By Sensi Freeman Thurston

Traditionally, there has always been a lot of controversy within the martial arts with regard to children being awarded black belt rankings, that is, dan grades.

We do need to encourage children in our art. It is also up to us to do the best that we can for them, and help them develop to their full potential. If we can attract them early enough, and care for them well enough, the next generation will far surpass our achievements.

And we will have played our part in improving our art, in particular, and society in general. This question of children being awarded dan grades in the martial arts has particular import close to home.

For example, over 95 percent of all participants in The Bahamas/Caribbean Wado Kai Karate Doh Association - sponsored Community Youth Karate Programmes are primary, junior high and high school aged students.

This community-based programme is geared toward students primarily, but is also open to young adults and some "more senior" community members.

Hence, a system of ranking involving both the younger kids, and the adults, initially posed an interesting challenge in the community programmes.

Children 'black belts'

I personally have met the challenges of teaching literally many thousands of youth and adults in practically every kind of circumstance, and venue, in our Commonwealth, including the Caribbean region.

These have included schools, local community centres, church auditoriums, playing fields, lodge halls, basketball courts, backyards, community parks, sandy (and not so sandy) beaches, grass fields and dirt tracks (or a combination of same), and yes — even on the Government roads over the past 30 years or so.

These programmes have had one thing in common - all were based on specially designed training, grading and ranking (tests) curricula. These criteria were designed to take in the skill level, determination, age and responsibility of the various groups and individuals in the many island communities that make up our Commonwealth.

Both the children and the adults are pressed to meet certain goals and accept certain challenges throughout their training. The awarding of ranks in both circumstances acknowledges the attainment of these goals and responses to the challenges.

Primary and junior high students would, obviously lack the body size, life experiences, strength and maturity of high school kids and young adults, but they would more than likely make up for it in overwhelming enthusiasm, sense of adventure and the same awe of personal accomplishments as any older participant.

Children, therefore, must be afforded opportunities for advancement in the martial arts as befit their years of training experiences. Dan ranking for children is, thus, a necessary consideration in any such structured programme with long term goals and objectives geared for kids.

'Age of maturity'

The combination of a well thought-out programme, enthusiastic and committed students, including the most necessary support of parents and guardians, together with knowledgeable and experienced martial arts instruction, the criteria for dan can and are, being fulfilled in children's programmes.

All kids in any well structured, efficiently and enthusiastically conducted programme are very deserving of

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their grading. The concern among many martial arts instructors often is not so much with awarding of dan ranks.

The challenge to the instructor is more often how then to keep them further motivated until they attain the age of maturity to be elevated to adult ranking status.

No child is ranked beyond Junior Shodan, that is beyond First dan black belt status, prior to the age of 'maturity.' That is from 16, 18 to 21 years old, depending entirely on the system endorsed by the Chief Instructor/Grand master of the style.

This traditional karate position with regards children dan ranking is one fully endorsed by Bahamas-Caribbean Wado Kai Karate Doh Association leadership in all of its sponsored community karate development programmes.

Training of 'black

belt' kids

Continued emphasis on personal training centred within kata and related performances are perhaps one of the best methods to focus the young martial artist training as a black belt.

It is extremely important at this stage that the child does not lose sense of the merits of the art, but to maintain the correct perspective in terms of his interaction with fellow students, parents, teachers and the community in general.

Prima donnas they most certainly are not. Accomplished students, yes; role models to other students, yes; but to be considered as being beyond basic discipline and rules and regulations, NO.

In the maintenance of a well-balanced child (and subsequent adult), delegation of certain responsibilities by the martial arts instructor are specifically designed to help mould the young black belt.

This often includes leading the karateka to making certain personal sacrifices for fellow students, community and school, in addition to being held responsible to his Sensei for aspects of his own overall training away from the dojo (training place).Competition in the grooming of a junior black belt it is quite a challenge to avoid creating 'medal chasers.' That is, competition, not just for the taking part, but the obsession to always 'win.'

The role of the Sensei then becomes one of developing the whole person, rather than the precocious 'tournament chaser.' With respect to young kids, and even some young adults who have achieved dan ranking, this is quite a challenge indeed. This applies to both females and males, but more of a concern with developing young males in general.

'Open' fighting competitions are not recommended for children, black belts included. All such unrestricted, potentially dangerous competitive fighting should be left until karateka attains the age of maturity.

Except for training purposes in the dojo, planned tournaments and demonstrations and staged public benefit performances, any competitive, unrehearsed, fighting spectacles involving kids must be discouraged.

Aside from some possible legal and certain moral implications and concerns, competitive fighting ostensibly to provide "public entertainment" only, could cause undue, and quite unnecessary physical and psychological stress situations.

This applies to children as well as young adults in our communities. All aspects of martial arts training for kids should be a well orchestrated process, from exercise sessions to practice of basic techniques, to applications of self defence principles, including developing of appropriate relationships within the dojo and without.

The grading of children to dan ranking is a significant responsibility, not only for the student, but also involves his family, friends, teachers and community.

At the hub of all this is the Sensei and Chief Instructor responsible for all aspects of the karate training programme and the rankings he or she affords these deserving students.

Sensei Freeman Thurston is a Fifth Dan Black Belt Wado Kai and founder and chief instructor of The Bahamas/Caribbean Aikiwa (Wado kai) Karate do/Kubudo Association.