Personal Goals:
Educational Goals: My educational goals are to graduate from high school maintaining my “A” and ”B” honor status, enter college to earn a Master’s degree in Engineering and Mechanics. In the current job market, a Master’s in Engineering will only serve to make me more competitive. A master’s degree in mechanical engineering can help me find work, boost my career, and pay for itself. Even if I don’t do one right away, it’s worth considering at a later stage when you’re ready to take the next step. Mechanical engineering can make me more versatile: Mechanical engineers are just not said as versatile or multi-talented people because they have a proficient degree in hand but also because of their occupational knowledge in various fields, such as mathematics, electricity, computer applications, physics, and etc.
Martial Arts Goals:
I am young to even think that I am unable to become a Grandmaster. One step at a time I will get closer to my goal. It is my dream to become a grandmaster one day. To some it may seem that a grandmaster in Karate or Kung Fu or Jiu jitsu has attained the highest level of skill in the art, but the truth is that one can never truly master a martial art. One is always learning and improving themselves no matter the grade or experience. Martial arts is a never-ending journey in that regard. The more I know in martial arts, the more there is to work on. Therefore a common goal of masters is the same as any other student, to continue improving themselves. