by William M.
Member since:
July 31, 2006

Daughter fighting

October 11, 2006 08:12 PM EDT (Updated: October 11, 2006 08:14 PM EDT)
views: 39 | comments: 28

When my daughter was young she took karate. My wife and I cannot remember exactly how old she was. We think she was about twelve at the oldest. I don't want to call and ask her now because I don't want her to know that I am writing this. I will probably show the article to her after I publish it.

 

She kept bringing in belt after belt. If her instructor was honest with us she would be one of the greatest. He said she could be national champion by the time she was fifteen. He might have been just sweetening us up. I don't remember which her last belt was but the next one would be a black belt.

 

She was very small. When full grown she was only five feet and two inches. Almost all of her sparing was with people bigger than her. She had to punch up to hit their chest.

 

The way I was working I was only able to see one tournament that she was in. I was probably more excited about the contest than she was.She was fighting a boy who was slightly bigger than her. They were not allowed to hit on the head.  I was always so proud of her and had never seen her fight before.

 

They started and I was as tense as I could be. Almost immediately she hit him hard in the face. She got a warning and then they went back at it. She hit him in the face again. She was disqualified for twice hitting him in the face. I personally believe this was because she was accustomed to sparing with taller people. Every one around us said that in a real fight she would have whipped him easily.

 

I hated the fact that I was not able to go to more of the things that my children were involved in, but they knew that I loved them and spent as much time with them as I could
link to this page
Bookmark this post:
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Buzz
More

Comments: 28

Sandra L. Oct 11, 2006, 8:19pm EDT
It sounds like she was a real spit-fire William. How old is she now?
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 8:22pm EDT
She is thirty five now, Sandra. She used to be something else, but has settled down some know.
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 8:26pm EDT
No, Adele. Maybe I'll tell about that sometime. Thanks for your interest.
☃ Aunt Shanny Oct 11, 2006, 8:29pm EDT
I can see my dad telling a story like this about me- the settling down part and all. Although there was this wheelchair "accident" that dad and I had this summer....
Cecile V. Oct 11, 2006, 8:30pm EDT
I like that your daughter was so good at karate. What she learned has probably served her in other ways in her life as well. It's hard to be there for your kids, with work and obligations getting in the way...but we do the best we can...and if we love them and they know it....that's the best of all!
Barbara B. Oct 11, 2006, 8:34pm EDT
Good story William. I think kids that have been diagnosed with ADHD should take Karate to help them focus and calm themselves down. Anybody else agree with me on this?
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 8:38pm EDT
Why don't you write a story about it, Shannon. I expect a lot of us would love to read it. Thank you for your interest in the article.

I appreciate that, Cecile. I have always thougt that sports like karate helped a person.
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 8:42pm EDT
I don't know anything about it myself, Barbara. Maybe someone else reading this has an opinion. We will hope so.
Marsha B. Oct 11, 2006, 8:45pm EDT
Your daughter certainly had more spunk than I did. I took karate for one day and was pretty muh done with that. Judo was a little more to my liking.
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 8:49pm EDT
I have a grandson that is into karate now. My daughter sure had spunk. Thanks for reading the article.
Julie L. Oct 11, 2006, 8:49pm EDT
Yes I think kids with ADHD would benefit from this. They are taught discipline, self-control, and many other things that would help them in learning to focus.

Good story William, sometimes it is hard to bring home the paycheck and make it to all events.
Dawne Joy Oct 11, 2006, 8:50pm EDT
Good article William. It sounds like your daughter knew what to do to prove herself.
Hazel O. Oct 11, 2006, 9:11pm EDT
Maybe it was part of her strategy...an intimidation factor... sort of. Anyway she wasn't taking any chances!

Sounds like you have a very nice family!
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 9:19pm EDT
Thank you, Julie. Maybe Barbara is still around and will see your opinion on ADHD.
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 9:22pm EDT
I appreciate that, Dawne. She was one tough little kid.

Thanks, Hazel. I am very proud of them.
Carol Roach Oct 11, 2006, 9:46pm EDT
good story, as an adult has she settled down?
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 9:50pm EDT
She has settled some. She still seems a little hyper. She has a fine son which might have helped, that and marriage.
Susan *. Oct 11, 2006, 10:00pm EDT
William, my son is one testing away from his black belt in TKD...I have noticed that when the kids get "into" sparring or their forms, the sport takes over and they let it come naturally. I think that is what happened to your daughter as you said. Being a small person, her body was used to a certain muscle movement and when she began to spar, her body took over and did what it had been trained to do. As she was younger, she didn't have the control to adapt to the circumstances....I'll bet if you ask her about it, she will just say..."I don't know WHY it happened, it just did"! Let us know what she does say, I'd be interested in hearing what her comment is.
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 10:31pm EDT
That is the most reasonable explanation I have heard. Thank you Susan.
Barbara B. Oct 11, 2006, 11:07pm EDT
I pop in every now and then, William. I suggested to my daughter that a boy she is tutoring would benefit if his mother would enroll him in Karate. He has ADHD. I have no professional knowledge of the sport, but it seemed to me that it would help to give kids the ability to focus on something physical.
William M. Oct 11, 2006, 11:15pm EDT
There have been some commenting who think so, Barbara. I don't think they know of any who have tried it. It sounds logical that it would help, but I don't know.
Miz Lynn aka/BooBoo Oct 11, 2006, 11:58pm EDT
My son is a karate black belt, but had to give it up because of a football injury. The sport was good for him, taught him discipline...
William M. Oct 12, 2006, 12:11am EDT
Thanks for the info, Lynn. I believe it would help anyone.
Janet H. Oct 12, 2006, 12:22am EDT
My two youngest kids started out taking karate lessons. Both got bored with it and quit within a short time. They just couldn't get into it. It didn't hold their interest and they didn't want to practice.
William M. Oct 12, 2006, 12:29am EDT
You need to like what you are doing and if they did not like it they just did not, Janet.
Debra H. Oct 12, 2006, 1:03am EDT
William at least you made it to as many of her events as possible - you are a good dad
William M. Oct 12, 2006, 5:01pm EDT
Thanks, Debra. I hope so. I tried.

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Make New Friends | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Health | Moms | Money | News | Politics | Spirituality | Sports | Travel | Writing
Version 16961, "Pacino"; Copyright © 2009 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.