ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY


A SUCCESS STORY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT !

  Tuesday night, Jason Anzur was presented with the first Dragon Sen-I Jutsu, Master Instructors (MI-6), rank. It is equivalent to his present, Isshin-ryu 6th dan ranking. What sets it apart is, that it is the only one in existence and the first given to a student of mine. As we are a new system, there are other firsts, such as Matt Buchanan, being awarded our Black belt (IG-1) rank. Small potatoes to the more established systems, but history for us.

  Jason Anzur has been my first assistant since 2001, and has been more reliable and supportive than anyone I have ever had. He has worked tirelessly with students and deserves a lions share of the credit for our success. He has spent an unaccountable amount of his own money picking up students for class, as well as driving to Atlanta, to pick up a student for two tournaments in Knoxville. He has been our webmaster from day one and handled all of the articles for me, as well as covering my computer illiteracy; which is vast. He is the travel organizer and coordinator for our tournaments and Jams. He was a tough tournament competitor with more than his share of trophies. Until his injuries, he was my best grappler. He suffered a knee injury which needed an operation that was not successful. For the last several years, his shoulder comes out of place so often, I have become an expert at replacing it. He also has a torn meniscus in his other knee, which definitely needs an operation. Put all that together and you have a lot of missed classes. Not if you are Jason. Jason has missed so few classes since 1995 I'd have to estimate. I'll bet he hasn't missed ten classes, except for sever sickness and emergencies. That would probably give him about 50 in 16 years. A high estimate. I won't even try to say how loyal he has been, because I could not do justice to it. He is also father of the year. He had a child with a girl that deserves no mention. Most guys would have denied it was theirs, knowing the mother that came with it. On his own, he paid all her bills, the hospital and doctor bills, let her quit work at 3 months, got her a car, a phone an apartment and made every doctors visit with her. He hardly makes enough to support himself, so he went without. He also befriended her other daughter from another marriage, treated her like his own and looked after her. She rewarded him by having him put out of the hospital after the birth of his child and tried to keep him from seeing the baby at all. Jason could have just walked then. But he fought through the courts and won his visitation rights. He outfitted his apartment like a Babies R Us store. He had to move to another apartment, the business where he works was sold and now he drives back and forth to Atlanta every day. That is a 2 hour each way trip. On Monday and Thursday, he drives another hour each way to teach here in Greenville. How many times is he late: Never! And, he picks up a kid student on the way. His mother also died a few months back and he spent time driving to North Carolina while she was sick, then afterwards to support his dad. He missed two classes during that. He is the best teacher I've ever had, and I would put him up against anyone teaching now. That is a big claim, but I'll stand behind it. He is also a hand full in the ring. He has trained endlessly to teach himself to fight with two bad knees and a bad shoulder. He is a dirty sob on the grappling mat, but I don't blame him. He deserves to throw in some of his surprise techniques. He is fearless, has the highest pain threshold I know of, and will fight your butt in the street in a skinny minute. That is if,, you can get around all the rest. To say the other guys are protective of him is an understatement... He has been the go between for me and the other students in a lot of key situations and is an excellent filtering network as to what gets through to me he knows what I expect, yet can be himself in carrying it out. Any time I have traveled or been absent form the dojo, I have no worries. Not to be minimized, he is my designated driver on trips. The following group always ride together, Jason is a great driver. Woody drives like Fireball Roberts. If you are in front of him, it won't be for long. And he is constantly reading his phone. Austin is like an old white guy. He goes about 50 in the left lane, sits on the very front edge of his seat with his face practically in the window, and bites his fingernails in nervous anguish when I scream, speed up for Gods sake! Darrin (Road Rage) Motes, drives his own vehicle and the brown belts, while spending his driving time, wanting to whip half the other people driving anywhere close to him. So Jason is back as Mr. all purpose.


  Jason is a believer and an achiever. No one practices what they preach like Jason. The Dragons and his daughter are his life. He is single and unattached. On a very personal note, ladies with all the sorry guys out there, this guy is the catch of the century. He is also pretty close to being a confirmed bachelor. I'm guessing that could all change in a hurry if the right girl comes along. Warning, Jason is a little like Seinfeld, where women are concerned. I'm just sayin...


  Jason will wear a red and black checked belt, to signify the base black belt of a "Master Instructor", with The Red Dragon Sen-I Jutsu, Red designation, equally integrated in its design.


  Congratulations to you Jason. But more over, congratulations to me, for having someone like you walk the walk with me. You have often been the wind beneath my wings.