had joined a huge extended family. The instructors are all so wonderful and I love how there are so many families that are so involved at the studio. I love the program and how honor and respect play just as big a part of becoming a great martial artist as does the physical achievements. I love how my children feel at ease in the studio since we spend so much time there. This could not have come into fruition without Master Fariborz’s vision. Another person I admire at TKC is Andrea Kollerbohm. Although she refuses to acknowledge it, she is an excellent martial artist who works hard to perfect everything she learns. She is constantly pushing herself to be better and works hard to balance motherhood with her journey to become a black belt. My TKC Heroes The three TKC instructors that are an inspiration to me are Mr. Bill, Mr. Ash, and Mr. Lance. I’ll write a paragraph of each one explaining why they were good instructors. I like Mr. Bill as my teacher because he is a nice and fit person. He cares if other people don’t pass the test and he warns us about what not to do. Out of the strict people, he would probably be at the bottom of the list. I like Mr. Ash because he is the strictest person in the whole studio. He makes SURE you work hard and he has eyes like a hawk so if you don’t do what you are supposed to do, he will kick you out. But in the inside, he wants you to get your black belt, and he wants to make sure you deserve it. Mr. Lance is a good instructor. He believes that we can get our black belts, and he trains us hard. In his classes, we always go over the things that we either are not good at, or we don’t know. If he wasn’t in TKC, I would barely pass my brown belt test. My TKC Heroes Mr. Ash because since I was a white belt, he has helped me accomplish a lot. Mr. Fariborz because he has helped me become a 2010 Black Belt Candidate. Mr. Bill because he has helped me with my forms and kicks. My TKC Heroes 1. Mr. Fariborz inspires me because he continues to change the lives of so many people by giving them a great opportunity to improve themselves. 2. Mr. Ash is awesome and nice and inspires me to perfect my technique. 3. Mr. Lance is amazing and cool instructor for everyone and make Karate a fun thing to do. My TKC Heroes These are three of the instructors (inspirations) that inspired me. The first one is Mr. Ash. He is one because he taught all the way to brown belt. He also inspired me by showing me the amazing moves he could do. The second one is Mrs. Linda she is one because when I was a white belt she helped me. She also made everything fun. To bad she moved to little ninjas : ( My last inspiration is Mr.Fariborz . He is an inspiration because he shows me the true ways of how to be a black belt. He also is the Master of the studio and everyone should be nice to him. My TKC Heroes Watching people do demos at the spectacular really inspire me. One student I admire is Miss Sally. She puts her heart into everything she does, and never gives up on anything. I also admire Mr. Lance, who always pushes me to do my best no matter what it takes. As I get older, I want to build my future upon the things most important to me, similarly to Miss Linda. She is very organized and her life is well balanced, and a great role model. My TKC Heroes Three instructors that were an inspiration to me are Mr. Lance, Mr. Ash, and Mr. Fariborz. Mr. Lance was an inspiration to me because he helped me through thing I needed help on. He makes me feel confidant and I feel good about taking my test. Now I know I will pass my test. Mr. Ash was training me from white through blue that’s a lot of belts. He has trained me so I could get my black belt. He makes getting your black belt look easy. Mr. Ash got me up to were I am now. I hope Mr. ash still teaches me when I am in black belt. Mr. Fariborz is my current teacher he is training me and me class so we can get our black belts. He is training us he is pushing us to the top with him teaching us we will get our black belt. Those are the three people I want to write about. My TKC Heroes 1. Mr. Fariborz
I’m admiring your ability to let each and every one of your student the feeling that he is important and you love and care for him. I think that you develop a karate studio that is more like a community or a big family. People feel like this is their second home. They are not coming just for training, their coming to be a part of your community. You are giving the students the feeling that you’re here and willing to listen and help.
2. Mr. Ash
Because of the way he his talking to the kids and makes them feel. I could see that with my daughter, she loved him so much. He is much more than instructor. She was waiting to the class to tell him what happen at school, how was the weekend and many more.
I also like the way he teach the adult. I care for us, and not only want to teach us to fight. He keeps remind us to be aware for our partner, and listen to our bodies. My legs “thank him” (the way he used to call it) for three days after each class, but it’s a great feeling.
3. Mr. Patrick and Mr. Bill
Both of them working hard to reach their goals and the age does not stop them. They also have so much patience readiness for helping other students.
