Here's Part 1: During the last part of Dec 2010, I received an email from one of my students in Misawa, Japan. As you know SS Mike Goldberg and I made an alliance of teaching each other our own brand of martial arts. He taught me Tang Soo Do and I taught him Baztekhan. He was a 2nd degree BB and I was 1st Degree so he got to name the karate club we taught, thus our karate club was called Tang Soo Do instead of Baztekhan.
We alternated teaching the classes and drew a number of students, some new in martial arts, some with experience in various different disciplines. We even have a 40 something guy who came in and enrolled as a white belt. After about 8 months of training (he really got proficient very fast in my opinion), he confessed that he was actually a 3rd Degree Tang Soo Do Black belt. He had certificates to prove his claim and even was mentioned in articles in Tae Kwon Do Magazine and Black Belt Magazines to support his claim. His name is Daryl Kelbar, a very serious practitioner who encouraged (okay pushed is a better word) everyone to do their best. He took over leadership of the class when Mike and I deferred to him as our senior.
We do not charge for our classes. We work everyone really hard, and I mean hard. It was a way of weeding out the bad apples and those who are not serious, that way only the really dedicated ones were left behind. It was also a way for us to really train as hard as we can without worrying about anyone quitting. We picked up two more blackbelts (one Mas Oyama Karatedo, one Hard Kung Fu practitioner) along the way but they just trained with us and did not lead classes. We were together for three and a half years until we all were transferred back to the States and lost contact with one another.
Part 2:
I continued with my life in the Navy and my martial arts training went in hiatus as I got busy with my career in the Navy, my role as a husband, and a father to my two growing boys. Although I continued to work out, my training was not as intense as I was in Japan. I passed on the martial arts to my sons, nieces, and nephews as they were all eager to learn.
In my career in the Navy, I was asked to teach a formal martial arts class on two occasions. One was a stint as a hand to hand combat instructor for the Navy and Marine Corps Security Forces when I was assigned in Combat Systems Technical Schools Command in mare Island, California. The second as the Head Martial Arts Instructor for the Golden Eagle Team onboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON (CVN-72), the same ship that deployed the Navy Seal Teams who killed Osama Bin Laden. I taught all kinds of people from navy combat pilots, to marines, to spec ops people, to computer geeks, dentists, aircraft mechanics, cooks, and anyone who cared to come to practice with me. I was again in the best shape of my life when I retired from that ship in 1995…I weight 135 lbs with 6 percent body fat at age 43! (***Note – Today I weigh 175 lbs with a lot more than 6 percent body fat, hehehehe)
I continued with my life in the Navy and my martial arts training went in hiatus as I got busy with my career in the Navy, my role as a husband, and a father to my two growing boys. Although I continued to work out, my training was not as intense as I was in Japan. I passed on the martial arts to my sons, nieces, and nephews as they were all eager to learn.
In my career in the Navy, I was asked to teach a formal martial arts class on two occasions. One was a stint as a hand to hand combat instructor for the Navy and Marine Corps Security Forces when I was assigned in Combat Systems Technical Schools Command in mare Island, California. The second as the Head Martial Arts Instructor for the Golden Eagle Team onboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON (CVN-72), the same ship that deployed the Navy Seal Teams who killed Osama Bin Laden. I taught all kinds of people from navy combat pilots, to marines, to spec ops people, to computer geeks, dentists, aircraft mechanics, cooks, and anyone who cared to come to practice with me. I was again in the best shape of my life when I retired from that ship in 1995…I weight 135 lbs with 6 percent body fat at age 43! (***Note – Today I weigh 175 lbs with a lot more than 6 percent body fat, hehehehe)
Part 3:
Okay, pasensiya na kamo ta I am typing and posting this as fast as I can without too much editing. If it doesn’t make sense…mag-comment na lang kamo afterwards. If you noticed, I changed the title of this series to “Teacher or Student…Who is Really Learning?”. Bueno, continue kita:
I started with “I received an email last Dec 2010…” and then I got sidetracked. Let me digress again, I will post you an email I just received today that precipitated this long narrative. Here’s the email from one of my students in Misawa, Japan. I asked him permission to post our email exchanges since Dec 2010 so that I can share it with you.
Here’s what Steve Blackburn wrote:
Date: Aug 19, 2011
“Guro Carlos,
You honor me by letting me be a part of your vision and the Baztekhan vision for the martial arts. You can definitely use our email exchanges and you can even leave my email address open so others can write if they want to. If they are connected to you, they are my brothers and sisters too.
It’s my pleasure and honor to be associated with you, my teacher and brother.
Take care and stay safe,
God bless,
Steve”
This will all make sense as I post more of the story.
Part 4
Here’s what Steve Blackburn wrote:
Date: Aug 19, 2011
“Guro Carlos,
You honor me by letting me be a part of your vision and the Baztekhan vision for the martial arts. You can definitely use our email exchanges and you can even leave my email address open so others can write if they want to. If they are connected to you, they are my brothers and sisters too.
It’s my pleasure and honor to be associated with you, my teacher and brother.
Take care and stay safe,
God bless,
Steve”
This will all make sense as I post more of the story.
Part 4
I posted his latest email first so that you’ll know he gave me permission to publish the email exchanges we had. For the sake of brevity, I will only publish his email in toto but my replies will be in brief commentaries.
So, rewinding into the past….back in Dec 2010, I received this email:
So, rewinding into the past….back in Dec 2010, I received this email:
“Date: Dec 30, 2010
Sir,
In 1976-1978 I trained in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, in a small dojang on Misawa AFB, Japan. One of my teachers was a gentleman named Carlos Orino, who taught Tang Soo Do and also gave me some lessons in Filipino escrima.
If you are the same person, permit me to send you greetings, and my best wishes and respect. Also, thank you for the teachings in Tang Soo Do and the escrima system you taught me.
Best regards,
Steve”
Just so we’ll get the air cleared at the get go, Steve came in later during our teaching days…Daryl was already our head instructor so we called our class “Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan”, but the fighting technique I taught this man was pure Baztekhan as that was what I knew and knew to be better.
I remember Steve Blackburn as he was the ONLY blackbelt we had promoted in our 3 ½ years of training and teaching in Japan. He came to us as a green belt (idto ang sabi niya and sa heling me idto ang level kan abilidad niya). He was one of those quiet and unassuming guys, very humble but quite a relentless fighter when you call him to spar (garo ako, hehehehe).
I anxiously answered that I remembered him and glad that we somehow got reconnected. He wrote me a SECOND email that will be in the next part of the series.
Sir,
In 1976-1978 I trained in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, in a small dojang on Misawa AFB, Japan. One of my teachers was a gentleman named Carlos Orino, who taught Tang Soo Do and also gave me some lessons in Filipino escrima.
If you are the same person, permit me to send you greetings, and my best wishes and respect. Also, thank you for the teachings in Tang Soo Do and the escrima system you taught me.
Best regards,
Steve”
Just so we’ll get the air cleared at the get go, Steve came in later during our teaching days…Daryl was already our head instructor so we called our class “Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan”, but the fighting technique I taught this man was pure Baztekhan as that was what I knew and knew to be better.
I remember Steve Blackburn as he was the ONLY blackbelt we had promoted in our 3 ½ years of training and teaching in Japan. He came to us as a green belt (idto ang sabi niya and sa heling me idto ang level kan abilidad niya). He was one of those quiet and unassuming guys, very humble but quite a relentless fighter when you call him to spar (garo ako, hehehehe).
I anxiously answered that I remembered him and glad that we somehow got reconnected. He wrote me a SECOND email that will be in the next part of the series.
Part 5
Steve wrote me a second email which I answered by inserting my reply in his original message, kinda like a point by point commentary. I believe the email and my commentaries (in parenthesis) speak for themselves.
Date: Jan 5, 2011
Guro Carlos, (I like the sound of that, coming from you, it is indeed a great honor)
How happy I am to have re-connected with you! Its great to see the picture of your family, and you still look good! Not too many extra pounds, although I have picked up a little extra of my own....
