Students Improving!

"Progress is the key to motivation."

I have been teaching martial arts for about a dozen years. I celebrated my 14th training anniversary with a lesson with my new master, Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee. As a teacher by nature, I am proud of my ability to teach what I love so much to any age. As most of us do, we sometimes doubt our abilities when working with other people. Every teacher has those moments of whether or not they are making a difference or if they are getting through.

But one thing is for sure. The joy and excitement a teacher gets when they see their students improving is such a wonderful feeling. The greatest teachers I have ever had are the ones who give it their all, who understand how their students work and could cater to those needs, and are themselves. They are also the ones who teach everything they know to pass down to whomever they teach.

Academically, I had some phenomenal teacher. Mike Sheridan was the most brilliant scholar I have ever known and prepared me like no one else for college. Donna TenHoeve made my grammar in Spanish better than my English grammar. Cindy Verost gave me such joy in learning music and understanding the work behind creating such beauty and her way to coming down to a students level while holding professionalism. Dottie Filipek was always an advocate for the students and would lead by example and go above and beyond which inspired and motivated. My personal mentor, Professor Sargese is a master educator who inspires and is loved by all who come into her class and goes the extra mile to getting her students to fully grasp the lessons and use the skills they possess.

Through martial arts, I have always come across the best of the best. Master DeJesus absolutely loves what he does and it shows not only when he teaches but when he makes contact with people. He is constantly learning to innovating to make his students better all the time. Master Bardatsos has always made champions and isn't afraid to be honest and work someone hard. Master Balon is a brilliant man who knows his material inside and out for any situation, circumstance, and no detail is unimportant. And of course there is my new master, Sifu (Master) Yee, who brings altogether the essence of the lesson in every way you can possibly learn to through understanding, qi, history, application, and feel on physical, mental, and spiritual planes.

And I will always give credit to my old master. A lot of lessons he taught me, the ways he would teach, systems and thought processes pertaining to martial arts training, structuring, all those roots had led me to being sure I would be the most well rounded martial artist I could become and to continue teaching that way. I can never take that away from him.

I have taken something from each of these people. In some way there are a lot of similarities that are important to me. And a lot of ways there are things I still learn from each. And there are also a lot of unique things about each that I take with me and call my own as well. They all have a part in making me the teacher I have become, and am still becoming.

I had a very stressful summer. But there is one thing that has kept my spirits high and brings great joy in my life. When I see the progress my students make. It reminds me why I do what I do every day. I have a little boy named Theodoris who is a little Greek boy. He is as cute as can be at the age of seven. About a month ago we were doing a private lesson and I was blown away by him. I would always correct his stances, trying to make him bend lower, be louder, ask questions. Well in this lesson before he went on vacation, I didn't have to say one thing about his stances, his kicks improved tremendously, and he was so loud in his kias, the effort was amazing. And when I acknowledged it, his smile of how proud he was of himself was priceless!

I have a set of twins Samantha and Danielle. They are so funny together becasue they are the true essence of TWINS. They talk, breath, laugh IN SYNC! They are little joy bubbles. They'll be testing for advance level rank this month. I used to push them a lot in their technique. They put in so much effort this summer, I am astounded by their improvement. A very good friend of theirs named Megan is one belt behind. She used to have a lot of balance issues which affected her technique. I do my best not to overwhelm her with drills, but I work a lot with her in each class. I had a lesson with her recently, and I looked at her and said "Where did THIS come from!?" She just had this big smile on her face. Her kicks had such control, her movement and positioning improved greatly, her stances, her questions (so I know how she is thinking) were impressive, I couldn't have been more proud.

I have a little Polish boy named Tomasz who comes to EVERY CLASS OF EVERY DAY that he can take. And it shows in his performance. He is dedicated, he is focused, and he takes his training VERY seriously at the age of seven! I see myself when I was that age doing the same thing! But it is above all, FUN for him to do. Two of my brown belt twins Bethany and Taylor, who I've been training since they were little girls, have absolutely transformed! I don't know if it's because they're in teen and adult classes now, or they have Black Belt test in their sights, but all I can saw about them is WOW!

I can't forget my adults! Ara is such a supportive, encouraging asset to my school. He doesn't care if he is with other adult students, the teens, or even the little kids. He is a part of the family as much as any one else and his support and energy shows. His enthusiasm is contagious, and it motivates ME as his master. He loves sparring now. And he was lucky enough in his earlier ranks to have a lot of one on one classes with me. I remember how he moved even FIVE months ago to what he is doing today! One word: PROUD. In fact, last night Robert and I taught a sparring class and it was a very nice turnout. We sparred in class for at least a good hour. I was really happy with the effort each one put in. They helped each other, encouraged each other, made all the right mistakes, made all the right learning curves, it was magnificent!