My TKC Heroes 1. Mr. Fariborz Mr. Fariborz inspires me because it seems as if he is always perfect. His forms are the best looking forms I have ever seen. It inspires me when he does kick because no what way he does them in (progressions, combinations, etc.) he always does them with loud “as” or “kia” or any other noise but the last one is always the loudest one ever. 2. Mr. Ash Mr. Ash inspires me because he is always so energetic. He is always so jumpy, active, and loud. Mr. Ash is almost always yelling at classes. He is always serious when we do classes with him. I am so inspired at how much energy he could have for at least 45 minutes because I almost fall to my knees when I get out of one of his classes. 3. Mr. Lance Mr. Lance inspires me because he is always loud. Even though it seems like he’s kind of shouting, he’s really talking but in a really loud voice. It also inspires me how quick he could be. He does something like jab, cross, hook so quickly but it still seems like it’s perfect at the same time My TKC Heroes 1. Mr. Fariborz I will never forget the first day that I stepped into TKC and met Mr. Fariborz. It was impossible not to feel the good energy coming from him and the big smile when he introduced himself. I didn’t need a second thought to make an immediate decision right there that this is the right karate school for my daughter. Later, Mr. Fariborz tried to convince me few times to join as well, and didn’t give up until I said yes – and I am thankful for that. The thing that mostly inspired me of Mr. Fariborz is his ability – when he talks to you - to give you the feeling that you are the most important thing at that moment. I am also inspired by the way he motivates people to help each other and to create and keep this amazing, supporting community called TKC. 2. Mr. Terry Since I joined Mr. T’s class, my learning experience has been changed. Mr T. demands a lot of commitments from his students and in return he is totally committed to their success. Mr T. believes in his mantra “To produce the sharpest black belt candidates” and he really does everything to make it happen. I was inspired by his dedication to his students and his peruse of excellence. 3. Mr. Bill I did not get a chance to take many classes with Mr. Bill, but I did watch him many times teaching the juniors and I also had taken some private lessons with him. There’s one major thing in common that inspired me – Mr. Bill has tons of patience. He will work with anyone who has trouble with any kick, jump or form, over and over again until the student will get it for sure. His enormous patience is golden, and it is an inspiration for me. My TKC Heroes Mr. Faramarz Azhakh Mr. Fariborz Azhakh Jourak Rafael Mr. Faramarz Azhakh I met Mr. Faramarz back in 1993. He is a very caring and intellectual person. His words are golden. I have great deal of respect for him. He also has great amount of respect for others. He tells me, when I’m representing a client, I better do all I can to defend that client. When you do something, do it all the way and to your best ability. He sincerely cares for his second family, the students at TKC. I love talking to him. He leads me in the right directions and tells me to do what makes me happy. He inspires me to become a better person. He is like an older brother that I always wanted. Mr. Fariborz Azhakh Mr. Fariborz is probably the hardest working Karate instructor I have ever met. I remember he used to teach as early as 6 a.m. and go home at 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. As I recall, back in 1993-1994, all the instructors for some reason didn’t show up to work. Thinking by doing this, they can get their way with him. We went to lunch that day, and he told me that he will teach every single class without any problems and he did it. I was more impressed when the instructors came back and he gave them another chance. What the instructors did was wrong, but Mr. Fariborz was the bigger man and took them back. Time after time, I have witnessed Mr. Fariborz helped his former students to open up their own studios, and in return, they didn’t even put his picture up. On the other hand, I see Mr. Fariborz having the utmost respect for his instructor. No matter what, the minute Mr. Steve walks in to the studio, he greets him sincerely, and I respect that very highly. He loves his work, and he loves TKC. Not that many people can say that they love what they do, but I can honestly say that Mr. Fariborz can. He is a great teacher and it would be an honor to receive my Black Belt from him and to be able to teach one day. Jourak Rafael I have known Jourak for over 20 years. Jourak introduced me to TKC. He is the reason I am here today and preparing to take my Black Belt exam. Jourak is a few months older than me, but I always listen to his advice. He always wanted me to return to TKC and to get my Black Belt. When he was just a green belt, he was badly injured. But with all the difficulties he had with his leg, he did come back and managed to get his black belt in 1995. Unfortunately I was in Iran when he tested for his black belt and I couldn’t attend his exam. But he called me that night and told me that he received his black belt. I was very happy for him. He put his mind into doing something and he did it. Time and again he has showed me that if you want something and you work hard enough, you will achieve it. My TKC Heroes 3 TKC heroes of