(I am happy to be reconnected too. Thank you for the compliment about me still looking good. It's hard to be modest when the truth stares you in the face, hahahahahahaha, j/k my friend. We all have to pay respect to the law of gravity. All our chest muscles somehow got pulled down to our guts.)
When I left Misawa I went back to Wyoming and went back to school I ended up getting a degree in Russian, and went back to the government for a job as a linguist. I was with the government for 23+ years then retired in 2007. Since then I have been working as a consultant, mostly on technology issues.
(Unlike you, I stayed in the Navy until Dec 1995 and retired as a Senior Chief Data Systems Technician. Went back to school, got a degree in management, and started a second career as an IT specialist for the County of Solano, California. I plan on a second retirement in about six years. I am now really active in the church, ministering to all age groups in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.)
My wife and I have 6 children, the oldest is 34 and the youngest is 21. Four of the six kids are married and so we also have 13 grandchildren.
(My wife Malou and I have 2 sons, Carlomagno (33 yrs) and Alexander (32 yrs). Carlo has two sons while Alex, who will be married this April 2011, promised us at least one daughter. You have surpassed me in leaps and bounds in the family size department. LOL.)
I still train every day in the martial arts, although I am not so fast or so strong anymore. But that's okay, I hope I am smarter now. I teach two nights a week, mostly teaching Tobosa kali-escrima, and Serrada Escrima. I have 8 students who come to train with me, all are black belts except for my brown belt student. It’s still tremendous fun and keeps me young.
(I kinda quit training after I retired from the military, although I have trained and taught my sons, nieces and nephews the knowledge I learned thru the years. I was hoping to pass it down to my family through generations. I'm glad that you continued to train even to this day. I do my share of keeping fit and "fight ready" by adding knife and gun fighting techniques in my arsenal of survival quest. LOL)
Not too much of a novel, but we can talk more as time goes on and we catch up on everything since the old days in Misawa.
I hope you know that a lot of what I teach and do is based on your example. You were always such a gentleman in the martial arts, and your philosophy is still part of me. I was hoping to get more information from you on the escrima you studied, and were kind enough to share with me in those early years. I wish to be able to give credit to you as my teacher, and to pass on knowledge of you and your teachers to my students, so that the knowledge keeps getting passed on to new generations of escrimadors.
(I am glad that I made such an impact on you, my friend. I can call you friend, right? We went through a lot together and you kept me on my toes when I sparred with you. Do you still remember surviving Mike Goldberg's crazy antics of running barefooted on the snow, doing jumping jacks forever, or fighting the whole class AND THEN the blackbelts to get your BlackBelt? You were one sorry looking pup when we put that black belt on you! hahahahahaha I really am proud of you and all that you have done in the martial arts world! The biggest joy that a teacher can have is to see how great his student turned out to be! You made me so proud, Steve, and so happy! I look forward to training with you again, hopefully soon, as I would hate to do a spinning back kick (my signature kick) in a wheel chair. LOL. I think, like you, I am sticking (pun intended) with Kali/Arnis/Escrima as it is more senior citizen friendly. One day, we will be resting on a cane as older men, but I know in my heart that our canes will be used in other ways than just aiding us in our daily walks in the park.
I studied escrima under my teacher, GreatSirsan Juanito Diaz, 6th Degree Black Belt (back in the 70's). It is modern arnis that mimics the stances and hitting styles of Okinawan Karate. My teacher added his own twist to it as our style (Baztekhan) was based on Okinawan Karate and various Filipino martial arts (Arnis/Escrima/Kali). It is easily learned if you already know or has a background in karate or tang soo do. Thirty four years ago, I taught you the very basics of escrima. I cannot remember if I taught you the Doce Pares (twelve strikes) or the abbreviated 9 strikes. Did I mention that was 34 years ago? I cannot even remember what I did last week! hahahaha. The strikes I taught you were supposed to be delivered to incapacitate in one blow (hard like Okinawan karate) and were designed to strike the closest "attacker". For example, if your opponent kicks you, strike at the instep or the ankle, if a punch, strike at the knuckles or the wrist (same with a knife or stick attacks, but strike at the hand not the knife or stick). After having said all these, maybe now I can learn from you. You have gone much further than me in the martial arts world. I would be honored to learn from you.)
