Why I Want to be a Black Belt: Deacon Armstrong

When I started taekwondo, I wanted to be cool.  It just looked like lots of fun.  And it was lots of fun learning the forms.  I had a great time at first because it was easy.  But over time I realized it was a discipline.  It is something that requires practice, patience and focus.

In the beginning, it was pretty easy.  But it got harder and harder the further along I got.  I found this challenging. Each rank I earned made me want the next one even more.  When I got to Orange, I got to spar which I really enjoy.  At this point, I knew I was hooked.

I really loved competing in my first tournament.  I won a Gold medal in my Form.  It made me want to compete more.  And now that I’m learning weapons, I’m having a great time.

I want to be a Black Belt to challenge myself.  At times I wanted to quit but I stuck with it. It got harder and harder. I didn’t always pass.  Sometimes that was discouraging.

But I never let it keep me down for very long.  It inspired me to try harder.  I was very excited to begin board breaking.  It was very hard to do at first.  But once I understood how to do it, it wasn’t hard at all until I got to the round kick board break. That kick on a board stinks out loud!  But I know I will eventually get it.

I think the martial arts teach discipline and also character. I want to be all of the things we say when we repeat the qualities of Taekwondo because it is a great outline for success in life.  Courtesy and Integrity are very important because it is how I treat others and it’s also doing the right thing even when others aren’t looking.  Perseverance is never giving up no matter what.  Self Control is not losing my temper or getting upset when things don’t go my way. Indomitable Spirit is having and keeping a positive attitude.  These qualities are demonstrated by Black Belts. They are the qualities I want for myself as well.  A Black Belt is someone to be considered a solid role model and demonstrates excellent leadership skills.

The best part of the martial arts is that you never stop learning.  It is something you can be involved in for your whole life. I am looking forward to adding many new techniques and skills as I advance.  I also want to master as many weapons as possible.  My goal is to one day be like Mr. Strickland.

Being a Black Belt is important to me because it proves that I have what it takes to set and achieve my goal.  It proves that hard work and determination will result in success.  As long as I try hard and don’t give up, I continue to learn and grow in the martial arts.  This is what I want to be involved in for the rest of my whole life.