South Eastern Karate :: Recent News

RECENT NEWS FROM
SOUTH EASTERN KARATE ASSOCIATION

Sanford, Pittsboro students
receive black belt ranks

SILER CITY — Wednesday, May 5, 2010 — Terry Gilland of Sanford and brothers Trevor and Austin Phillips of Pittsboro received black belt ranks recently, when South Eastern Karate Association held its spring promotion exams.

Belts and certificates were presented by Master Instructor Peggy Jolly, a seventh-degree black belt, or Seventh Dan, who has been teaching martial arts in Siler City for more than 28 years.

Gilland, who received the rank of First Dan, has enjoyed everything he's experienced in training, particularly working on forms — choreographed patterns of karate techniques used in training. He works hard to integrate details into each move and perform techniques with power.

Some of the important lessons he's learned in martial arts, says the 32-year-old black belt, go well beyond routine punches and kicks. They include more universal lessons in virtues like practice and patience.

"For me, I think the most challenging part of training has been learning to not feel this self-imposed sense of urgency with learning some techniques," he says, reflecting on more than three years of training. "I used to worry if I wasn't doing something just right at first. Things take time. Learning patience with myself has proven to be one of the biggest lessons."

Gilland credits the supportive atmosphere of the school with helping him reach his initial goal. It feels like a family, he says, with everyone else wanting you to succeed as much as you do.

Trevor Phillips, 13, was awarded the rank of First Dan Junior, a designation for students under 18 years of age. He began training to deal better with concerns at school. Learning how to gain self-control in all areas of life, Trevor says, was a real challenge. But his continued effort has been rewarded with success.

"It was hard to begin with, but was easier the more I trained," Trevor explains. "After so many times being there with Miss Peggy and listening to her, it's helped me do better in school. If you listen to other people, you might learn something."

Trevor says he really enjoys karate, especially the excitement of earning higher belts and even the "nerve-racking" challenge of his black belt exam. "If you actually stick to it," he says, "it's a lot of fun."

Austin Phillips, 10, also was awarded the rank of First Dan Junior. He thought would be "cool" to do martial arts, so he gave it a try and credits Master Jolly for teaching him things he couldn't have learned any other way.

That includes techniques like the jump back kick and the Ba Sai form — two of his favorites — as well as personal skills like respect.

"I've learned how to respect elders and how to defend myself and other people," Austin explains. "It's made my life better because I've learned to not get into a bunch of fights and to control my anger."

Though it may be surprising that so many young people have learned important lessons so early in life, Master Jolly isn't shocked at all. Though self-defense is the ultimate goal for any martial arts student, part of self-defense can be how you carry yourself — and learning these more-universal lessons can be a key to success in techniques as well.

"Karate doesn't work miracles," she says. "But for anyone who trains seriously, it can improve your life, physically and mentally, and it does show how important these virtues can be. That goes for our young students as well as our older ones."

South Eastern Karate Association has taught Korean martial arts in central North Carolina since 1982 to men and women from 5-years-old to well past retirement age. Schools in Siler City and Liberty feature instruction in self-defense, and emphasize confidence, physical fitness and self-discipline.

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:: Photos
Two Students Receive Black Belt Ranks (1.3M JPEG)
Receiving black belts during South Eastern Karate Association's recent promotion exams were, from left, Terry Gilland, Austin Phillips and Trevor Phillips. Master Instructor Peggy Jolly, center top, presented the certificates and belts.

Ramseur, Siler City students
receive black belt ranks

SILER CITY — Friday, June 12, 2009 — Dorsey Chamblee of Ramseur and Colby Lee of Siler City received black belt ranks on June 5, when South Eastern Karate Association held its quarterly promotion exams.

Belts and certificates were presented by Master Instructor Peggy Jolly, a seventh-degree black belt, or Seventh Dan, who has been teaching martial arts in Siler City for more than 27 years.

Chamblee received the rank of Third Dan Instructor, recognizing more than a decade of training and his growing role as a teacher and leader in the local school.

When the 52-year-old began training, it was merely for physical fitness. Since then, his goals have changed. He still enjoys the workout, but now appreciates how his martial arts training has enriched all areas of life.

He's a much calmer person now, Chamblee says, more in control of himself. And he's learned a lot about how other people learn and act by helping them master techniques. But the process hasn't always been easy.

"I taught the children's class by myself one night. A real challenge," he says. "I taught one night when everyone was told not to follow my instructions. A real challenge. I've taught forms, kicks and hand techniques, and sometimes, I've learned more while teaching than when I was being taught.

"But I've received so much from this school that anything I've contributed is trivial in comparison to what I've received."

Lee, 12, has just started his journey as a black belt, receiving the rank of First Dan Junior, or first-degree junior black belt. The junior rank is a designation for martial artists under about 18 years of age.

His parents introduced Lee to karate when he was just 9 years old, and he liked everything about it from the moment he walked into the training hall. He particularly enjoys working on kicks and even looks forward to promotion tests.

"You get to show off what you've learned and get to break boards," he says.

Even at his young age, Lee understands that he's learning much more than kicks and punches. "I've learned about respect and discipline," he says. "It lets me calm down and think about what I'm going to do. If I get mad at my sister, I can calm down and not do anything."

Hearing that kind of insight and self-control from one of her young students has kept Master Jolly energized for so many years.

And it's one reason she's kept training fees so low — half to a third of what most schools charge — so more people and families can afford to train in a martial arts style that emphasizes self defense, fitness and self-discipline, rather than competitive fighting.

"With all of the mixed martial arts on television, it can be hard for people to understand the differences in martial arts," she explains. "What we do here is teach a traditional style designed to help everyone improve their own lives and skills, no matter how they are when they walk in the door."

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:: Photos
Two Students Receive Black Belt Ranks (1.3M JPEG)
Dorsey Chamblee (from left), Master Instructor Peggy Jolly and Colby Lee pause for a photo after black belt ranks were awarded in June by South Eastern Karate Association. Chamblee was promoted to third-degree black belt instructor, while Lee received his black belt and the rank of First Dan Junior.

Chamblee Demonstrates Kicking Technique (333K JPEG)
Dorsey Chamblee, recently awarded the rank of third-degree black belt instructor, uses a back hook kick to knock the ash off a lit cigarette held by Chip Pate, a second-degree black belt instructor. (Photo by Kirby Pate)

Spoon receives black belt
in March ceremony

SILER CITY — Sunday, April 5, 2009 — Kay Spoon of Pittsboro was awarded a black belt and the rank of First Dan on Mar. 21, when South Eastern Karate Association held its quarterly promotion exams.

The belt and certificate were presented by Master Instructor Peggy Jolly, a seventh-degree black belt, or Seventh Dan, just three months after the school awarded eight other black belt ranks.

When Spoon first walked into the karate school, she never intended to take classes. Still affected by a dangerous episode earlier in life, she merely wanted her daughter, Rachel, to have the tools to deal with a similar situation, if it ever arose.

"When I was working my way through college, a gentleman came in our office late one evening and had a psychotic break," she recalls. "He threatened my director and tried to get out of the building with me. It was a traumatic experience, and it really stayed with me.

"As Rachel started getting up in age, I thought about that and wanted to help her keep a calm head and develop the mental and physical discipline to deal with something like that."

While the daughter trained, Mom watched. Then, Master Instructor Jolly began urging Mom — "cajoling" is how Spoon puts it — to join Rachel in class. The teacher was so relentless that Spoon decided to put a uniform on, if only to prove that there was no way a woman in her late 40s could do martial arts.

The only problem: Spoon was wrong. The mother did learn, and after nearly four years of work, the 49-year-old received her black belt. In a particularly meaningful moment after the promotion ceremony ended, black belt Rachel Spoon tied on her mother's black belt for the first time.

Master Jolly says there many reasons why a lot of parents have trained with their children during the 27 years she's taught martial arts in Siler City. It's one of the few activities the family can do together. It opens up important lines of communication, especially during teenage years. And the experience is almost always good for the entire family.

"You might not realize it, but children take a great deal of pride in their parents, particularly when they watch Mom or Dad struggle to learn new skills and achieve their goals," Master Jolly explains. "And that gives children a stronger motivation that goes beyond the martial arts. It's an example that shows children it's important to keep working to get better at whatever they do and never give up."

The Spoons continue to train. As black belts, they're honing techniques they've already practiced and are learning how to use them in difficult situations. Mom says she sees the black belt as a beginning, not the ultimate goal, because there's so much more to learn.

She's done pretty well already. "Training has probably helped me more than you have room to print," she says. "The big thing is confidence, the way I carry myself and the way I approach the tragedy and hardships that come in life.

"There's more strength there — not just a physical strength, but confidence and a mental strength to deal with things I might not have been able to deal with before."

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:: Photos
   Daughter Ties Belt On New First Dan (1.3M JPEG)
   Kay Spoon has her new black belt tied on by her daughter, Rachel, as
Master Instructor Peggy Jolly watches. Kay received the rank of first
dan on Mar. 21. Rachel was named First Dan Junior in September.

   Spoon Receives Certificate from Master Instructor Jolly (1.6M JPEG)
Kay Spoon, left, was awarded her black belt and certificate from Master
Instructor Peggy Jolly during the quarterly promotion tests on Mar. 21.

Black belt ranks awarded
to eight local martial artists

SILER CITY — Tuesday, January 27, 2009 — It was a busy morning when the South Eastern Karate Association awarded new black belt ranks last month. Eight martial artists from Chatham and Randolph counties were recognized, half receiving their black belts for the first time and others receiving the second-degree rank.

Belts and certificates were awarded by Master Instructor Peggy Jolly, a seventh-degree black belt, or 7th Dan, when the school held its winter promotion tests.

Joel Jolly, Mary Grace McCoy, Keith Suits and William Suits were promoted to 2nd Dan. Receiving their belts and the rank of 1st Dan were Lacy Petty, Sandi McDanel, Zachary Phillips and Eric Martinez.

