Trento's Angels

I am just so proud. Last week was an extremely emotional week, but I held it together pretty well. I have three girls named Bethany, Taylor, and Mia who have been students of mine for a very very long time. They were with me when I apprenticed under my old master, they were with me when I opened my school, they were with me at my first competition as a school, they were part of my first belt test at the school, they were part of all my firsts at TMAFC.

Last week the the long awaited adult Black Belt test for these three girls. Each one compliments each other in different ways, a triangular force of energy that is so natural and pure. Bethany has a brilliant mind and a controlled attitude that allows her to accomplish anything she wants. It doesn't matter how many times or how hard the struggle is. Her perseverance is unparalleled that I can think of no other 14 year old girl her age could compare to. Her twin sister Taylor has come so far from where she began in her training. Her enthusiasm and spirit has carried her through with her focus. She enjoys the inner struggle of worry and doubt as a ploy with her own self to prep her to handling her tasks with ease and comfort when it really meant the most. Nothing phased her. In the case of Mia, Black Belt tests were made for her. Her intensity and attitude was the flame that kept the trio motivated and inspired which kept the trio spiritually connected in the strongest bond that lead them to the very end.

I have done many Black Belt tests now in the career of TMAFC and the tests themselves, as well as the quality of the students have come so far since that very first one from November 2009. I myself have been apart of 40 Black Belt tests over my career, and have tested in about eight of them. But this test was different. I finally had "Trento minded" students testing for Black Belt. They didn't have the distrust and anxiety that came from the hazing-type Black Belt tests my other students have seen and experienced, they had the attitude and foresight as I had on my own test back a year ago that helped them tremendously and made the experience ten times more enjoyable and special.

Trento's Angels holding hands at end of second day.

Bethany Disanno

Taylor Disanno

  

Mia Giordano

The written test took them six hours to finish! It has NEVER taken that long before. But these girls put their hearts and souls into their writing, because it meant something to them. They took the writing just as serious as the practical. That alone I appreciated from them so much. And their answers and insights for 14 year old girls was exquisite! Bethany Disanno was also the first EVER I gave full marks for a written test.

Day 2 was Conditioning day and following their 1,000 jumping jacks was the mighty lesson of focusing on what you want vs what you don't want and having the ability to be determined enough with mind and body, despite all odds to accomplish 600 jump ropes with only 3 misses. If you messed up a fourth time, they started over. It took a long time until they heeded my advice and focused on 600 jump ropes and not the 3 mistakes. Mia was first to accomplish her task, then Taylor. Bethany struggled, but her determination was flawless. She could have went all night if she had to. She never even thought of giving up. Most grown adults would have. There wasn't a dry eye when she finally accomplished her task.

Bethany amazed after her 600 jump ropes!

Day 3 began with facing their fears. Taylor who spoke in front of an entire group of people transformed before our very eyes as her tense, tearful body became one of ease and relaxation, full of confidence. Mia every day was bringing a dressed up toy spider to change her relationship with her phobia of spiders. A crumb sized spider she would jolt like an Olympic runner with a piercing scream whether it was real or not, was then hugging a gigantic, hairy toy spider and did a form with it, as if she loved spiders. And Bethany, afraid of falling stood on a chair and fell backwards first shot and fell into the arms of her team. I have seen grown men burst into tears over this fear and NOT do it. You saw the comfort and relaxation in them as they did their forms following the conquering fears, and again challenged their focus by doing all their forms in different directions. Bethany is the first person in 10 years NOT to make one single mistake on a Black Belt test doing that drill (the last person was me).

Bethany faces her fear of falling by doing the trust fall from RYLA.

Taylor confronts her fear of speaking publicly, speaking to a group of strangers.

This is Claude....yeah....

Mia makes fear her friend using NLP techniques with spiders.

Day 4 was a more stern day and physically demanding day while demonstrating physical endurance with self-defense. Doing their low level self-defenses several times with different attackers alternating with hopping on one leg for 5 minutes and if one person dropped it they ALL started over testing patience, support, and trust, back to rapid fire low level escape attacking, to push ups and sit ups, to higher level self-defenses, to rapid fire self-defenses, to squat thrusts, to free style attacking with four attackers at once. I would feel sorry for the attacker who goes for one of these 14 year old girls.

Day 5 was Basics Day, not only did they have to show and demonstrate clean, proper blocks and kicks and combination with kicks, but know the details through questioning of the curriculum, and understanding of the technical functions of their Taekwondo. This understanding enhances their performance of their techniques. Get a question wrong, push ups.  And then having the ability to be one legged as balance and control while trust and leg strength is tested by kicking a piece of paper 50 times from your partner's mouth while sitting in horse stance.

Trento's Angels prepping for push ups

Bethany against five attackers.

Miss Frey gets a close call from Mia's knife hand strike!

Taylor defending herself against multiple attackers,

The final day is always the most surprising and unexpected day. First time in a couple of years TMAFC has had multiple people in a test. The panel was superb, including guests such as two of my mentors, Mr. George Valentino and Master Samuel DeJesus, along with a return fro Sensei Cara Parmigiani, and first time Nicolette D'Ambra and Megan Jorge from ATA Springfield.

