ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY

 

MAMA’S DO LET YOUR BABIES GROW UP TO BE ISSHIN-RYU PEOPLE

With few exceptions, the best people I know are my Isshin-ryu students and friends. My students, next to my children and grand children, are the closest people to me. They feel much more like sons and daughters than students. They, like many of my Isshin-ryu friends, are much closer to being family than extended family. My former Nashville students have virtually been life long friends. There is no doubt in my mind that many who are reading this, have the same relationships I am talking about. Now don’t get me wrong; Isshin-ryu like any other culture of people, has its share of bone heads, jerks, self promoters and ego maniacs.  Basically, it clearly comes down to the dichotomy of one or the other.   What is unique is, that everyone is granted a place and a presence in the whole scheme of things. No matter how self-serving they are; they have benefited by the unselfish stewardship of others. In other words, Isshin-ryu has been successful in spite of them. The progress has taken place one dojo at a time, in large and small towns across America. The hero’s of Isshin-ryu are not the marquee guys who sit on the boards, make the rules, carry the rank, or even reside in its Hall of Fames. The hero’s are the people who year after year, teach in the trenches, have trouble paying their rent, and make all their vacations Isshin-ryu vacations. Quick question: How many Isshin-ryu sensei’s make money running their dojo’s?  I’d say one out of a hundred. So with the financial hardships, injuries, people quitting at all the wrong times, putting up with idiots at times when you take your students to tournaments, what is the big attraction to Isshin-ryu. Was it because you were treated so kindly and tactfully by your sensei when you first started?? I think not. Most of us were treated with total disregard for our feelings or physical well being. Most of us teach the same, or close to the same manner. I think there are several reasons we all stay with it, but mostly just two. One is our basic nature. This is an all or nothing, total zero sum game we play. You either love it or hate it. There is no in between. You teach from your gut and your true nature. Either your students love it or hate it because those are really the only two options we give. We think we offer a middle ground but just let them miss a few classes or screw off a bit and see what happens. This is not conducive to building a big school, but it does whittle the group down to a few committed souls. Even some, who might carry the Isshin-ryu banner into the future for us. 

Here we have a typical Isshin-ryu school. This school has a sensei that is found on the floor teaching, not making phone calls from his office, or coming by in his civvies to say hello. At any age, he is doing as much as he can to participate, knowing what the next day is going to feel like to his body. He takes in a payment and excuses two students from paying. He orders equipment, sells it virtually at cost and makes sure to order some to give to the kid having a tough financial time. When going to tournaments, he always pays for someone’s entrance fee and feeds them while traveling. Oh yes, he usually pays for an extra room to make sure some have a place to stay. Another tournament behind him and another nail in the coffin of his dojo credit card. Occasionally when you return, the student(s) you trained and financed, quit to play soccer. Mysteriously the parents can afford every other activity for their kids but yours. Yea, we try to act tough, but we are pushovers for anyone who even acts like they want to learn karate. Through all of this, you know deep down that you are making a difference in some people. Even the ones who quit occasionally write and tell you what a difference you made in their lives. Nice of them, but why did they have to quit to find out that you made a big difference. And, if you are such a positive influence, why don’t they come back. Why?? Because it is hard. It is the hardest thing they have ever done or ever will do. The price of success in a legitimate Isshin-ryu school is high. Even our kid students are held to a high standard. It’s gotten to the point that the 12 and up age group fights, are as good as the adults. If word didn’t get around town that your dojo is for real, you would have many more students. Especially kids. However, parents won’t work with us to get the kids grooved in. Without their support, some of these lazy, smart mouth lost causes, are impossible to work with. They want you to entertain them and make them look cute in their gi’s. Oh yes, rapid promotions are a must also. I maintain that given the opportunity, I can turn any kid around, but the parents are beyond redemption. At tournament, some are appalled that the ref’s aren’t YMCA directors, judging on cuteness and outcome based emotions. Their kids never lose. The just got screwed. It’s almost laughable. The kids grow up, but some of the parents do not. We have parents of grown black belts running around acting like agents and stage mothers. Luckily, they usually quit, or drop out of sight. But in a life long career, they are just a hiccup or a bump in the road of progress. Through it all, year after year, we survive it all. We survive it because it is our cause and passion that we protect with dedication and strength of purpose. 

Our second main reason is each other. Every year I have grown closer to old friends and made new ones. My goal is to always try to blend friends, old and new. Watching them getting to know each other and become friends gives me great satisfaction. There is a common thread that runs through all of us. Once the mutual respect is formed, a common bond of friendship forms quickly also. My students have benefited immeasurably from my friends presence in their lives.  Although their time with them is often limited, the impression they make with these young men and women is always an example of strength and commitment to excellence. These are people that you don’t have to talk to or see all the time .You are not required to work on the friendship every day. I honestly believe that if years passed without ever talking, I could pick up the phone and call any of them in a time of need.

These two reasons I just wrote about, are the only two reasons I will ever need, to hopefully make teaching the Martial Arts, the very LAST THING  I ever do.