Take care and stay safe. I look forward to hearing from you, and as soon as the Christmas pictures are ready (for me and the whole family) I will send you some.
(Do send me pictures of your family. I love big families as I came from a big one myself (we are ten siblings). Stay safe and watch out for young punks who think they are "all that." I had my share, and they found out quickly that they were not "all there."
God bless,
Guro Carlos
Part 6
The next day, Steve send me an email that I have copied below:
“Date: Jan 6, 2011
Guro Carlos,
Steve wrote me a second email which I answered by inserting my reply in his original message, kinda like a point by point commentary. I believe the email and my commentaries (in parenthesis) speak for themselves.
Date: Jan 5, 2011
Guro Carlos, (I like the sound of that, coming from you, it is indeed a great honor)
How happy I am to have re-connected with you! Its great to see the picture of your family, and you still look good! Not too many extra pounds, although I have picked up a little extra of my own....
(I am happy to be reconnected too. Thank you for the compliment about me still looking good. It's hard to be modest when the truth stares you in the face, hahahahahahaha, j/k my friend. We all have to pay respect to the law of gravity. All our chest muscles somehow got pulled down to our guts.)
When I left Misawa I went back to Wyoming and went back to school I ended up getting a degree in Russian, and went back to the government for a job as a linguist. I was with the government for 23+ years then retired in 2007. Since then I have been working as a consultant, mostly on technology issues.
(Unlike you, I stayed in the Navy until Dec 1995 and retired as a Senior Chief Data Systems Technician. Went back to school, got a degree in management, and started a second career as an IT specialist for the County of Solano, California. I plan on a second retirement in about six years. I am now really active in the church, ministering to all age groups in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.)
My wife and I have 6 children, the oldest is 34 and the youngest is 21. Four of the six kids are married and so we also have 13 grandchildren.
(My wife Malou and I have 2 sons, Carlomagno (33 yrs) and Alexander (32 yrs). Carlo has two sons while Alex, who will be married this April 2011, promised us at least one daughter. You have surpassed me in leaps and bounds in the family size department. LOL.)
I still train every day in the martial arts, although I am not so fast or so strong anymore. But that's okay, I hope I am smarter now. I teach two nights a week, mostly teaching Tobosa kali-escrima, and Serrada Escrima. I have 8 students who come to train with me, all are black belts except for my brown belt student. It’s still tremendous fun and keeps me young.
(I kinda quit training after I retired from the military, although I have trained and taught my sons, nieces and nephews the knowledge I learned thru the years. I was hoping to pass it down to my family through generations. I'm glad that you continued to train even to this day. I do my share of keeping fit and "fight ready" by adding knife and gun fighting techniques in my arsenal of survival quest. LOL)
Not too much of a novel, but we can talk more as time goes on and we catch up on everything since the old days in Misawa.
I hope you know that a lot of what I teach and do is based on your example. You were always such a gentleman in the martial arts, and your philosophy is still part of me. I was hoping to get more information from you on the escrima you studied, and were kind enough to share with me in those early years. I wish to be able to give credit to you as my teacher, and to pass on knowledge of you and your teachers to my students, so that the knowledge keeps getting passed on to new generations of escrimadors.
(I am glad that I made such an impact on you, my friend. I can call you friend, right? We went through a lot together and you kept me on my toes when I sparred with you. Do you still remember surviving Mike Goldberg's crazy antics of running barefooted on the snow, doing jumping jacks forever, or fighting the whole class AND THEN the blackbelts to get your BlackBelt? You were one sorry looking pup when we put that black belt on you! hahahahahaha I really am proud of you and all that you have done in the martial arts world! The biggest joy that a teacher can have is to see how great his student turned out to be! You made me so proud, Steve, and so happy! I look forward to training with you again, hopefully soon, as I would hate to do a spinning back kick (my signature kick) in a wheel chair. LOL. I think, like you, I am sticking (pun intended) with Kali/Arnis/Escrima as it is more senior citizen friendly. One day, we will be resting on a cane as older men, but I know in my heart that our canes will be used in other ways than just aiding us in our daily walks in the park.
I studied escrima under my teacher, GreatSirsan Juanito Diaz, 6th Degree Black Belt (back in the 70's). It is modern arnis that mimics the stances and hitting styles of Okinawan Karate. My teacher added his own twist to it as our style (Baztekhan) was based on Okinawan Karate and various Filipino martial arts (Arnis/Escrima/Kali). It is easily learned if you already know or has a background in karate or tang soo do. Thirty four years ago, I taught you the very basics of escrima. I cannot remember if I taught you the Doce Pares (twelve strikes) or the abbreviated 9 strikes. Did I mention that was 34 years ago? I cannot even remember what I did last week! hahahaha. The strikes I taught you were supposed to be delivered to incapacitate in one blow (hard like Okinawan karate) and were designed to strike the closest "attacker". For example, if your opponent kicks you, strike at the instep or the ankle, if a punch, strike at the knuckles or the wrist (same with a knife or stick attacks, but strike at the hand not the knife or stick). After having said all these, maybe now I can learn from you. You have gone much further than me in the martial arts world. I would be honored to learn from you.)
Take care and stay safe. I look forward to hearing from you, and as soon as the Christmas pictures are ready (for me and the whole family) I will send you some.
(Do send me pictures of your family. I love big families as I came from a big one myself (we are ten siblings). Stay safe and watch out for young punks who think they are "all that." I had my share, and they found out quickly that they were not "all there."
God bless,
Guro Carlos
Part 6
The next day, Steve send me an email that I have copied below:
“Date: Jan 6, 2011
Guro Carlos,
You will always be more than just a friend to me. You are my brother, and you will always be my teacher. If I have achieved some good things, it is because of the example my teachers gave me, to never give up, and to always work hard.
I started laughing when your comments made me remember running barefoot in the snow, and yes, all the jumping jacks, and how hard the test was. But you know, those days give me very good memories, and I miss all my classmates and my teachers. That was a good group of people. Mike was always a little crazy, but nobody could say he didn't have energy and enthusiasm, and between you two, we had a great balance in teachers. You were my favorite to free-fight, because you always brought out the best in me.
Anyway, I will stay in touch and write back soon.
Take care and stay safe, and give my best to your family!
Steve”
If you noticed, he made mention of me and Mike as we were always there to lead the class and eager to fight new students so they can have the experience and learn the techniques from black belts who run the school. Mike uses more kicks in his arsenal of techniques while I use a good mix of both punches and kicks, like we do at Baztekhan. I punch more when my opponent is a “kicker” and kick more when he is a “puncher.” I always tell Steve to use certain combinations that will bring out his best techniques to overpower/overwhelm his opponent. So, Steve always found it “fun” to fight me as I can really make him work for his money. I’m glad he remembered and he applied what I taught him in the years he spent in the martial arts world. I will save his accomplishments in the martial arts world at the end of this series…I promise!
Ask me where I got this way of teaching a student? Who else…from our Great Sirsan!
I started laughing when your comments made me remember running barefoot in the snow, and yes, all the jumping jacks, and how hard the test was. But you know, those days give me very good memories, and I miss all my classmates and my teachers. That was a good group of people. Mike was always a little crazy, but nobody could say he didn't have energy and enthusiasm, and between you two, we had a great balance in teachers. You were my favorite to free-fight, because you always brought out the best in me.
Anyway, I will stay in touch and write back soon.
Take care and stay safe, and give my best to your family!