But I can't help but have a special place in my heart for young Alyssa. I remember her coming in two years ago. She always loved her training and I knew it meant something to her. She has had her ups and downs. She had an injured knee for along time, but she kept up and had a great attitude. I would always bust her chops, however, on her technique. I needed more effort in her stances, kick higher, kia louder. I KNEW she had this ball of energy inside of her that just needs to come out! She has so much potential and can do so much, she doesn't even know it! And I know it's my job to get her to see that.

One day in class Alyssa came in and I didn't even recognize her. No no, she looked the same. But her ATTITUDE was completely different. I couldn't believe how high she was kicking, I couldn't believe how strong she was, I couldn't believe how low her stances were, and above all I couldn't believe how loud she was. I looked at her and I said "Who are you!? Who is this person!?" She looked at me and I smiled and said to her "I am so proud! You keep it up, girl. That's true girl power and YOU got it!"

So I guess when you go through really stressful times, people say to you count your blessings. So I guess what I can say is this blog is about counting my blessings. I am blessed to have and had such phenomenal teachers in my life who I have taken something from each one and who played crucial roles in the teacher I have become. But I am even more blessed to have the students that I have, who are wonderful and make me so proud. And it makes me feel so good to see them not only making progress but being so INTO their training as well!

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO

Best Friend Black Belts

I met Ms Gedman last year in December when I went to see Mr. Valentino's midterm test. Ms Gedman is a fourth degree Black Belt in the ATA Taekwondo Association, the same Mr. Valentino and his sister are a part of. We quickly got to know each other and I had even asked Ms Gedman and her partner, Mr. Rivera, to judge Samantha's Volk's 2nd Dan Black Belt test back in May.

What is so wonderful about being a part of the martial arts is that you make the greatest friends, and most of the time friends for life. You share an experience on the physical plane, an emotional and mental plane, and above all whether you believe/understand it or not, a spiritual plane. You have a connection that no one else can comprehend. And when you meet people who have the same passion as you, it intensifies. Ms Gedman became a very important part of my martial arts journey very quickly.

In fact, Ms Gedman was a part of my thirteen judge panel for the last day of my six day Master Pretest. I was so happy that she could be a part of that day and share what was to this point one of the most important experiences of my life.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of being a guest judge for Ms Gedman and Mr. Rivera at their club in Westfield, NJ. One of my own Black Belts came and they were nice enough to have have her on the table to judge as well.

Every Taekwondo school tests differently. The ATA have a very structured and standardized routine to test. I have always said this, but ATA students have great discipline and I believe it comes from the structured systems that the organization has in place. We started with the nine little people testing (under seven years of age I think) where they showed parts of their form and memorized steppings and techniques. Then came the larger group of higher belts, and adults. The candidates had to perform their forms, prearranged step movements, and a few even had to spar and break boards.

Two girls were going for their Black Belt. Their names were Zoe and Shannon. These two girls were best friends. They began their martial arts journey together and you can tell it meant so much to experience this journey together and have this achievement together. These two girls were very different but had the same love for the art and for each other.

We through physical challenges at them, watched them cheer each other on, push through the sparring, push through the boards, and perform the forms together. As I sat there watching them, I began having my own flashbacks of when I was going through the ranks from the age of 9-16. I also tested with my best friend through the ranks, and even a Black Belt test.

Kristin Barrett and I tested together under our old master in Saddle Brook, NJ on August 12, 2004. It was her last test with our old master and our last test together. It was just the two of us. Two people who couldn't be any more different, but had the same love for what they were doing and for each other. Kristin and I really pushed ourselves, and each other on that test. Mental challenges at the beginning, a little conditioning, all our basics, all our forms, self-defenses including a pellet gun which he's never done at the time, and we were the first to break five boards on a test.

That test will always be special to me because it was with my best friend. So I knew exactly how much this test for these two girls were. I wanted, as a guest judge, to bring as much as I could for the two to enjoy together, learn together, share together, and remember together as they were to go through this test. I was so proud of the girls, as if they were my own students.

We get these blasts from the past, to remind us of our history and how to help others make their own. It was an honor judging for Ms Gedman and Mr. Rivera, and I hope they have me back! And I graciously thank them for making my Black Belt welcome as well. Congratulations to all the new belts at ATA Westfield!

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO