Several members in my family have been a part of Yoshukai Karate Alliance, including 3 of my cousins, my aunt, two of my uncles, and my older brother Noah. Noah joined the Alliance while he was in 4th grade and my parents had plans for me to follow in his footsteps. However, I joined the Alliance in June during my 6th grade year. Even though I could have joined earlier, my parents knew how much discipline it took to be in martial arts and they thought it was best for me to wait until I got a little bit older. To me, karate always seemed intimidating, but once I came to class, everything felt natural. I distinctly remember my first day in class, Sensei taught me Kiotski, Yoi, and Yame. And once I learned my blocks, I would be practicing them in my front yard in between lessons. I was grateful to be able to test every four months all the way through earning my 1st Kyu. I also love attending Yoshukai clinics and Natsu Keiko (summer camp). Yoshukai Karate has taught me patience, good agility, and responsibility. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go while training over the last four years, but I have pressed on and I have earned my black belt, just as several people in my family have done. My training continues as I am working on continually improving and learning.