Steve”
If you noticed, he made mention of me and Mike as we were always there to lead the class and eager to fight new students so they can have the experience and learn the techniques from black belts who run the school. Mike uses more kicks in his arsenal of techniques while I use a good mix of both punches and kicks, like we do at Baztekhan. I punch more when my opponent is a “kicker” and kick more when he is a “puncher.” I always tell Steve to use certain combinations that will bring out his best techniques to overpower/overwhelm his opponent. So, Steve always found it “fun” to fight me as I can really make him work for his money. I’m glad he remembered and he applied what I taught him in the years he spent in the martial arts world. I will save his accomplishments in the martial arts world at the end of this series…I promise!
Ask me where I got this way of teaching a student? Who else…from our Great Sirsan!
Part 7
Steve and I continued to exchange forwarded email (inspirational), just your normal “this is nice so I will forward it to all my friends” type of email. Then almost a month later he sent me a message asking for my input on one of his students moving to California and wanting to learn Escrima. He asked me if I know of someone who can help his student further his studies in Filipino Martial Arts. I did some research, ask people who know other people where this young man can get good Filipino Escrima Training. Most suggested this one school in Vallejo, California so I recommended it to Steve. Hope his student found it satisfactory.
Steve then wrote me this email:
“Date: Feb 2, 2011
Guro Carlos,
Thanks so much for the assist, I will tell the youngster to go and visit folks and get to know them. You have once again given me good advice!
I know what you mean about being disillusioned by the world of martial arts and all the commercialization. After I moved out east I decided not to teach anymore, too many big egos, no loyalty to the older folks, and never saying thank you for the lessons in martial arts and in life. But a few students said they would come and train with me and so I started teaching again. I am glad I did, but I know lots of sensei and guros from our time who got fed up and only taught family. I don't charge anything for lessons anymore, I just make them work harder!
Anyway, thanks again, stay safe and keep me in touch!
Take care,
Steve”
I like the way he came back from retirement so he could teach students who are willing to learn and not charge them to boot! It tells us that he is doing it for the sake of the arts…not for money. Like me when I taught him, he makes his student work harder. He indeed, learned well.
When my sons were enrolled in Tae Kwon Do, their instructor charged us for lessons for one year. We had to pay cash, and if my sons are not able to attend practice for a day. A week or a month due to school, sickness, or vacation, okay lang ta he already have the money. There are 10 rankings before you get your blackbelt…you pay promotion and testing fee every time you want to go up in rank. There is a set of forms and techniques you have to memorize before you are promoted….but I still haven’t seen anyone fail promotion during testing. Their colored belts are mediocre at best and their blackbelt (not the Head Instructor) who was teaching class once in a while can easily be beaten by a Baztekhan Green Belt!
I was so frustrated with it I didn’t renew my sons’ enrollment nor did I opt to pay promotion fees so they can advance in rank. Carlo was stuck in Orange belt (about level 5) and Alex was stuck as a Green Belt (about level 6)…both I think can beat their so called black belts as I was teaching them my Baztekhan/Tang Soo Do techniques on the side. This is also why the brown belt cried when hit by Alex in a practice sparring session maski Alex used only 40% of his power. I’m sure and I know that there are many good even great martial arts schools in US, but either they are rare or very expensive. Oh yeah, my sons’ head instructor was implicated in a drug deal a couple of years later and closed down the school. End of Part 7
Steve and I continued to exchange forwarded email (inspirational), just your normal “this is nice so I will forward it to all my friends” type of email. Then almost a month later he sent me a message asking for my input on one of his students moving to California and wanting to learn Escrima. He asked me if I know of someone who can help his student further his studies in Filipino Martial Arts. I did some research, ask people who know other people where this young man can get good Filipino Escrima Training. Most suggested this one school in Vallejo, California so I recommended it to Steve. Hope his student found it satisfactory.
Steve then wrote me this email:
“Date: Feb 2, 2011
Guro Carlos,
Thanks so much for the assist, I will tell the youngster to go and visit folks and get to know them. You have once again given me good advice!
I know what you mean about being disillusioned by the world of martial arts and all the commercialization. After I moved out east I decided not to teach anymore, too many big egos, no loyalty to the older folks, and never saying thank you for the lessons in martial arts and in life. But a few students said they would come and train with me and so I started teaching again. I am glad I did, but I know lots of sensei and guros from our time who got fed up and only taught family. I don't charge anything for lessons anymore, I just make them work harder!
