The Junior Black Belt

Owen Hagmaier and Mr. Trento in 2007

Many moons ago, my martial arts school did a program for three and four year olds called "Little Ninjas." It was more of a character enrichment program than martial arts, but used some kicks and punches for the activities and got them ready for the martial arts program. At the time, my dear friend Kristin Barrett was teaching this program. When we no longer taught it, I was offered the position. I said "NO WAY! I am NEVER going to teach three and four years olds!"

I didn't want to. And I didn't think I could. Too young? Well my friend Julie took over instead. When she no longer did it, I was asked again. I said NO. Then another guy did it. When he stopped, I was asked and declined once more. Than another girl did it. After she left, I was brought into the office and was TOLD I would be the new Little Ninja Instructor. -_____-

So my first group of Little Ninjas I had eight kids. Among those eight was a 3 1/2 year old boy named Owen Hagmaier. Owen was this cute little boy who was an absolute character! When I revamped the Little Ninha curriculum, one of the topics I did with the kiddies was Leadership. So we did Simon says and follow the leader, etc. Then one drill I had one kid at a time come up and count while the rest did a punch and yelled loud PUNCH! When it was Owen's turn, he stood tall, hands behind his back, and called out his numbers and imitated me to the tee! He would shake his ear, indicating he wanted them louder, waved his hands as I did, etc. It was the cutest thing and my earliest memory of Owen.

I trained Owen up to high green belt before I left that school to begin my own. When I finally opened my own center, Owen had come back to me as a high brown belt and joined my center to complete his color belt training at TMAFC. I was delighted! Owen came raw, but after about 6 months training he made tremendous progress and was awarded his advance brown belt, the last color belt before Junior Black Belt! We scheduled the test for Sept 8-10, 2011. 

Well Owen trained hard and last week was his Junior Black Belt test. He is 8 years old today, and is a child actor, starring in several commercials and short films, and cameos in movies. He is going to be a big star one day! Now many of you might say "Eight years old? Isn't that too young to be a Black Belt??"

Well let me remind you I have trained Owen since he was three! He has been training five years for this, and when I tell you what he did for his test, you will have no doubt that this young man has faced challenges with such character and strength that most grown adults could not do, with focus most adults don't have!

The Junior Black Belt test is a three day test for students from the ages of 12 and below. Thursday was Conditioning and Forms, Friday was Basics and Self-Defense, and Saturday....Well wouldn't you love to know >=) HEE HEE, that is exactly what it said on his schedule. I don't know until that morning of. Each Black Belt test is different, never two the same just as all people are different, no two the same. The test is a personal and emotional test that is catered to the individual candidate(s). Owen had to apply the mental lessons that he understands at such a young age through a physically challenging test that pushed him beyond his limits!

On Thursday, the very first thing Owen had to do was 1,000 jumping jacks. Yes, you heard me. One thousand (1,000) jumping jacks! And he did it with barely a struggle. Can YOU do that? At the last 200 or so, all of his friends had jumped up to do the jumping jacks with him for good energy and support. It was very touching to witness. After the thousand jumping jacks he did 15 minutes of speed and agility drills before we made him read a story from the book he had to read for the test (Owen had to read Eye of the Hurricane by Terrence Webster Doyle.) Then he did speed drills and had to beat his time 4 rounds in a row. We made him run side to side between two blocks as fast as he could in 15 seconds, beating the amount he could do each time. He hopped on one leg for 5 min each leg and sat for 5 min with a five pound dumb bell in his hand. After the conditioning he performed all his forms (there are 12) and then performed a few facing different directons, one backwards, and all of them in under one minute that took him four tries. He was VERY impressive.

 

Owen doing 1,000 jumping jacks

 

Owen doing speed and agility drills

People say, "That sounds like child abuse!" It honestly is not, I never have the kids perform something I know they cannot do, nor with something I did not prepare them for. And the mental energies they are trained for makes them do the most amazing things. That is what a Black Belt is all about anyway. Phenomenal attitude no matter what the task. If these kids learn NOW with a Black Belt test, they can carry it on into all aspects of their lives.

Friday I took a mental lesson that catered to Owen. Owen does not like giving the wrong answer or answers questions with questions. I did not want him to worry about making mistakes because he is taught mistakes are a good thing! Make them so you can learn from them! Do not deny yourself the opportunity to learn! As long as you are aware of them and not let it take away from your focus and attitude. How many parents, coaches, and teachers teach kids mistakes are a bad thing? They got it all wrong! No matter what I threw at Owen, he was expected to have a TEN attitude and a TEN focus level (ten being the highest, one the lowest).

Owen performed his blocks, then again with three pound dumb bells in his hands. He did his kicks with resistance bands on his legs, and again without them, then kicking combination's, then all the combinations under a minute. He was attacked by a Black Belt to do his level self-defenses, another student attacked whatever they wanted and he had to protect himself, then three students on him, then three Black Belts attacking. Owen was a force to be reckoned with.

Owen performing his blocks

Owen performing blocks with dumb bells in hand.

On the last day, Owen is judged by nine judges alongside me. The ten of us grade him by the level of control he has over his effort, his attitude, and his responses. Four judges were former students of mine who were around Owen's age when they got THEIR Junior Black Belts before later becoming adult Black Belts. Another judge there was an instructor who taught with me when Owen was a Little Ninja. And then my four adult Black Belts I had on the panel as well.

After Owen performed his forms, we had a portion of the test called Judge's Choice, where each judge chooses for Owen to do whatever task they want him to do. Owen did phenomenally. He did 500 jump ropes, all his forms in one minute, all his self-defenses in one minute, perform his least favorite form, and one of the most impressive tasks was breaking FIVE BOARDS, after impressing us by doing 4 on Friday. I think he even shocked himself, and it took five or six times, which is NOTHING when it comes to such a difficult task as that. He was asked a few questions, did a form with a cup of pennies on his head he was not allowed to drop on the floor or he did push ups and we created a lieu of distractions like flickering the lights and clapping, putting music on and off etc to test his focus.

Owen with 20 boards on his legs for 5 min, adding five boards every minute.

The last and most trying task was to do that sitting position for five minutes again but with 20 boards on his legs, adding five more boards every minute. There were a few tears, but he did it! Absolutely amazing! The perseverance this eight year old showed, I was so proud of him! He then did 5 minutes of rapid sparring, sparring a new partner every fifteen seconds, and then we had blind folded him, turned the music on loud, and had four people attack him continuously for self-defense. It is very difficult to watch, and very intense, but the bottom line is that this eight year old can defend himself even when everything is against him. You didn't even recognize Owen by the time he was finished. The intensity was magnificent! Then he did all his breaks which were a total of 25 in all. He ended with a combination he made up.

The ceremony was beautiful, and he was so happy. His parents were very proud, and so were the fellow students and their families. I am so proud of my student Owen. He truly represents what the martial arts is all about. SO many parents I meet always fear for their children with the way the world is becoming and what will things be like when they get older, and all I have to say is, don't worry, there is hope. With young people like Owen in our world, the world is definitely the better, along with all his other martial arts family.

CONGRATULATIONS OWEN HAGMAIER ON YOUR JUNIOR BLACK BELT! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO