Honesty Pays Big Dividends

As you know the Black Belt Excellence quality for the month is HONESTY. The definition of honesty is ”the inner-strength and confidence that is obtained by demonstrating truthfulness, trustworthiness, and integrity with individuals, institutions, society, and with yourself.”

I hope that by now you have all taken the Honesty quiz and discussed it with your parents. If you have not done this important activity yet I suggest you do so immediately. In order for you to be an honest person you must make a commitment to truthfulness. Being honest is about doing the right things and telling the truth even when no one else knows.

I have found in my life that being honest in the beginning will help you in the end. Several years ago, I returned home from the store after buying groceries. As I put the groceries away and checked my change I found that the cashier at the store had mistakenly given me a $100 bill instead of a $10 bill.

I took the money back to the store and gave it to a tearful young girl who was the cashier. She was new on the job and was worried about getting fired because she had lost the $100 and did not know where it had gone.

She was grateful to me for my honesty and I felt good for doing the right thing even though I could have kept the money and no one would have known. Doing the right thing and being honest and truthful felt good but that is not the end of the story.

A month or two later it was Christmas season and I had $100 in my pocket to go do some Christmas shopping after work. I was teaching at Spanish Fork High School at the time. Imagine my shock when I went to pull the money out of my pocket after lunch and it was gone!

I was sick to my stomach and did not know even where to start looking for money at a high school with over 1,000 students. A few minutes later, a student delivered the money to me at my classroom. They told me that they had seen the money fall out of my pocket as I was walking down the hall.

A great feeling of gratitude and relieve came over me and I remembered how I had returned that money to the girl at the store a few weeks earlier. Then I realized that honesty works both ways.

I want to challenge all of you to demonstrate a great standard of honesty in your lives. Every day you are faced with the opportunity to cheat somehow or tell a lie. Remember, that how you act when no one is watching you reveals your true character.

By demonstrating this high standard of truthfulness, you will begin to earn and receive a benefit far greater, which is the trust from others. From receiving trust from others you will earn greater responsibility and have greater opportunities in the future.

Remember, honesty always pays big dividends!

More Stripe Questions

Here is a quick answer to more Stripe Testing questions.

Can a student earn a stripe between tests? Generally, we prefere that students earn stripes at the designated stripe tests. If a student is close to earning a stripe however, a stripe test may occur after a class with my approval. This is intended to be the exception and not the rule. Please realize that we are about raising the bar with students technique and skills and not making them feel good about themselfs because they earned a piece of tape around their belt. The stripe is real the test is real and means something.

What about adult students, do they have to earn black stripes as part of the black belt excellence program? No adult students earn the skill based stripes. Adults are showing Black Belt excellence everyday by who they are in the community and at home. The fact that they are in martial arts speaks volumes about their character. We expect our adult students to conduct themselfs in the highest possible manner. If their standing demonstrates otherwise, then we will deal with that person on an individual basis. Grandmaster Royal West has asked that we all evaluate our behavior and conduct outside our martial arts academy. We are all connected and depend on each other. We are all ambasators of the martial arts and the Royal West Martial Arts organization.

Do you charge for stripe tests? No, stripe tests are free and at now cost. At the end of that belt cycle when the student has earned all the stripes for the next rank, a belt graduation fee will be charged according to the rank that the student is graduating too.

I hope that these answers clarifies more about the stripe system we are using.

Stripe Testing Explained

Dear Parents and Students,

The purpose of this email is to help you better understand the new Stripe Testing System at the studio. I know that I have explained this a few times. I will try to answer a few questions differently this time. If you have questions please email me, because chances are that others have the same question. I will respond to your question and email everyone the answer but keep your name out of it so it will be confidential.

I have attached a pdf file of the Stripe System we are using. Please print it out and refer to it often. Simply find the rank that is being worked on and then go across the chart and find the requirements for the various stripes for that rank. When you have reached competency in a particular strip area you will test for that stripe and then put the stripe on your belt.

The stripes are listed as follows:

Yellow Stripe: These are the basic techniques required for that rank. We expect these techniques to be performed at that rank ability level.

Green Stripe: You earn this stripe by passing off all of your lower rank forms. This may be the hardest stripe to earn because we expect you to continually practice and improve on these forms as you move up in rank. This will usually be the last stripe that you earn in a belt cycle. In order to pass off this stripe you also need to know the meanings, kihaps, and moves for each form. I have also attached a pdf file of the forms and meanings to this email so that you may study them.

