 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||
 |
Yudansha Biographies
MEMBERSHIPS
Nidan 2001 SKA
AWARDS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
I started martial arts when I was 13 years old in Jakarta, Indonesia with INKAI - Shotokan ( Institute Karate Indonesia - Shotokan). I trained there for a year until I got my orange belt. When I was 16, while living in Bali, Indonesia, I trained in Tae Kwon Do from 1995 to 2002 until I was promoted to red belt. I moved to Denton, Maryland in 2003 and started training in Shotokan Karate with Eastern Sun Karate. I received my black belt in February, 2006. I've also been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for two years now, under Jon Garfield, and have attained blue belt level.
I've been training now for almost 7 years and still look forward to every class. I have gained a wealth of martial arts knowledge...learning terminology and history, studying forms, self-defense, kumite, basics, techniques, weapons, participating in tournaments, increasing my overall fitness level, reading martial arts magazines and books, etc...but probably most important is the life-long friends I have made, increased self-confidence, increased awareness of my surroundings, increased humility, humbleness and respect for others in and out of class. Tournaments have always thrilled and inspired me. Not so much to "win" but to do my own personal best, to challenge myself and to work through my extreme shyness of executing kata/forms in front of other people and judges. I've had the honor and privilege to compete every year at the adult Shotokan Karate Association's tournaments in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It has been, hands down, my favorite! Other open tournaments I've competed in have been the Mid-Atlantic Four Seasons Martial Arts Championships (held four times a year in Houston, Delaware), the WOMAA World Martial Games X (August 21-23, 2009 in Ocean City, Maryland), tournaments in Salisbury, Maryland and Wilmington, Delaware. I have won and/or placed in many of these tournaments, which I am very proud of. After becoming a black belt, I realized how much I do not know and how far I still have to go. I'm a perfectionist (but not perfect!) and stickler for details, so I feel that martial arts is perfect for me. It is always challenging me, pushing me further than I think I can go and there's always more to learn... it is a life-time journey! I love Shotokan Karate. My hope and desire is to continue learning and growing as a martial artist and to help teach, inspire and encourage others (kids, teens and adults) to pursue their goals. I would like to express a special thanks and gratitude to Sensei John Liszewski and Sempai Pat Olekszyk for all their help, guidance, encouragement and patience teaching me Shotokan Karate and weapons.
I remember the first day I walked up the Denton armory steps as my heart pounded in my chest. I felt my hands clench at my sides in nervous anticipation as the double doors to the armory opened and I stepped inside. That was the day my journey into the realm of martial arts began. Before the day I plucked up the courage to try my first martial arts class, I had been a dancer. Dancing was my life; I had danced since I was three years old. After moving to the Eastern shore and dancing at a local dance studio I found myself in a slump. I had grown accustomed to the rigorous and competitive type of dance schools that I went to before I moved, however, the studio that I went to now was nothing like that. I was unsatisfied to say the least. Outside of the realm of dance I was having a good deal of trouble with my neighborhood “friends”. After breaking up a big fight between two kids and narrowly saving my friends life when I found out about a planned knife attack, I knew it was time to find some new friends. Sword fighting at the time was my secret passion and I desperately wanted to learn fencing, however, the nearest club was in Salisbury and that was too far away. I decided to settle for martial arts classes. As of now, I’ve been taking Shotokan Karate for four years. My self-confidence and a positive attitude have been bolstered through the martial arts. I have made irreplaceable friendships that will last a life time. Competing in tournaments has allowed me to push what I thought would be my limits and I’ve discovered countless possibilities through them. My fellow classmates and senpai have taught me valuable lessons and have become some of my closest friends. As I advanced through the ranks I learned, in addition to my empty hand katas, weapons forms including Okinawan sai forms, a Korean sword form, Bo Staff, and have started teaching myself the Japanese War Fan or Tessen. In the coming months I will be leaving for college and studying Kyokushin Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, however my roots will always be in Shotokan Karate. As I take my first steps to venture out into the world I will be taking the valuable lessons I learned in Karate — humility, respect, faith, perseverance, discipline, and courtesy.
©2011 Eastern Sun Karate Club |
John Liszewski, 6th Dan
Patricia Olekszyk, 5th Dan
Terry Liszewski, 4th Dan
Joeseph Kane, 3rd Dan
Ryan Liszewski, 2nd Dan
Nuke Cindy Kendis, 1st Dan
Barbi Christopher, 2nd Dan
Olivia Gorman, 1st Dan