There is always appropriate nervousness at all the tests as the girls went through their forms at the beginning. They knew their general knowledge and got through any judges choice the panel threw at them. Of course Frankie Peracchio uses his Qigong meditation technique to relax the mind and syncronize the energy, and of course they saw MY element of water, which is what I was thinking about. (Mind like moon, mind like water-- lesson from MY Black Belt test ten years ago). Andrew Kranich used an evasion drill that was more and excuse to make the girls do push ups which was lengthy. Samantha Volk questioned them on our AAU Taekwondo rules from the official handbook, Erin McKenna chose our longest kicking combinations and wanted face level kicks, Robert Lisciandrello drew from a deck of cards and tallied up the number which equaled the amount of squat thrusts they had to accomplish, Sensei Cara wanted see see their best take downs and throws for sel-defense purposes, Mr. Valentino tested their suicide drills and beating their personal best, Miss Jorge wanted quality knuckle push ups (VERY hard), Miss D'Ambra did a criss cross speed drill that required strategy and conditioning, and Master DeJesus passed down a 10 minute conditioning drill he did on HIS Black Belt test that tested stamina and drive.

Rapid fire sparring can become very emotional. What may look like a beating to the audience is a display of drive and want from the judges. For seven minutes straight, every 15 seconds a new person sparring, the girls had to demonstrate technique, footwork, rules, and the virtues of determination, indomitable spirit, and perseverance. It's tough to watch, but all three of the girls never thought of stopping and quitting. Some grown adults cannot do what these girls did.

The most emotional part that happens is our self-defense portion. Exactly what I endured ten years ago, wet tarp, loud music, shock of water splashed on you, blind folded, and being attacked to the ground. For three young ladies, they did all they had to do to "survive". Unless you have done it yourself, you cannot fully understand the emotion and adrenaline that occurs in that moment. You forget it is not real, you have everything working against you, your body has been spent after six days of being put through every challenge you can think of, and now you have to defend yourself against all odds. You can't see, hear, or move, people screaming at you for support, and the level of intensity goes through the roof. It is so important for young females to go through a process like this. Women are perceived as weak and easy targets for attackers and abuser out in the world. These 14 year olds represented young women everywhere so well. If there is one thing their parents can count on, they will never have to worry about them.

Then the very last thing, when their bodies are completely spent, they have to do ALL of their breaking techniques which totals to 25 boards each. When the body kept telling them no, their minds had to take over to make their bodies say YES. The cheers were louder than ever, and the emotion that filled the room was overwhelming. There was such wonderful energy in the room and not a dry eye as the three girls received their Adult Black Belts.

I am so proud of these girls. So proud. Just so proud. What they demonstrated that entire week is an inspiration to all young women. They truly represent the Trento teaching in every aspect of their martial arts and in their lives, and that is a greater gift to me than how they do a roundhouse kick or a ridge hand strike. The way they focus, their constant and never ending improvement, their determination and drive, the way they treat other people, they way they fight for the weak and support what is good, these are the true aspects of a Black Belt. Not just their physical capabilities. It is a comfort to know these young ladies will hold true to the tenets of Taekwondo and the virtues of the martial arts for their entire lives. And I KNOW that for these three young women, the journey is only beginning. There is so much we will see from them in our future.

I am so proud that they tested exactly how I wanted them to, in the sense that their perspective was light hearted yet intense. They were relaxed, yet focused. They looked forward to the test instead of dreading it, and that is key. And, not to say it didn't mean anything to my past Black Belts who tested, but I believe that the level of importance this Black Belt test meant to these girls does not compare to anyone else. From the written test to the final test, their Black Belt test meant so much to them and you saw it in every word they spoke, every choice they made, and every action they took. I truly felt they broke the chain of what past Black Belt test energy that lingered from my old school and my old master. That alone in itself is a major accomplishment, and that belongs to them. So proud...

Thank you to the parents: Mary, Joe, Elizabeth, and Scott, for entrusting me with your girls, and for trusting me in preparing these girls for this test, and allowing me to have a hand in these life lessons they will hold in their lives. Thank you for your belief in ME and the unwavering faith and unmeasurable love and support for TMAFC and myself, and the rest of the Black Belt family.

Each test the candidates read out the TMAFC Black Belt oath and sign as their parents stand behind them for the belt ceremony.

Thank you to all the judges: Mr. Frankie Peracchio, Mr. Andrew Kranich, Miss Samantha Volk, Miss Erin McKenna, Mr. Robert Lisciandrello, Master Sam DeJesus, Sensei Cara Parmigiani, Mr. George Valentino, Miss Nicolette D'Ambra, and Miss Megan Jorge. Thank you for contributing your energy and experience to these girls and making their test a memorable one and giving them the quality Black Belt test they deserve and worked for! I hold you all so close and dear to my hearts.

The test panel

Thank you to all the TMAFC family for coming and supporting the test and the angels, especially Professor Lisa Sargese and for her wonderful photography, Miss Kristin Barrett, Mr. Owen Hagmaier, and the TMAFC Leadership Team.

Bethany, Taylor, and Mia: I am so proud of you girls. I don't think words can describe how proud I am of you girls. And I know it is only the beginning for you girls. I know you're never gonna give up and will always find a way to continue your training and bring it into your lives in everything you do. Hold true to yourself always, and share with others the experiences you have learned that make you wiser and more mature than most people your age. Be humble in all you do, yet intense in the things you know are important. You have proven to be true candles in this life of yours that will light the way for others, and I am so proud of you for that. I love you girls from the bottom of my heart. My love to the "Trento's Angels". (BOWS)

Baby Mia

Babies Bethany and Taylor

The grown Trento's Angels

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO