TMAFC meets Mike Lee

I tested for 3rd Degree Black Belt in 2009 at Master Balon's school. It was there I met another one of my mentors, Master DeJesus. He was testing for 4th Degree. For the self-defense portion, he asked me to be his partner for his portion. It was there that I experienced (as the dummy) Haganah for the first time. I was amazed and loved what I saw and said to him right there, that very day "You're going to teach me this!"

Anyone who knows me well knows when I saw I'm going to do something, I do it. And everybody says things like that. "You gotta teach me that!" "I wanna learn that!" Blah blah. Well I follow through. When I was testing for 4th Degree myself, this was the challenge for me, to learn Haganah. I would train once a month and practice on my own and come back and do a little more and I did that for I think a year before he told me I was going to test o_O.

Quite honestly, I loved learning it, and it was a challenge for me to push the envelope in the next level of what I called "self-defense" training. I never thought I would ever rank in the system. But when the mentor says that's what you're going to do, that's what you do. I remember watching a Haganah test and wondering if I could do that. I had my doubts. SO as any good mentor does, Master DeJesus pushed the envelope and I did it. I was very proud. It was a year later I think that he recommended I go and do the Haganah Gun Disarm Certification to become an Instructor. Yet again, something I never thought I would do. But if Master DeJesus thought I could do it, then I guess I could do it.

I loved it, and enjoyed it so much! Then I was invited that March to the annual Haganah Conference where I fulfilled the Empty Hand and Knife Disarm to become a full fledged Gen 2 FIGHT Instructor! I never thought I'd be an instructor for this system! Then I went to Mike Lee Kanarek's school last May for his Battle Ready Kickboxing certification. I never thought I'd ever be training with Mike Lee at his own school! Then I spoke to Mike and Master DeJesus about me doing a Haganah FIGHT program at my own school. And sure enough TMAFC has become an Authorized Training Center and I began the FIGHT program in July.

I remember when I first went to a Mike Lee seminar. So you can imagine my thrill to have my very own FIGHT students go for the first time to a Mike Lee seminar then! Mike Lee Kanarek was at Hudson Valley Haganah school, a Tiitanium status level school run by the newly appointed regional director Ed Du Pless. I brought seven people to the seminar and I was so thrilled for them to meet him, see him instruct, hear his philosophies, enjoy his cadence and humor, listen to his stories, and to learn hands on from the founder of the system himself. They also got to meet MY Haganah instructor, Master DeJesus and his own students from his school. It was the first time I wasn't just there as me, but as TMAFC.

I am proud of be a part of this system, and proud of my students pushing themselves and opening their horizons. I was also happy for Master DeJesus to meet my own students. I hope he's proud of me. And I owe him so much. These are all things I never expected and planned on. And I am very grateful. Last weekend I was at Mike Lee's school in Florida training for my Blade Warrior Certification with him (future blog). There is always something new for the next adventure! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Summer 2015

I haven't had a summer to myself for many years. I think 2004 and 2005 I trained heavily being a competitor. In 2006 I was very sick and didn't do much, 2007 I trained very seriously, 2008 I worked and moved out of my house, 2009 I was working to start my business, 2010 I opened my business, 2011 I was training for more 4th Degree test, 2012 I was working on new projects, 2013 was a very rough summer for me, and 2014 was no better.

I haven't been on a real vacation in so long. I can't even remember. A time when I've gone and just done NOTHING. But I also can't remember a summer I really enjoyed. There was always SOMETHING! And when that something was not there, a new SOMETHING was there to take it's place. I opened my business in the summer so I was very busy and my first three summers were great. Then I had a few summers that were not great. Well this year, the summer of 2015, I didn't worry at all. It was for the first time, a good summer.

Now I didn't vacation any at all either. However, I at least enjoyed it. From May to Sept I was definitely busy. Like I've said before, my idea of hell is an empty calendar. I use every second of my time in some way. In May I spent an entire day with Sifu, went to Mike Lee's school in Florida for Battle Ready Kickboxing, and had the second Iteration of the Just Be BBQ. June I had kung fu test of my own, belt testing for my students, celebrated five years of open doors of TMAFC, and went to nationals (upcoming blog). Besides the beginning of July being nationals in Florida, I also had visited Nina in Baltimore for a weekend, officiated at the Junior Olympics in Virginia, and in I August I went to Georgia for ten days.

September hit and the first weekend I was back to work only to go back to Florida following weekend for Team Trials for the AAU Taekwondo, then had Black Belt testing at TMAFC, and then went to Tennessee (upcoming blog). Back to workshops and LBI, seminars, and October to December I am booked.

That makes me happy. I keep moving. Just this time, in the right direction. It'll almost be a whole year since I've moved TMAFC to Saddle Brook, and I have a lot of new. It wasn't a bad summer at all.

As I move through the fall, I have been extremely nostalgic. I always am. It's worse this year. But I'm okay. As I reflect on the summer I already am thinking about next year's summer. In my head the summer of 2016 begins a whole new plan of things for five years. I will do everything. But it will also require me having no summer for another five years, hahaha. But I will be soooo enjoying my journey towards my goals very much.

(BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Nationals 2015

Summer of 2013 was the beginning of the end for me. It trickled into the entire year of 2014 which was a horrible horrible horrible year. In 2013, I requested to officiate the nationals but there were enough referees and I wasn't needed. Okay, that's fine. I often wonder if things would have been different if I did. I don't know. But 2014 was so horrible for me that I really didn't want to go to the nationals that year. But God bless spirit.

I have a student who is VERY committed who chose to compete and it was enough for me to go because he worked so hard that year to make it to nationals, it was an experience he has earned, and whether it is one person or ten people, I'll be there for anyone who is that committed. But quite honestly, I wasn't up for going. I really didn't want to. I almost didn't. But I put in the request to officiate this year and this year I was accepted to work. SO it would be my first time working a national level tournament.

Well I can't imagine what life would be like if I did not go to the nationals that year. I met a tremendous amount of wonderful people and friends, some who I even consider family, that I could not imagine the year to follow without their presence in it. SO for 2015, I was very excited to go back. And I had a helluva a year officiating for the AAU and other independent tournaments. This year I was also looking to become a Clinical Administrator for New Jersey and to go for my upgrade. I also had students competing and was very excited for them and having them part of the nationals again this year.

The nationals is the only time when we ALL can be together at the same time. Everyone from Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, New York, Florida, North Carolina, Montana, and we all work together and get along together beautifully. Not only are they wonderful people, but they are truly fantastic martial artists as well. I don't just talk about refereeing and tournament stuff, but we also talk about our training and teaching methods, things we do from where we come from, concepts, philosophies, students we teach, etc.

But we all also just genuinely enjoy each other's company. They are a fabulous support group and everyone is as professional on the floor as they are fantastic martial artists. But I think the comradery everyone has with each other is also a great attribute to the success of the AAU events. The officials are consistent and professional, work very hard, helps each other out and has each other's back, and having a lot of fun as well. This is what makes the events go so well in my opinion.

I was very proud of both my students who competed, they worked so hard and represented so well. William Stiehl is my only student who has gone to the nationals every year we have gone since 2012. Nicole Vidal had a helluva good first year, being the only white belt I have ever had on the competition team, got 1st or gold in just about every competition she went to in her first year, belt tested up to her green belt, worked with 7th Degree Black Belts, and exactly one year since she began training made it to a national tournament. I was so proud of them!

My mother happened to be in Florida with my brother, his girlfriend, and my cousin and one night we all go together for a team dinner. It was very nice to celebrate all together, including with one of my mentors Dr. Stiehl. Nicole had tested for low green belt before nationals and I awarded her belt at the team dinner we had also that night. It was really great together.

One of my highlights at nationals was working for the first time the Special Needs Division. To me, it was awe-inspiring. I was so motivated and inspired to be a part of this program and want so much to develop it further in New Jersey (future blog). I saw what it did for these kids and young adults and the spirit it developed in them, the wonderful character they bring to the mats, it is something that needs to grow and people need to take part in.

At the end of the week, the officials get together on a dinner cruise after a long week of working. My mother came as my plus one and she got to meet a lot of these wonderful people. I know many of them roll their eyes because they do this every year for so many years, but to me it is such a treat. I wouldn't care if it was every year (I mean that's exactly it-- once a YEAR) but to be altogether like that just being, it's a gift I do not take for granted.

 I am blessed to be a part of this other world and have the support system just about anywhere I go in this country. I often think, imagine if I never went that one year to nationals? How life would be so different....Time...gives you just what you need when you need it I guess. This year has been so fabulous, I can only imagine how next year will be. After all, it'll be one week before my 5th Degree Black Belt test....

(BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO