Words of Wisdom
from my First Karate Teacher in the Martial Arts
Some of our families may have heard this story before. I’d like to share it with you because it holds a very valuable truth.
Years ago I was having lunch with my first karate instructor, Mr. Kirk Notsch. At the time Mr. Notsch was in command of a group of eleven (11) Special Forces soldiers. During our lunch that day we talked about life in general and then the conversation shifted to the military and to the Martial Arts. At one point in the conversation Mr. Notsch asked me,
"Do you know what the most important thing is that I do
for my group of Special Forces soldiers."
I wasn’t sure of the answer, but let me take a moment to help everyone understand just who these Special Forces soldiers were.
The group ranged in age from 22-35 years old. All of these men were experts in various fields ranging from communications,
weapons, to numerous other military competencies. These soldiers were the TOP OF THE LINE. Now back to my story. I asked
Mr. Notsch what the answer was. He paused for a moment and said,
"The most important thing that I teach my men is to STAND STILL, LOOK STRAIGHT, and FOCUS WHEN I TALK TO THEM."
Remember, these are highly trained soldiers who rank among the best that our country has to offer. His next sentence was this."If this is the most important thing that I teach my men to do, can you understand what advantages and lessons that you are giving children as young as five (5) and six (6) years of age in your karate classes at your Martial Arts School?"
His point was well taken. Think about it for a moment...A young boy or girl who can focus on the task at hand and block out any distractions has an incredible advantage over other children who may not practice these skills.
It’s important that we all understand this, it is a practiced skill. The simple act of being able to listen and follow directions is a skill that all young people should learn and continually practice at a very young age. It’s a skill that we as parents and teachers should help them practice in order that they become very good at it.
I tell you this story because I encourage you to think about the power that sound fundamentals and basic listening skills can have on our young people.
We at Nicklaus’ Martial Arts America understand the value of these basic yet all important skills and make sure this message and lesson is taught in all of our karate classes. We appreciate the opportunity that all of our families give us to help children develop ownership of these simple skills of focus, discipline, respect that make monumental differences in y oung people’s lives. Continue to watch these skills grow as your child strives for his/her Black Belt and beyond in our Martial Arts program here in the La Crosse Area.
Note: The story applies to all of us of all ages. No matter your age or your skill level, continue to develop your ability to:
- Focus your eyes
- Focus your ears
- Focus your mind
- Focus your body
Fred Nicklaus
6th Degree Black Belt
Owner & Master Instructor
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