Anyway, thanks again, stay safe and keep me in touch!
Take care,
Steve”
I like the way he came back from retirement so he could teach students who are willing to learn and not charge them to boot! It tells us that he is doing it for the sake of the arts…not for money. Like me when I taught him, he makes his student work harder. He indeed, learned well.
When my sons were enrolled in Tae Kwon Do, their instructor charged us for lessons for one year. We had to pay cash, and if my sons are not able to attend practice for a day. A week or a month due to school, sickness, or vacation, okay lang ta he already have the money. There are 10 rankings before you get your blackbelt…you pay promotion and testing fee every time you want to go up in rank. There is a set of forms and techniques you have to memorize before you are promoted….but I still haven’t seen anyone fail promotion during testing. Their colored belts are mediocre at best and their blackbelt (not the Head Instructor) who was teaching class once in a while can easily be beaten by a Baztekhan Green Belt!
I was so frustrated with it I didn’t renew my sons’ enrollment nor did I opt to pay promotion fees so they can advance in rank. Carlo was stuck in Orange belt (about level 5) and Alex was stuck as a Green Belt (about level 6)…both I think can beat their so called black belts as I was teaching them my Baztekhan/Tang Soo Do techniques on the side. This is also why the brown belt cried when hit by Alex in a practice sparring session maski Alex used only 40% of his power. I’m sure and I know that there are many good even great martial arts schools in US, but either they are rare or very expensive. Oh yeah, my sons’ head instructor was implicated in a drug deal a couple of years later and closed down the school. End of Part 7
Part 8
Steve has been keeping me updated with the going ons in his school. He forwards email that he knows will add value to our friendship and maintain our connection although we are thousands of miles apart. In other words, he stayed connected with me after all these years. About three weeks ago, he wrote me (and others he cared about) this email:
“Date: Aug. 1, 2011
Dear all,
I wanted to update everyone on some of the wonderful things that happened at the Gathering in Tennessee this past weekend, especially for those who were unable to attend.
First, Soke Jim has retired and graciously placed his confidence in me to take over as Soke of the Laohu system. I cannot tell you how I appreciate his trust and will strive to carry on his vision of our organization and its ability to help those in need and to help everyone be as successful in all our endeavors. With your help and support, we can do all the things we believe we are called on to do.
Steve
(My personal note: I googled Steve Blackburn and “Soke”…I found out Steve is now a 10th Degree Grandmaster who is the HEAD of their martial arts system in USA!).
***********************************************************
I wrote him back immediately:
Date: Aug 1, 2011
Soke Steve.
Congratulations, a gentleman and a martial artist extraordinaire...that, you are! Now, I can't wait to spar with my old pupil once more (one of these days, maybe)! This is one of those occasions that a teacher is really proud that one of his pupils surpassed him, not only in knowledge but skills!
God bless, Guro Carlos
************************************************************
This was his immediate answer:
Date: Aug 1, 2011
Guro Carlos,
Steve has been keeping me updated with the going ons in his school. He forwards email that he knows will add value to our friendship and maintain our connection although we are thousands of miles apart. In other words, he stayed connected with me after all these years. About three weeks ago, he wrote me (and others he cared about) this email:
“Date: Aug. 1, 2011
Dear all,
I wanted to update everyone on some of the wonderful things that happened at the Gathering in Tennessee this past weekend, especially for those who were unable to attend.
First, Soke Jim has retired and graciously placed his confidence in me to take over as Soke of the Laohu system. I cannot tell you how I appreciate his trust and will strive to carry on his vision of our organization and its ability to help those in need and to help everyone be as successful in all our endeavors. With your help and support, we can do all the things we believe we are called on to do.
Steve
(My personal note: I googled Steve Blackburn and “Soke”…I found out Steve is now a 10th Degree Grandmaster who is the HEAD of their martial arts system in USA!).
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I wrote him back immediately:
Date: Aug 1, 2011
Soke Steve.