 

 

 

OLD WARRIORS NEVER DIE, THEY JUST BECOME GRAND PARENTS

             Recently Reese and I were fortunate enough, to spend the week-end with Jay and Carol Burris. The occasion was a social gathering and IIKA board meeting for all the members and spouses. It was hard to get down to work at the meeting, as the surroundings were more suitable for a vacation. Their house is a beautiful, sprawling, but very livable lake home. It comes with all the necessities and luxuries of life; pool and expensive lake toys. The only thing more impressive than the whole setting, was the hospitality and food. Oh man the food!!!! Carol is a ju-dan cook. Several things hit me as I watched the board members dutifully going about their business. As long as they have been a part of Isshin-ryu, they were here taking their time to make it better. This was even more in evidence as the temptation to have a ceremonial meeting then hit the pool was strong. Instead the meeting went longer than planned. There was a lot of lively discussion, some professional disagreements, but most of all,,, progress!! I’ll leave it to masters Burris or True to announce the changes. I will say there was a lot of discussion on the fairness of tournaments and trying to improve the speed and officiating. Decisions were made here. There is also a concerted effort to get more young, up and comers, involved in the decision and policy making of the association. Responsible guidelines were also implemented, to help association members with their promotion decisions.  First consideration was given to the dojo sensei’s selection for promotion. No one wanted to dictate to the sensei’s. There will be a request for uniformity of promotion but, the IIKA will not be directly involved with the exception of roku-dan, ku-dan and ju-dan promotions. Even then, if a Sensei has the rank to promote to the aforementioned, the IIKA will not interfere, but will not recognize the rank, until a review before its executive committee can be arranged. I watched during the day, people shifting in their seats, rearranging their legs and rubbing various joints. Here were all these wounded warriors, working as much around old and current injuries, as much as the business of the day. It was a reassuring sight. The fire of progress and improvement still burned brightly in that meeting. It also put me in mind of how time has changed these meeting and the people involved. Only facts and names are being omitted here to protect the guilty…In a nutshell, these people in the day, would have made a hells angel meeting look like a group of den mothers. Throw in Mr. Long and a few more and there was usually a rockus occasion. That was mild compared to the after tournament get-togethers. One year some of us got Jay and Carol banned from holding a tournament in their own town. We wrecked the motel and a few innocent bystanders, including the lounge bouncer. Another time, my guys challenged the University of Tennessee’s football team to a fight outside of a bar.  It was broken up only after a player got slammed almost through the hood of a car. The cops came and called Mr. Long to come take care of the karate group. He took our group with a big ho, ho, ho, out for more beer. Since kids read this site, I’ll stop here. My point is; when I remember back, then see how people have changed I am shocked, but glad, we are all alive to see it. This is a miracle… There is a God. Throw in people like my friends; Clyde Stanley, Joe Laney, Butch Hill, Wayne Wayland, Toby Cooling, Joel Chandler, Chris Spruiell along with the board members plus many of the guys you see at he Hall of Fame tournament, and you have these incredible Hell raisers, showing pictures of their grand kids and going home at the end of the day. They are as good a man out of the ring as they are inside of it. It is a testimony to the true core character of each person and one more undeniable factor…..Their Wives. They are the greatest common denominator of all this change. I ran a business for years, where the support of the wives and husbands was critical to the success of the employee. Some spouses could do it and some could not. Many of these Isshin-ryu wives have it down to a science. Reese and I have been married only a few short years, and her steadying influence on me is obvious. I now know how some of the other guys drew so much strength from their wives as best friends and confidants. So many of the couples have made it over all the rough spots, are still together and have demonstrated what teamwork can accomplish in a marriage. Others like myself have had marriages come and go. I have also had a career that was come and gone. It was up when I was happily married and down when I wasn’t. It all fits together If you don’t think we have a pretty good sized corner on great supportive wives, I want you to ask yourselves if you know, or have met the wives of the IIKA and or, Isshin-ryu Hall of Fame board members. If so, you’ll know exactly what I am talking about. If not, do yourself a favor and introduce yourself. These aren’t the only “Super Wives”, but these are the ones I am fortunate enough to come in contact with and can write about with knowledge and conviction. I also have the good fortune to know and associate with Debbie Laney (also a sensei herself), Diane Cooling (who doubles as star in her own right and wife), Angie Ogle (HOF nominee), Bet Wayland, Mary (the Saint) Chandler and Melissa  Williams. It would be a great service to Isshin-ryu, if these women could talk to the newer ones coming to grips with their husbands time spent at the dojo. It is hard for some of them to recognize the positive effect it is having on their spouse and in a more subtle way, their marriage. Some people need a place to put their energies and competitive desires other than the work place and home. Some go to bars, play softball nights and weekends, and some go to the dojo. For a lasting marriage and healthy environment, my money is on the dojo. Often it comes across more credible if a woman explains it to another woman.  

For sure I have left someone out deserving of mention. For that, I apologize and ask you to forgive the omission. I also realize I have referred mainly to men and their wives. Because of the overwhelming percentage of men to women in the martial arts, it was just an easier task for me to illustrate. I would welcome an article from any woman speaking to the opposite (women and husbands). 

The bottom line is, we have numbers of good, solid men and women to thank, for where Isshin-ryu is today. More importantly, where it will be tomorrow. So far, it has always been in good hands. I submit that it is over all, in better hands today than ever. It is time to all pull together to guarantee its future. If we can develop and maintain a responsible system of promotions, tournament competition, advanced training and thinking for the under belts, with a flexible approach of exchanging ideas and information with other associations and styles, while re-establishing a code of conduct for any and all events, then we will have laid the necessary ground work for Isshin-ryu to perpetuate itself beyond our present expectations. It is a well known fact, that every civilization and culture that was once in a dominant position, lost that position, because of a break down in ethics and communication. With the leadership we have just in our southeast area, along with the wealth of information available within our own ranks, it would be inexcusable not to always leave our arts better than when we found them.