Meet Lily:
Lily received the rank of Black Belt, 1st Dan in 2019. She started her martial arts journey at 8, and then later joined our Black Belt Club. As Lily started to get older, she eventually made the successful journey from attending children’s classes to attending the Adult/Teen classes.
Lily believes “a black belt is a person who constantly preservers to improve oneself.” She knows that being a Black belt is all about self-discipline- stating “black belts must realize that they are responsible for their own actions, feelings, and thoughts, without blaming others.” Training for your black belt is designed to be scary and intimidating, and managing your emotions during that process can be hard to do. However, Lily has shown that she can handle this adversity, in class and at home. Her parents explained, “Lily brings to our home a unique sense of calm…she is a mediator during times of duress and a comfort when times are tough”
Over the years Lily has seen that her martial arts experience has impacted her life in numerous ways. She says, “The people who I have been doing karate with for years have become like family.” Lily never fails to put a smile on the faces of her “karate family” and her real family. When talking about what makes Lily special, her parents state, “she puts us at ease with her humor and caring… Lily has such a big heart and is always there for us.”
Being humble is one of Lily’s strongest characteristics. Lily knows that achieving her black belt is not the end- it is just the being. She knows that she still has skills to improve on before she is “perfect” at them. She is continuing her journey as a martial artist, saying, “I wan to go to classes as much as I can and keep training. I feel like I have to work hard during classes, train hard, and practice more at home too. Because from practice, you can only get better.”
Lily sees her instructors as a guide in her journey. Stating, “Senseis have seen my good days, my bad days, but most importantly stood as a role-model for me. I want to continue karate after I get my black belt [so] I can stand as a role-model for someone who is in my shoes right now.”
