Proud of these Young Men

There are moments as a chief instructor that you get to stand back and see exactly what the years of hard work have built for you.

The role of an instructor is earned through honor, grit, hard work and the pursuit of excellence. Every chief or master instructor dreams of the day that their student surpasses expectations, transforming potential into merit - instructors like Ms. Jacquelyn Anderson, Mr. Drew Cain and Mr. Maddx Nguyen just to name a few from this school.

This past weekend in Orlando I got to witness this first hand.

I’ve watched Mr. Joe Martin and Mr. Landon Martin ( no relation) put in a tremendous amount of work in the school over the last couple of years. I’ve watched them train through the good days and the hard days, take the corrections, chase the details, step up as instructors, and continue giving back to the students around them.

I’ve watched these young men grow up on the mats. I’ve watched them put in the hard work and I’ve seen them struggle and push forward. I’ve also seen them improve, and somewhere along the way, these young kids that started with me at eight and nine years of age, became young men that I am genuinely proud to stand alongside. They have become some of the finest young men you will ever meet.

They genuinely care about the school and the students within it. They understands that earning knowledge comes with a responsibility to help carry that knowlege forward to the next generation, and they are proud to do so. They have learned to guide students down this rigorous path so that all can navigated it toward their greatest potential.

But more importantly, they equally respect where they came from, and the work it took to get them there, a mentorship that has molded these warriors in the truest sense. It’s not just the raw, transformative power of martial arts or fighting—it’s about forging the indomitable spirit within. And these young men have learned this and are now setting a towering standard for all within the school and beyond.

These are obvious qualities that have been instilled in them from a young age, and it is evident in their daily work ethic. These strong men of character represent their families and their instructors well and are a model standard for all.

Joe’s entire family has been a part of this program for nearly ten years now. All five of his brothers earned their black belts, his father a green and his mother now a gold.

Landon’s mom is currently a red belt and his younger sister a probationary black belt.

Becoming and being an martial arts instructor is tough work.

These young men are both dedicated students, hard workers, and have become phenomenal instructors and mentors to others in this program. Through blood, sweat, and countless hours of refinement, they embody the essence of what we stand for.

There are no freebies. Nothing has been given to them. They earned each and every level.

There is no “you haven’t been here long enough to earn this.” There is only dedication and commitment.

There are no participation medals or spirit awards. There is only the hard work to be the best versions of themselves. It is sheer determination and heartfelt commitment to the martial arts and to the school.

To be an instructor you put in the work and you earn it.

The standards are set high because they’re supposed to be high. You’re being trusted with knowledge, with responsibility, and eventually with the job of passing those things on to those students in the class, to pay it forward.

Joe and Landon have proven themselves worthy of this trust.

Joe is now a level four certified instructor and working on his level five Full Instructor, while Landon is a level three Jr. Certified working towards Certified level four. Their paths to becoming a Level five Full Instructor is anything but easy.

It demands more than just physical strength; it requires a mental fortitude and a relentless spirit. An unwavering dedication, and a resilience that only a few individuals possess. Becoming a level five Full instructor isn’t just a testament, its a skill—it’s a badge of ironclad will to push through barriers that would stop many in their tracks.

Then one day you get to stand back and watch other people recognize exactly what you’ve seen developing in them all along.

In Orlando Joe was awarded the Judging Experience award for exceptional judging at tournaments. I can’t put into words how good it feels to watch my students continue to grow and then be recognized and awarded by fellow school owners that I respect. Joe deserved that award. Not because of his rank or his dashing good looks. But because he earned it.

At the National tournament in Orlando these young men stood out. Not because of the cowboy hats they wore (which was an obvious hit), but for the energy they brought to the event. Their judging and their relentless pursuit of excellence was an inspiration to the tournament participants- both young and old alike- to the spectators, parents, their peers, and to the school owners present. They planned to go to that event and a make statement- Men in Black Hats.

In Orlando they succeeded.

They represented.

You spend years teaching students and instructors, pushing them, correcting them, challenging them, expecting more from them, and occasionally being the pain in the butt they probably didn’t ask for, only to have them surpass your expectations.

That part never gets old. But after doing this for as long as I have, I’ve learned that the real reward of instructing isn’t hanging another belt around somebody’s waist or adding another award to their name. It’s watching a kid you’ve poured knowlege into become the kind of young man you’d trust to pour that knowlege into somebody else.