Earning His Stripes

Wonder Boy started judo classes at the age of five. We hoped he would love the sport as much as we do. And he had already spent a good year or two in various karate classes. But we couldn't imagine then how well he would take to it or how much a part of our family it would one day become.

Fast forward 5+ years.

Wonder Boy is the top ranked (youth) judo student at the dojo and has been for quite some time. He sets a good example for discipline, respect, and technique in class. To say we are proud is a serious understatement. We both fully ENJOY watching the Boy in his class. And even though every class is fun to see, there is something truly special about belt test days.

Now that the Boy has reached such a high rank, tests don't come as often as in the past. But that doesn't diminish the fact that Wonder Boy looks forward to them as a chance to shine and show off all he has been learning in class.

Wonder Boy went into this test confident and ready. He glided from technique to technique with hardly a single hesitation. The whole room could feel his excitement and at the end of the evening, he proudly added a new stripe to his belt.

We both hope that the years will continue to find him climbing the ranks, always striving for that next step on the path his black belt and beyond.

Way to go, Wonder Boy! Keep it up!