February 2017 Tiger Tracks

Strickland's Taekwondo - What you want to know about us and more

We are a professional full-time martial arts school unlike any other in the area.  At Strickland’s Taekwondo Karate you will learn true self defense as well as traditional Taekwondo, aka Korean Karate, from highly skilled and unique professionals with many years of martial arts experience that take their job seriously.  Our instructor team is comprised of full time paid instructors, as well as volunteers that teach class for the sheer enjoyment.  More importantly, all the instructors are personal students of Mr. Strickland, trained by him.  As well as learning an ancient martial art, you will also benefit from high-energy workouts and fun programs. You will train in a spacious and safe environment.  Come see what sets us apart from other schools in the metroplex.   We have exciting karate, kickboxing, anti-bully, and self defense classes for Children, Teens, and Adults - ages 4 and up! 

Strickland's Taekwondo Adult Class

Strickland's Taekwondo Children's Class

Strickland's Taekwondo DAAB Class

(Women's Defense Against Agressive Behavior)

Why do I want to become a black belt? William (Will) Mize

William (Will) MizeWhy do I want to become a black belt?

I first started doing martial arts at the age of 8, at Turners Karate School. From that point I knew that I wanted to be a black belt. But alas, at the young age, I lacked the focus, control and discipline to do so. I quit very early, never making it past orange belt. Years went by and I never considered doing martial arts again, until I met Hunter Bushnell. I saw the control and discipline he seemed to posses, which is something most 7th graders didn’t have. He then explained how he had been doing Taekwondo for years, and was a first-degree black belt. From that moment I realized I wanted the same skill and discipline that he possessed.

I talked my parents into letting me join Taekwondo at the beginning of my second semester 8^th grade year. Immediately I loved going to class and looked forward to it every single day. Everything about class was enjoyable, from the atmosphere provided by the people, to the exhausting exercise we received. I felt at home around everyone, and knew I wanted to continue working towards my black belt and further for as long as I could.

After earning my back belt, I wish to eventually become an instructor and continue to do Taekwondo for as long as I can. There I an innate respect for those who are well versed enough in a martial art to be able to teach it. I hope earning my black belt and eventually becoming an instructor will help me achieve that respect from my peers and others around me.

Texas A&M University has their own Taekwondo team that I wish to join as freshmen my first year attending. I hope to compete to better both myself and my teammates, while supporting the school's name.

Taekwondo is phenomenal in the sense that it is something you can do at almost any age throughout all of your life. Furthermore, as you better yourself physically you also do so mentally. This is apparent in the way all students and instructors treat one another. No matter what your age you are either sir or ma’am, and are treated with respect. To me, a black belt student not only has this respect, but has proven they deserve it.

I have worked for two and a half years toward this testing, and have been determined to get to this point from the very beginning. I want to become a black belt so I can further better myself both physically and mentally, while helping my peers along the way. To me a black belt represents the tenants of Taekwondo; Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit. These are tenants I’ve been working to improve for within myself, and earning my black belt is a representation of that work.

Ken Pecoraro - Black Belt Essay

Why I want to be a Black Belt

By

Ken Pecoraro

Three years ago, when I started bringing my boys to Strickland’s Taekwondo, I was reminded of my first experience in martial arts. I was 25 years old, in the United States Navy flight school, and the base was offering an introduction to taekwondo. Being a Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan fan, I thought I could become one of them, so I gave it a shot. I was hooked! After my first class, I went straight home to demonstrate my newly perfected sliding sidekick to my roommates. Well, my perfectly executed kick placed my little toe completely around the door jam, breaking it in two places. So, after losing two weeks of flight training, I hung up my barely used white belt for the next 30 years!

I walked into my first class with Mr. Strickland partially expecting a little attitude. Kind of a " hey, what's this fat old man trying to do now". What I got was an encouraging "you can do it attitude". Always helpful, always motivating. Not only from Mr. Strickland, but all instructors, seniors and peers. For almost two years I have been learning kicks, punches, forms, weapons, flexibility, and most of all, discipline. And then there is sparring! Shoot, I haven't been in a fight since 6th grade. It was hard to have a name that was so easily transmogrified into "Peckerhead" at that age, at that time. But I digress. Simply put, sparring has become my favorite part of class now that I am learning control. Now if I could only beat Bill Reaves in a tournament...

So, it started with Ki-Bon, or “The Beginning”, and from then on, it has been my goal to earn my Black belt. Now, it may be hard to believe that I have ADD, or “hyperactivity” as it was called in my youth, but I have the many, many unfinished projects around the house to prove it. But this is different. Much like joining the Corps of Cadets while at Texas A&M, Parachute School in the Army, Flight school in the Navy, and becoming an airline pilot, this is something I just will not quit! I think it has something to do with the tenants of taekwondo, they all mean something – fundamental traits that are vital in order to live a happy, successful and fulfilling life:

Courtesy, or Ye-Ui: This is self-explanatory - treat others, as you want to be treated.

Integrity or Yom-Chi: Be honest with yourself and others.

Perseverance or In-Nae: Never Quit, Don’t give up.

Self Control or Guk-Gi: A tough one for me in the beginning, but experience is helping. It encompasses not only controlling one’s emotions, but one’s precision and force as well.

Indomitable Spirit or Baekjul-bool Gool: Simply put, an unshakeable belief system that one will go to extraordinary lengths in order to defend.

To sum it all up, there are many reasons why I want to be a Black Belt, but it all comes down to one word – Pride. I want to walk tall knowing that I have accomplished something special. I want my name on my black belt and my mane on my Gi!

Not enough Time? "Excuses and Reasons - Volume 1" - Mr V.

Not enough Time?  "Excuses and Reasons  - Volume 1"

Over the course of 20 years of teaching TKD, I have seen many students come and go.  I am always happy to have had the opportunity to interact with them for a little bit of time.  Mainly, I do understand that not everyone is going to continue with an activity for 20 years.  Many marriages do not even last 20 years!

But the "reasons" for quitting usually me shake my head ...

The most popular one we hear in one of the schools where I teach is "he/she needs more time to focus on grades, standardized testing preparation, etc".

Just for me personally, I'm not buying it.  With one son graduated from the Air Force Academy, another at a major university, and with hundreds of TKD students who have gone on to college, here's the one recurring theme that I hear.

 
  "These kids have to come into the school with some balance.  Too many of them show up with nothing but academics behind them, without any athletic experience, with no sports, no community involvement, and no "escape" from academics.  When something goes wrong for these kids - and college is hard, regardless of your test scores - they can just fall to pieces".

This came from an admissions provost at one of our 4 year Universities here in the area.

  I had 3 TKD students in the HS class of 2010 who were awarded full scholarships at area universities.  All trained at and were instructors for the Highland Village school until going off to college.  Two were highly, highly ranked within their high school class, but their blackbelts and dedication to training set them apart.  There are hundreds of kids with high gpa's and test scores every year, but not too many who can also do a flying sidekick through 3 boards and defend themselves against attackers.  Where else do they get the experience of leading 20-30 people in a classroom before college if they do not have the opportunity to instruct.

Personally, my eldest applied to the top 2 aeronautical engineering schools in the country.  His academic standing was good, but he was barely in the top 10%.  He was not a National Merit Scholar.  He got in to both Georgia Tech and accepted his appointment at the Air Foce Academy.  Without his martial arts background, and particularly the fact that he stuck it out with all of his other activities, that simply would not have happened.

With his Aeronautical Engineering degree in his pocket, Cameron finishes flight training this month.  Every time he is in town - he makes it a point to come do some kicking and punching and forms.  Success grows best on a strong foundation, and it is dangerous to build on a narrow one.

Mr. V

February 2015 Tiger Tracks

January 2015 Tiger Tracks

Jacquelyn's Journey - Discover the Champion Within

“Hello what’s your name?  I’m Miss Anderson.  How old are you?  Have you ever done taekwondo before?  No?  Well we’re going to have some FUN today!”

That is what I say to new students when they walk onto the mat for the first time when I’m the trainee there because I was once a new student too.  I have taken taekwondo since I was 5 years old.  My favorite quote is Yoda saying “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”  This is a story about my 8 year long journey. 

I love taekwondo but it wasn’t always so easy.  My mom tells me I have Sensory Integrated Dysfunction (she helped me name it).  I didn’t learn to walk or talk until I was older than when other kids do and I wasn’t able to eat normal food until I was 5.  I went to a lot of doctors and had therapists help me learn stuff like other kids.  It was hard because there were a lot of things I couldn’t do.  But there were a lot of things I could.  My mom told me she took me to the Ft. Worth stock show and all I wanted to do was stand and watch kids lassoing a fake bull. For 4 hours all I did was stand there and watch.  I even ate lunch there just not talking and just watching the other kids lassoing the bull.  All I wanted to do was watch the other kids try it over and over again until I felt ready to try.  And at 4 hours I walked up there and lassoed the bull on my very first try and I kept doing it over and over perfect because I had been practicing it in my mind watching the other kids mistakes.  My mom says that’s how I work.  It’s okay because everyone is different.             

On Thursday, May 24, 2007 my best friend Willie and I graduated from preschool and our moms signed us up for a trial taekwondo class for a summer activity for us to do together.  It was just supposed to be a few weeks of something fun to do.  But I really liked it and wanted to keep going.  It’s where I met 4 year old Jimmy Hollon who was always getting in trouble, forgetting his belt and getting sent out of class for acting up.  It’s really neat to see him grow up with me in the years.  I was the only girl in the Little Dragons class but I really didn’t mind.  There were lots of teenage girl junior trainees who I really liked and looked up to a lot.  I really liked their red collars.  I wasn’t very good at taekwondo and I fell over a lot and was very clumsy.  But I wanted to keep at it.  I really liked the forms because they were in patterns and I like when things are in order.  I liked trying to walk on the ‘railroad tracks’ (walking the tape on the floor). In August I got to do my very first taekwondo tournament (video of me when I was really little here: http://goo.gl/6s4RrB).  After that I wanted to move to the juniors class because I felt I didn’t need to be in the little kid class anymore because I kept knocking over the small bags and it wasn’t much of a challenge.  So I got courage and asked all by myself if I could be in the juniors class and that I knew I could do it.  I loved it.  I started doing Ki-Bon everywhere I went.  At the store and at the library and when I started kindergarten I would do it every day at recess.  My very first belt test I met Master Strickland.  His voice was loud and he was a big giant scary man.  I was afraid to look at him at the testing.  I had just turned 6 years old didn’t know where to stand, how to line up and I really couldn’t do jumping jacks at all! (http://goo.gl/w6Rho8)     

I tried to do soccer and softball but I wasn’t as good as the other girls and I didn’t get the ball a lot.  But I loved taekwondo because I could do it.  So I kept going and kept testing for belts.  I made some friends like Annie and Michelle Hollon.  I really liked Annie as she always picked me up and walked around with me.  I took class with Alex Fulco and Jordan Davenport and really liked them too.  And I was scared of the Cleveland girls because they were awesome and scary!  I remember Joe Woodard from Saturday belt testing’s at other schools.  I tried out in 2009 for the demo team and made it.  I loved it so much and got to do the Dallas national tournament (http://goo.gl/5KNZ3F).  I was the smallest, youngest and lowest rank.  But it really doesn’t matter how young you are as long as you try hard and want it so that you can do it.  And I got my black belt at Christmas and was so happy.  I used the Yoda quote in my black belt essay too! (http://goo.gl/EsF7pA)

One time I got bullied at school.  I didn’t have very many friends outside taekwondo.  One kid who really didn’t like me pushed me hard off the monkey bars at recess and my scapular bone in my shoulder got broken.  I wasn’t able to do taekwondo for a while and I was sad.  Then when I was able to do taekwondo again I had my first no change and it was really hard and I cried.  That was when I met Drew Cain.  He was holding the yellow board when I couldn’t break it on my 3^rd try.  I almost didn’t want to keep doing taekwondo.  But then I thought about it and thought it doesn’t matter how slow you go as long as you just keep going.  Because of the bullying I had to change schools.  I did a demo for the talent show at school but I got made fun of and one boy said he was going to break my arm the way I broke the wood in my demo.  It was really hard but I never stopped loving taekwondo. It was where everyone was nice to me.  Everyone always cheered for me to do my best.  They are my family. I even got to be in a newspaper story about taekwondo and it made me feel good (http://goo.gl/Dt61hH).  I got really sick for a while and got a virus in my hip and had to do physical therapy.  I couldn’t do taekwondo and couldn’t test for instructor for a while.  I had to quit gymnastics that I had just started because I wanted to learn to do taekwondo flips.  And when I was able to test for instructor I did not pass the first time I tried.  I was really sad but I just tried again and made it. 

Some of my favorite things about taekwondo are going to tournaments.  I got a 1^st place medal one time when I was a brown belt and I have it up on my wall with all my 17 taekwondo belts I have earned in 8 years.  I really like belt testing’s but sometimes they are scary but I always felt good after.  I also love making up demos to music. When I was in the 6^th grade last year at my new school the whole school talent show crowd cheered for me (http://goo.gl/mfEHXo).  But my favorite part about taekwondo is being a trainee instructor and getting to help out with classes all the summers and during the week.  I really like helping smaller kids pass their belt tests.  I feel so proud of them.  When I got my 3^rd degree belt I felt really good when everyone clapped for me.  But I try not to wait to hear the clapping at the end to be proud of myself.  I am proud of what I do everyday in class.  Everyone should be proud of what they accomplish.  I am getting ready for the November tournament and hopefully able to test for 3^rd Decided in Orlando next September and my red/black junior certified instructor collar in 2 years from now.  At Strickland’s Taekwondo there are actually a lot of girls. The best part of being a girl in taekwondo is that girls can do the same thing as boys.  Anyone can do it. 

One day I want to own my own school.  Or I want to work for Drew when he takes over for Mr. Strickland.  I really like working with Drew.  He helps by aggravating me all the time and helps me to overcome all the mean comments in life and to be a better leader and he pushes me to be able to run my own class.  I also really like Mr. Vickroy.  I have known him for years and he is very patient with me and funny.  I like Mrs. Clements because she pushes me to be a better instructor and she likes Star Wars too.  I like Mr. Strickland very much and the trust he puts in me as his student and instructor.  I am good friends with Natalie Campbell who Drew and Mrs. Clements say is my partner in crime.  And little Maddox is so cute and helps keeps me on my toes to be better instructor.  Master Strickland and Drew and all the instructors call me Miss Anderson and I really like that a lot.  I try to go to class 6 days a week and teaching as many classes as my mom lets me to.  But if you see me outside of class you can call me Jackie.  Thank you for reading and for letting me write my journey.

June 2013 Tiger Tracks

May 2013 Tiger Tracks

April 2013 Tiger Tracks