My Journey In TaeKwonDo
The first Campbell's to go to TaeKwonDo at Mr. Strickland's is my dad and oldest sister, Rachel. I was probably about 1 years old when I started watching them, so when they went, I went. I watched them do their forms, spar and my favorite part was when they did that little noise in their forms, a kiya, and I liked it so much I would do it out in the lobby and all the other parents would laugh and smile. Ever since then, I guess you could say TaeKwonDo was in my blood.
One day I told Mr. Strickland that I wanted to start TaeKwonDo and he asked how old I was, I word for word said, "4 years old, sir!" I added the 'sir' at the end because in TaeKwonDo since it is Martial Art you have to be respectful to your instructors and seniors. Mr. Strickland said that I had to usually be 5 years old, but since my dad and Mr. Strickland were so close he let me join early.
I was so excited to get into class the day after that to learn my new form, play games, and make new friends. This is when I met Drew Cain. He had bushy tanish brown hair, braces, and was as cookoo as a cookoo-clock. At first he scared me for a little bit, then I got used to how crazy he was and his wild hair. When I got into class that day I was really nervous of how people were going to see me, either as scared or shy. I was the only new kid there so I thought to myself, "Ok Natalie, you can do this. Don't get scared, just go out their with a smiling face and show them how tough you really are." I did exactly what my mind told me to do, I walked in there with my head held up high and showed everyone how focused I was. The result of that got me a black stripe that meant that I did really well, and was really focused.
On testing day, I was really nervous, but then my dad told me he did this about a million times. He got nervous, but once he went out there he got over his fear and did his form perfectly and passed. I was relieved because I knew that if my dad could do it, I could do it, and I could look cute while doing it!
No matter how nervous I got at testings, I knew that I could and always will be able to pass.
Then I got to brown belt when I started breaking boards, and when my dad was testing with me. So now all the pressures on me to make my dad proud and show him
how tough his little baby girl is.
There was an incident when my dad
was breaking his boards. He went
to kick the board and his
hamstring got pulled. He wanted
to keep trying, to pass, but Mr. Strickland yelled at him and told him to go have a seat in the back. Still my dad refused. Mr. Strickland told my dad to come up to the judging table and was quite furious with my dad and again yelled at him to go sit down. My dad then finally said, "Yes sir." I was then determined to break my boards, but not because I wanted to, but because I wanted to make my dad proud of me. Once my name was called I answered really loud, my sister, Ciara, bowed me in. 'BAM!' I smashed my front kick, 'BAM' I smashed my elbow strike. I was so proud of myself I started crying (forgot to bow) and ran over to my daddy and gave him a gigantic hug. Then I heard the words, "I'm so proud of you, Natalie," come out of my dad's mouth. No one really knew how proud I was to hear my dad say that.
A couple weeks after that testing, I met my absolute best friend in TaeKwonDo, Jacquelyn Anderson. I couldn't have asked for a better best friend who I have so much in common with and we both have the same hobby, going to TaeKwonDo almost everyday. As time went on we got to know each other better and better. Then, I was soon proud to call her my best friend (Jacquelyn if your reading this I love you!).
Then soon after that, the time came for my black belt testing. I was fully prepared, dressed in my newly-ironed dobok and white testing pants, and my hair braided (for good luck, its a Campbell girl family tradition). When Mr. Strickland called my name to do my form I did it the first time with lots of power. We sparred, nearly dominated almost everyone I sparred. Then came board breaking, Mr. Strickland called my name to get my boards. I gave my boards to my board holders, my dad, Drew Cain, and two other men; I set both boards up for a side kick with both legs.
My sister, Ciara, then again bowed me in saying, "Natalie Campbell, first attempt, sir!" I went over to my right leg first, 'BAM' smashed it. Now my left leg, (no noise) I didn't get it. Ciara bowed me in again saying "Natalie Campbell, second attempt, sir!" I took a deep breathe in and out, 'BAM' I was so relieved to hear that noise. I had passed my Probationary Black Belt testing! I am now a certified black belt! The 4th person there to hug me was my best friend, Jacquelyn Anderson. I was shocked on the 5th person I hugged, it was Drew. He said, "Good job baby sis," then I said, "Ok...thank you?" After that he said welcome and no surprise he put me in yet again another wrist lock, like he always does.
TaeKwonDo will and always will be forever in my blood.
This is just the first part of my TaeKwonDo journey. I have many more memories at Mr. Strickland's TaeKwonDo school. I love everything about the school, but my favorite is the relationships you make like to make a best friend or you can make another sibling like mine is with Drew (just make sure they don't put you in wrist locks just for fun).
By:Natalie Campbell
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