Congratulations, a gentleman and a martial artist extraordinaire...that, you are! Now, I can't wait to spar with my old pupil once more (one of these days, maybe)! This is one of those occasions that a teacher is really proud that one of his pupils surpassed him, not only in knowledge but skills!
God bless, Guro Carlos
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This was his immediate answer:
Date: Aug 1, 2011
Guro Carlos,
Thank you so much for the compliments! I know that to reach my current position, I had the shoulders of some great teachers to carry me forward, and you are one of those teachers who molded the good qualities I hope I can claim. If I am a gentleman, and have some skills, it’s because of great friends and brothers like you to show me the way.
When we get together in the future and spar, it will be an honor and pleasure to have you smacking me around as you used to so long ago!
Stay safe,
Steve
I will add my commentary and thoughts on the next part of this series. End of Part 8....Conclusion of series will follow
Part 9 (last installment of the series)
All the email that Soke Steve sent me did not say that is a grandmaster. He continued to address me as Guro “teacher.” I had to google his name and research his credentials to find out what his contributions and accomplishments in martial arts are. He never told me that he has accomplished so much…he just continued to affirm his appreciation of what I have taught him and the ideals that I planted in his mind on how to be a good fighter and a great teacher.
As a teacher I saw a great potential in Soke Steve that’s why I pushed him hard. He learned quickly and retained the knowledge he gathered through years of training and passed them on to his students. This is why he became a GRANDMASTER. I’ll like to think that I was a big part of his accomplishments…but looking back…all I did was pass on to him the knowledge I have learned from my own teacher, GSS Juanito Diaz.
As a teacher, I also have learned a great deal from my student. I have learned that the highest honor a pupil can give a teacher is to make something good out of his life. I have learned that humility speaks volumes when left unsaid. I have learned that giving credit to you teacher for what you have become in the field of anything in life…is the BEST compliment you can give that teacher. I have learned that the biggest joy a teacher can have is to know that his pupil has finally surpassed him in wisdom and is capable of passing that wisdom to others.
If I can be so proud and happy having ONE student who made good, how much more our GSS?
I FIRMLY BELIEVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THAT GREAT SIRSAN JUANITO DIAZ IS SO HAPPY WITH ALL OF US!!!
Pugay po saindo gabos, mga sans!!! I love you all!!!
God bless,
SS Carlos Oriño (Code Name RAM)
When we get together in the future and spar, it will be an honor and pleasure to have you smacking me around as you used to so long ago!
Stay safe,
Steve
I will add my commentary and thoughts on the next part of this series. End of Part 8....Conclusion of series will follow
Part 9 (last installment of the series)
All the email that Soke Steve sent me did not say that is a grandmaster. He continued to address me as Guro “teacher.” I had to google his name and research his credentials to find out what his contributions and accomplishments in martial arts are. He never told me that he has accomplished so much…he just continued to affirm his appreciation of what I have taught him and the ideals that I planted in his mind on how to be a good fighter and a great teacher.
As a teacher I saw a great potential in Soke Steve that’s why I pushed him hard. He learned quickly and retained the knowledge he gathered through years of training and passed them on to his students. This is why he became a GRANDMASTER. I’ll like to think that I was a big part of his accomplishments…but looking back…all I did was pass on to him the knowledge I have learned from my own teacher, GSS Juanito Diaz.
As a teacher, I also have learned a great deal from my student. I have learned that the highest honor a pupil can give a teacher is to make something good out of his life. I have learned that humility speaks volumes when left unsaid. I have learned that giving credit to you teacher for what you have become in the field of anything in life…is the BEST compliment you can give that teacher. I have learned that the biggest joy a teacher can have is to know that his pupil has finally surpassed him in wisdom and is capable of passing that wisdom to others.
If I can be so proud and happy having ONE student who made good, how much more our GSS?
I FIRMLY BELIEVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THAT GREAT SIRSAN JUANITO DIAZ IS SO HAPPY WITH ALL OF US!!!
Pugay po saindo gabos, mga sans!!! I love you all!!!
God bless,
SS Carlos Oriño (Code Name RAM)
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