Blue Stripe: This stripe is passed off by passing off your current form that you are working on for the next belt.

Brown Stripe: This stripe is earned by demonstrating your martial arts spirit and ki. Each rank has a specific requirement. In addition earning Black Stripes is a must in order to earn Brown Stripes. This will further be explained below.

Red Stripe: The Red Stripe represents your ability to do self defense, one steps, and free fight. Again each rank has different requirements.

Other Stripes:

Black Stripe: This stripe is earned by doing your Black Belt Excellence worksheet each month. You also earn additional Black Stripes by getting good grades; notes for good behavior from parents or teachers; and showing Black Belt attitude, and respect. You should earn several Black Stripes each belt cycle. If you are not earning these stripes, you will not be allowed to progress to the next rank.

Monthly Champion Stripe: This stripe is earned each month by demonstrating a different quality of a champion the theme for this month is Accuracy. Last month was Power.

Questions That Have Been Asked:

Can I earn more than one stripe per month or Stripe Test? Yes you can if you are at competency level for the requirements of that stripe or stripes. Please realize the five rank requirement stripes are designed to be earned in a minimum of over three months.

Should I feel bad if I don’t earn a stripe during a month or if I earn only one stripe at a class? Not at all, several students may go a month or two without earning a stripe. Certainly these students and their parents need to be in communication with the instructors to see what skills need to be mastered to earn the stripe or stripes that they are working on.

How can I know which stripes I have earned for a belt? The instructors keep a requirements sheet on your progress for each rank. This sheet covers the requirements for each stripe. Parents and students should visit with instructors often and receive feedback for what is on the sheet that that the student should be working on. Also, stripes that you have earned are placed on your belt at the time you pass them off.

What happens when I have earned all of the stripes for that belt? If this happens near a Belt Graduation date then you will attend the graduation and receive your next belt. After you have earned your belt stripes, you may start to work on stripes required at the next rank. You may also spend extra time working on your weapons or sparring skills.

How many months does it take to become a 1st Dan Black Belt? Most students take at least 40 months to earn this rank. Some very exceptional students may earn this rank in as little as 36 months. Younger students will often take 60+ months. It is important to recognize that training does not end at Black Belt, martial arts are a lifetime pursuit. Students who take longer to earn the rank typically know the material better and are better martial artists.

Why Our Family Does Martial Arts

Parents and Students,

I won't make a long thesis about why my family does martial arts. But please understand that there are very deep and personal reasons. Those of you who know me well also know that I spent a professional career coaching high school sports for about ten years. I have been involved with wrestling my whole life at all levels and we are still involved. During the next two weeks Trent will be wrestling at two important national level tournaments. He has been training 8 hours a day for three weeks at UVU in preparation for these events.

The reason I mention this is I want you to see my perspective of how important martial arts are to the character and personal development of my own children. Last spring, it became evident that Trent could not wrestle and spend the time it took to earn his Black Belt.

There was no hesitation on my part as a parent. I talked to Trent and asked him to quit wrestling until he had his Black Belt. In June of last year, Trent was able to earn his Black Belt. Understand that this Black Belt cost him being an All American in Wrestling last summer and because he fell behind in his training schedule, it cost him a Utah Junior High State Championship in January of this year.

Yet, I will go on record and I know Trent feels the same way that we would not trade his Black Belt for any of those other accomplishments. A Black Belt is truly a priceless accomplishment and anyone can do it at any age with enough hard work and commitment. In telling this story, I want you to know how important Martial Arts is to myself and our family.

Last fall, my wife was diagnosed with cancer shortly after we opened our studio on main street. We kept this close and personal among our family, especially in the martial arts world. Yet many of you are also close friends and have found out.

The reason that I tell this story is again we want everyone to know that we have no regret's of opening our school on main street. There have been added pressures and challenges, but there have been great rewards. We also can reach more people and offer this incredible experience and opportunity.

Right now I want to personally thank my family and all my Black Belts for all they have done.

I also thank all of our wonderful students.

I especially thank Master Royal West and his wife Master Meda West for their wonderful support and friendship and all the other fellow Black Belts in Utah.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Mr. Joe Kelly