mine would be Mr. Terry, Mr. Amir, and Mr. Jason. All of them have had an important role in my life. They all help me with anything I need, they take their time out of there day to help me practice or to just train. Mr. T is one of the most caring people I have ever met. He is so dedicated in what he does it just shows he has an amazing heart. Mr. Amir and Mr. Jason are both amazing teachers. The MMA class has helped me in so many ways. There teaching skills are so helpful and meaningful. Both of them are always there when I need them. My TKC Heroes Amanda: She is a student in my class. She does such deep stances, if she went any lower she would be on the floor. Her moves clean and strong. Mr. Ash He is an amazing instructor. He does clean kicks and punches his forms are very powerful. He makes us works hard. He pushes me to levels that I didn"t know I had. Mr. Bill He is kind and patient. Mr. Bill helps me a lot. Sometimes I need to go through it step by step and he does it with me. He always has time for me. He is a great instructor. My TKC Heroes Too easy: Paloma, Andre and Gabriella. They are serious and amazing Martial Artists. They have combined ‘togetherness’ with strength and power. They are ‘over achievers’ and I strive to emulate their dedication and proficiency. My TKC Heroes Three, really? I can easily think of thirty, right off the top of my head! But I"ll stick to the script... Instructors: Mr. Amir, simply put, told me to "just show up". The very fact that I"m writing this Black Belt Qualification essay now is proof that I took his advice. The greatest honor I can pay him is by just showing up. So I did, I do, I will. Without him, I would have never made it pass the first week. Mr. Faramarz. I still don"t know to this day why he gave me that white belt and uniform. Did Marnie say something to him? Did my wife? Or did he just see something in me that said that this guy needs TKC? Regardless, I am so very grateful for him believing in me and always encouraging me to take this incredible journey. Through it all, he has always helped me and my family get the most out of our TKC experiences. His wisdom and kindness makes seeing him as I walk through the front door at TKC, the start of another great day in the Journey. Mr. T has taught me the "why" as well as the "how" of the Martial Arts. As an instructor and a man, he is fierce, yet friendly. Intelligent, yet enlightened. Wise, yet witty. He is formidable, yet fun loving. His vast knowledge of the history of our Art, Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings has made him a natural sole mate of mine. Mr. T is more than just my Sensei...he is my friend. Honorable Mention: Messer"s Jason, Ash, Bill, Patrick, Dan, Josh and Robert. Sensei"s Linda and Sally. Students: Stuart. He will forever be my Brother during and after this Journey to Black Belt Excellence. Nadia. My little sister, and SWAT co-worker :-) Shiva. If I worked half as hard as she does, I"d work twice as hard as I do now! She never complains or used excuses as to anything regarding her training. She gives all she has to all she does at TKC. Ms. Sandi is a kind and gentle woman of grace. She is one of those people that when I see her in the studio, lifts my spirits. Her very presence brings me comfort during grappling and sparring nights. She is an incredible woman with impressive accomplishments to her credit. She is an attorney, a wonderful daughter to her parents, a church volunteer and mentor to young people, and of course a fine Martial Artist for TKC. She is my friend and I wish her nothing but the best in all that she does. Honorable Mention: All of my fellow Red Belt teammates and all of my 7:30 T & Th classmates. My TKC Heroes The first instructor I have chosen is Titus. When I first saw him I was intimated. He walked around the studio not smiling and even saying much. Then I had the opportunity to work with him, he took over the Tues/Thur. 4:30 class. Slowly I got to know him and see who he was a person and instructor. The classes he gave were challenging and fun. The group of women in the class, along with T made it a great experience. I looked forward to it each week. He also was the instructor who gave me my belt tests. I loved those as well. He not only tested us on the curriculum but he made us sweat and work hard for it. I loved that as well. Soon, I started in with his 7:30 class and have been also doing privates with him. He has a unique was of running a class. He not only makes us accountable for ourselves but as a team as well. We quickly learned that we are a team. ( again of his unique teaching tactics.) He also makes sure we understand the material and not hurting one another. He makes is so clear that we need to learn and make mistakes here. He also has a funny personality, one that I would have not expected when I first met him. Doing privates with him, he takes me out of my comfort zone. He pushes me to my limits. My second inspirational instructor is Mr. Patrick. He has been so patient and caring with me. Well, not only me but with everyone. He really does know all the information and tries to hard to teach it to all. I have been working with him from the beginning of my TKC journey, every belt, all kicks, all forms, etc. When I get to work with him I know I will be getting the proper information with his patient, loving and energetic personality. My third instructor I have chosen is Mr. Amir. The