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Martialarts:BridginggenerationsthroughmartialartsTHonline.com:LocalSports

Martialarts:Bridginggenerationsthroughmartial
arts
BYMIKESTEFFENSTHMEDIA|Posted:Sunday,March15,201512:00am
NotonlydidSaturdaymarkthe41stannualMidwest
KarateChampionshipsinDubuque,butitalsoshowedhow
muchkaratehasgrowninDubuquesinceGrandMaster
DavidSchmittopenedIowa'sfirstdojoin1970.Grand
MasterSchmitt,whotrainedunderChuckNorris'original
martialartsinstructorfor20years,hasseenhowkaratehas
evolvedovertime.
"Everybodyknowswhatmartialartsare,it'spartof
Americansociety,"saidGrandMasterSchmitt."WhenI
cameinnobodyknewwhatitwas.Theydidn'tknowthe
differencebetweenJudo,Karate,orpingpong.Today
peoplearemoreeducated.Itsmainstreamandmoreout
there."

Martialarts:Bridging
generationsthroughmartialarts
JovianPham,10,ofGalena,Ill.,competes
intheFormseventduringtheMidwest
TangSooDoChampionshipsonSaturday
inPeosta,Iowa.

MasterRonSchmitt,sonofGrandMasterSchmitt,seemed
tobeamazedathowmuchthetournamenthasgrownsince
itsinauguraltournamentin1975.SomecompetitorscameasfarasSt.Louis,Mo.,toparticipateinthe
event.

"Seeinghowfarit'scomethecompetition,thecaliberofexperience,thetechnique.It'sallimprovedand
becomemoretechnicallyadvancedandmorechallenging,"MasterRonSchmittsaid."There'sclearly
moreemphasisonsafetyandgoodsportsmanship.Martialartshasalwaysrevolvedaroundrespectbutit's
doneinasaferenvironmentnowwhichisgreatforthecompetitorstoo."
GrandMasterSchmitt,whotookupkaratewhileinthearmedforcesin1966,believesthatkaratehas
growninDubuqueduetothelessonskaratetaughttheparentsofhiscurrentstudents.
"It'sreallycontinuingtogrow,too,becauseofthelastgenerationsthatwereinit,"GrandMasterSchmitt
said."ImeanIhavesomanystudentsinitnowthatI'vetaughttheirparents.Thoseparentsthattook
karatefrommesolongagobenefittedsomuchthattheyputtheirkidsintheprogrambecausetheywanted
themtohavethesamebenefitthattheygotwhentheycametomyschool."
BothGrandMasterSchmittandMasterSchmittbelievethattheskillsofleadership,selfdiscipline,and
confidenceareallacquiredwhileparticipatinginkarateandenjoyseeingthesetraitspasseddowntotheir
kidsandgrandkidswhoarealsoinvolvedinDubuquekarate.
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12/14/2015

Martialarts:BridginggenerationsthroughmartialartsTHonline.com:LocalSports

kidsandgrandkidswhoarealsoinvolvedinDubuquekarate.
"It'sprobablyoneofthebestthingsaparentcouldputtheirkidintobecauseitwillprovidethemthe
opportunityforcompetition,butit'sreallygoingtofocusinonlifeskills,"GrandMasterSchmittsaid.
"Everymonthwefocusonlifeskills.Onemonthwemighttalkaboutrespect,onemonthwemighttalk
aboutselfcontrol,orselfdiscipline.That'swhatthemartialartsisreallyaboutandthebenefitsare
buildingthosequalities."
Withupwardsof250competitors,notmanyparticipantswillwintrophiesbutthatseemstoalignperfectly
withwhatMasterRonSchmittteacheshisstudents.
"Wedon'tstresstheimportanceofwinning.Ifyouwentupthereandfeltyoudidagoodjobthenyou
won,"saidMasterRonSchmitt."LikeItoldmyson,statisticallyyou'regoingtoloseinlifemorethan
you'reevergoingtowinandthefasteryoucanacceptthatthesmootheryourlife'sgoingtobe.Thepoint
isnobodycompetestolose,ofcourseyou'retryingtowin,butthetrophy'sjusttheicingonthecake.It's
allaboutdoingyourbest.Ifyouwentinthereanddidyourbestthenyou'reawinner."

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