Jolly, a 51-year-old retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant, received the rank of 2nd Dan Instructor, recognizing his role as a teacher in the Siler City school. During the fall, he was responsible for leading a class primarily for younger students, who clearly admire and respect their mentor.

The experience also was a learning process for Jolly. "Every student is different," he says. "You need to teach differently, to teach through words. You need to encourage some, challenge others. It feels good when juniors get up to do a demo or break and use the same words I've used. It shows they're paying attention and that I made an impact."

McCoy, promoted to 2nd Dan, began training to get some exercise. The 40-year-old living in the Silk Hope area of Chatham County still gets plenty, but has been equally challenged by the mental component of martial arts.

"I realized it was my mind that was preventing me from doing lots of things, not just in training, but in life in general," she says. "One of Master Jolly's frequently-repeated bits of advice is, 'Change your way of thinking.' If you stop letting your mind tell you all the reasons you can't do something, suddenly, you discover exactly what wonderful things you are capable of doing."

Keith Suits and son William, both from Liberty, hail from a family steeped in martial arts. Keith's other sons train, too. Rory, a first-degree black belt, and John, a red belt, train with the family in the Liberty school. An adult son, David, received his black belt under Master Young Taek Yu in Greensboro, who also trained Master Instructor Jolly and established the school in Siler City. Keith's brother, Scott, is a black belt.

So, it's not surprising that Keith, now 2nd Dan, appreciates what he calls the "brotherhood of martial arts." While students constantly challenge each other in training, the 48-year-old says all want their colleagues to improve and succeed. "They're watching you on test day and are pulling for you," Keith explains. "It's one of the few things I've done in life where everybody wants you to succeed."

William — who, at age 13, has trained for more than half of his life — was awarded the rank of 2nd Dan Junior, a rank for martial artists under the age of 18. Even at his young age, William is developing leadership skills by helping novice students learn new techniques.

He's learned some lessons of his own, about trusting what he's practiced and learned. One of his promotion tests consisted of just one form, a series of choreographed moves used in training. It was a very unusual test, but made a lasting impression. "I didn't see it coming and it startled me," he recalls. "I learned that if you're doing just one form on a test, don't think about how bad you think you're going to do. Just do the form."

Petty, one of the new first-degree black belts, began training in 1983, but dropped out when college, the military and work pushed training out his schedule. The 57-year-old returned about two years ago, this time with his son, and says his only regret is not coming back sooner.

It was difficult to remember all of the techniques and get back in the swing of things, but the mental and physical training have helped him recover from health problems and give him goals to accomplish. "Not everybody's going to be a Bruce Lee," Petty admits. "But you can push yourself a bit more to get the next level. To receive a black belt from Master Jolly is maybe one of the proudest times of my life."

McDanel, 51, was always intrigued by martial arts and began her own training four years ago, when the Siler City resident received a month's worth of classes as a birthday gift. She knew martial arts weren't really like the stereotypical kung fu movies, but was surprised by the focus and discipline required.

"It's opened my eyes to a better way of living through a little more discipline," she says. "I've learned from Master Jolly there's a lesson in everything we do. It's been a great experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who thinks they might be interested. But, with all the new things you're learning, be prepared to give it a little time."

Phillips also was curious about martial arts and enrolled in his first class after facing a problem at school when he was in the sixth grade. Now, the 14-year-old, who enjoys free sparring because "it helps you get better prepared for what might happen," has learned important skills, both physical and mental.

That includes perseverance — when he had trouble breaking boards with a kick, he had to work to strengthen that technique — and having respectful attitude. "Since I've learned it here," the Siler City resident says, "I understand it will impress other people and also gain respect for myself."

Another young black belt, 13-year-old Eric Martinez, graduated from training with younger students, eventually to join the adult class. Not all students make that move at such an early age, but Martinez prepared himself by working hard to refine his skills.

The sweeping kick was particularly challenging to the Siler City resident. But through hard work, he mastered the technique in nearly four years of training. That level of dedication won him friends of all ages.

While it's common to award black belt ranks every few months, it is unusual to recognize so many at once. Master Jolly says it's a testimony to students who work hard and continue training once they receive their black belt.

"Many people see black belt as the ultimate goal," she says. "It is an important goal, but once you earn the black belt, we can put those skills together and begin advanced training. The fact that so many of our students appreciate what they've learned and want to continue, once they earn their black belt, is a credit to them and the school."

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:: Photo
Eight Martial Artists Receive Black Belt Ranks (1.4M JPEG)
Eight martial artists received first- or second-degree black belt ranks from Master Instructor Peggy Jolly when South Eastern Karate Association held its quarterly promotion tests in December. Pictured, from left, are: Sandi McDanel, Lacy Petty, Eric Martinez, Master Instructor Jolly, Zachary Phillips, William Suits, Keith Suits, Joel Jolly and Mary Grace McCoy.