first couple of classes I took with him I actually thought he was so a yoga instructor as well as a marital art instructor. He has such a “cool-cat” vibe. I love the way he runs his classes. He greets each person and makes us all feel apart of the group. ( well that is what I am picking up) I have also taken his MMA class. In both classes he so into his teaching. He has crazy passion and intensity. You can see it in his eyes, he is so in the moment. He is so dedicated and focused. All of these qualities motivate me and it makes me want to live up to what he can do. My TKC Heroes One TKC instructor that is an inspiration to me is Mr. Lance because he has helped me with my curriculum and has made me ready to test for my Black Belt. Another instructor is Mr. Ash because he was my teacher for most of my time at the studio and has always helped me belt by belt. A third instructor is Mr. Fariborz for taking me the final step of my journey and teaching me what a Black Belt really means. My TKC Heroes ESSAY - My TKC Heroes
(1) Master Fariborz
Your exceptional qualities as a Master Instructor along with your obvious love of martial arts remains not only inspirational, but of real practical value and personal benefit. Your generosity and kindness in permitting me to continue learning and growing my martial arts knowledge and skills will forever be appreciated. Know that I continually look for ways to “pay it forward” to others in honor of what youʼve done for me. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY!
(2) Sensei Lance
Hard to put into words what it means to have reached a point in your life in which the child becomes the teacher. While literally Sensei Lance and his exceptional teaching skills and martial art skills continue to be an inspiration for me in my journey to achieve my 1st degree black belt designation, having the bonding between mother and son only become stronger during this time has been priceless.
(3) Teresa Jenkins
Having another woman in my age bracket go through the process of becoming a black belt is and by itself inspirational. She shows that it can indeed be done. But probably more importantly is the strong bond of friendship that has developed out of our common interest at TKC, and in turn that strong friendship continues to be inspiration on and off the mat.
(4) Mr. Patrick
His exceptional ability to teach with his attention to details. His kindness, his support.
My TKC Heroes Mr. Ash – He was the first one who taught my brother and me at TKC, and he still teaches the younger children who are rowdy and hard to control, a feat that I would have great difficulty in performing. Thank you, Mr. Ash! Mr. Bill – Especially in these months as we come closer to the qualifier and pretests, Mr. Bill has shown almost infinite patience with the juniors and teens, and for that, he has my respect. Thank you, Mr. Bill! Mr. Fariborz – Master Fariborz has been so lenient and patient with my brother and me with regards to the many things that we fell behind on as far as our written material went. I would have given up on the students a long time ago. Thank you, Master Fariborz! My TKC Heroes 3 of the people at TKC inspire me. First Mr. Fariborz because he welcomed me and my brother into his studio with open arms and was ready to teach us. That is a gift like no other. Second Mr. Ron inspires me with his geniality and energy. His readiness to learn is inspiring and his welcoming attitude was the first thing I saw when I entered the qualification class. Lastly, Mr. Bill inspires me with his calmness and knowing speeches. He has taught me very much in the short time that I have been training with him. My TKC Heroes Mr. Lance because he always is nice and he is just awesome at teaching Mr. Bill has been a very nice man, he is a great teacher, and he is very funny and awesome Mr. Fariborz he is a great teacher and he is very nice My TKC Heroes Ms.Dru, Ms.Sally,and Mr. Lance inspire me. Ms.Dru inspires me because of her low stances, flexibility, and great teaching. Ms.Sally is gentle , sweet, and kind, but on the mat she is fierce,strong, and powerful. Finally Mr. Lance isa magnificent teacher, powerful, good stamina, flexibility, and the eye of the tiger. Thats why they inspire me. My TKC Heroes Well, my first inspiration is Sensei Linda. She is just an amazing role model to all moms out there. She has always been a very involved parent in her childrens lives. She is running The Little Ninja"s program and still finds the time to pursue her own goals in martial arts. She has found a wonderful balance in her life as a wife, mom, a career and finding the time to take care of her own mental and physical health. I have known her for almost 12 years and her family is incredible. She is not just my role model but also a wonderful friend. She shows so much power when she is on the mat and it"s very inspiring. Kirsten Powell is a very driven and commited person. She is an incredible role model for her daughter and has been given this wonderful talent called “ the ability to teach others.” I have watched her through her journey, and she has shown me – when you set your mind to something – it can happened. She is a very close friend of mine, we share not only the Danish inheritage but also a wonderful family relationship. She is a great support system and I"m so happy to have her as a friend. Lynn has really proven to me that you dont give up because of injuries and age. She waited 10 years to return and complete her journey “ Becoming a Black Belt”. She is an amazing mom, and Mr. Lance and Kalyne are very talented young people who are very dedicated to each of their passions. As a friend, she is caring and very supportive. She will do anything to help anybody. My TKC Heroes Mr. Ronald. He saved my life by catching me the only time I fell down while climbing up the rope! He is an awesome friend, and is helping me master my forms, on his spare time. Amanda Solley. Her karate skills are excellent. She taught me how to do a couple of forms and she is a great friend who inspires me not to give up. Mr. Lance. I absolutely love his Friday classes and learn the most from him. He is one of the most dedicated persons I have ever met in my life, and I appreciate and respect that. My TKC Heroes
My TKC Heroes 1. Miss Heather, there"s alot to this story but she pushed me to my limit and never gave up on me. i gave her a bad attitude was so mean to her but yet she put up with me that meant so much to me. She never kicked me out of class. she just kept on pushing me and making me stronger 2. Miss Erin she pushed me so hard that i gave her a hard time but she also never gave up on me. Its pretty much the same thing i said about Miss Heather but Miss Erin was even harder on me 3. Mr Ash, lets see i dont know how to put this in words but when i take classes from him he says things that really makes me think and makes me want to work harder My TKC Heroes My favorite karate instructors are Master Fariborz, Mr. Bill, and Mr. Ash. Mr. Fariborz is my favorite karate master because he perfects our forms & kicks. He is positive and ensures to thrive. Mr. Bill is my one of favorite karate teachers because he is very nice. Also if you talk a lot, he will sit you out. He prepares you like the test is tomorrow. When you need help with a form, he will take time to help you so you get it and after he will ask you if you sort of get it. He is also very positive. Mr. Ash is one of my favorite karate teachers because he works you out very hard. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I barely sweat, but on Saturdays 1/3 of my shirt is soaked with sweat. I get used to it. He is positive. Also he is very funny. My TKC Heroes My first TKC hero is Mr. Lance because he is always positive and he is a good teacher. He always says nothing is impossible and everything is possible. He gives us good quotes in class and he tells us to never stop trying. He always appreciates how I listen and how I take his advice and he one of my favorite teachers at TKC. My second TKC hero is Ron (Mr. Ron). He is both a BBC and teacher. I chose Ron because he is a very nice and kind person to everyone. On Sundays some of us candidates go running at Peirce college at 8:30 a.m. Ron is kind of like my pacer man. During the mile I run behind him and stay behind him the whole time. This has helped me to keep running by being his shadow. My running times have improved since I started following him. He knows Im following him and compliments me on my times. Ron never gets mad when he is helping others. He is always in the mood to learn or teach. Ron is an inspiration and a mentor to me. He is my hero. My third and most important TKC hero is Mr. Fariborz because he is a very passionate and loyal teacher. He is always calm and he is very proud of what he does. If we dont get something he finds a simpler way to teach us. He always asks if we are doing our requirements to get our black belt, he never forces us. To me he is like Yoda (mentally), he is a dragon (physically) and he is a human (emotionally). I am proud to call him my teacher and my hero. My TKC Heroes Ron Cromar is such an inspiration! His dedication, positive attitude, and the perpetual smile on his face makes TKC such a better place to be. Ron and I both started at TKC at the same time, and he has been such a great friend since day 1. Mr. Patrick. His kind heart, friendly attitude, his willingness to take a few minutes to go over a form, or teach a new technique He is definitely one of my personal favorite instructors at TKC. Mr. Terry. Mr. T has been my instructor since Green Belt. He has molded me into th martial artist I am now, and will continue to do so for years to come. Hes been a great friend to me inside and out of the studio. I love that hes able to push me to my limits and feel great afterwards! My TKC Heroes My first student inspiration is Amanda Solley. She is my inspiration because when I watch her do her forms I can see that she really cares and has a lot of passion for karate. Her forms are very crisp and she has great stances . I try to make my stances good like hers when I do my forms. My second student inspiration is Nancy Delong because I know that she really has respect and love for me and everybody else. She always tries her hardest, I think its because she knows that she can do it and I like that a lot. She has a good attitude. Whenever I need help with karate or life I know shell always be there to help me. My third inspiration is my Mom because she always pushes me to my limit. She know I can do anything that I put my mind to and she gets me there . She has had a bunch of knee problems in the past year or so and she still does things the best that she can. I think that it is cool that she can do the splits and that her kicks are very high. I want my kicks to be as high as hers. She always tries to help me, sometimes when i dont need or want it but i always like that she cares. My TKC Heroes Mr. Robert-  He is one of the most amazing teachers I have ever seen. His charisma is extremely admirable along with his always positive attitude. I still remember the feeling of standing by him in line for one of my first black belt classes. I couldnt help but think to myself this was a man who has taught me on many occasions, who has been here much longer than I and here I stand next to him. I cannot find a word for that feeling.  -Arya Bakshandeh- A few tests ago I remember hearing of his story. His dedication is so unfathomable for me. To spend two years as a brown belt, I do not honestly know if I could have continued my journey. This level of commitment is what I wish I could attach to certain aspects of my life such as school or work.  My TKC Heroes  Ms. Kirsten I think the first time I met Kirsten was on the mat during winter break in 2008. I was just coming back to the studio and she was embarking on her own black belt journey. As I am one who is easily intimidated, she made it so comfortable to be a partner with her on the mat she was so calm and patient. Over the past year, weve become good friends and it seems like weve been friends for years. The more I get to know her the more I admire and respect her and am inspired by her. She is teaching me to become a better version of myself I am learning from her strength and courage and trust and self-confidence. She is so strong and independent and such a role model for her daughter and her friends and still so dedicated to her family even though theyre so far away. I have such awe and respect and admiration for those that can leave their family and friends behind, especially in other countries and create a new life for themselves, and she has done this with the utmost grace that she does everything with. The strength and love of her own immediate family shows what an amazing woman she is and I am lucky to be able to call her my friend.My TKC Heroes  Mr. Amir From the first day I came back to train last year, Mr. Amir welcomed me back with open arms. He knew what it was like to come back to train after being gone for a time. He made me feel comfortable and made it feel right to be back and he encourages me constantly. I feel a connection with Mr. Amir; I feel like he can see into my soul and he understands who I am without even saying a word. Hes always there for me for advice or just to listen or to support my personal crises and never judging and always, always supporting me in my goals. I am honored to have this man as a friend in my life and as part of this journey.My TKC Heroes Fariborz Azhakh My TKC hero first and foremost would be Kyoshi. I have known this man for 17 years and am proud to call him not only my master, my teacher but my friend. He has been involved in my familys life throughout the good, the bad and the ugly over the years and has never once judged any of us, but has unconditionally stood by each of us (individually as well as a family) in times of good and bad. Over these years the one thing that has remained consistent is the Studio and having Mr. Fariborz always there with open hands and open heart whether it was just to talk, or to come back and train, or advice (wanted or not). To stand back and observe what he has created within the Studio and how it has grown throughout the world and the amazing people that are his personal friends and teachers is incredible and unselfishly gives us the gift of being able to train with these incredible people. Through it all he remains the calm gentle person I met all those years ago and he is one person who I know I can always go to and I can talk to about anything on my mind and I will not be judged or condemned. He constantly challenges me to shift my paradigm and look at situations and to try and seek first to understand, then be understood and he has always proved to be right. None of my arguments have ever held up with him, and when Ive been proven wrong he has never once said I told you so. I am forever grateful of this person in my life and the constant and never ending belief he has in me and support he has for me. My TKC Heroes Three TKC students or instructors that are an inspiration to me are Mr. Jake, Ms. Linda, and Ron. Jake is always inspiring me to be better. He is such a pure being, so untainted by the harsh realities of life always happy and striving to be better. He and I connect not only as martial artists, but always getting lost in conversations about learning and experiences weve shared. He is much older than his years, and I want to be that pure and honest again. Ms. Linda because she is literally another mother to me. She was the first person I told about my unfortunate experiences, and she simply told me she loved me and would always trust me with her children. Ive cried, laughed, partied, consoled, vented and more with her. She is always there for me, and such a force of nature in her self that I could only hope to follow in her example. She is always giving me opportunities and the fact that she trusts and relies on me is so comforting and inspiring that it would be one of the worst things I could do to let her down. All three of these people do. I can only learn from them, even if (like to Ron) I am his teacher. These three people are in fact, my teachers. |
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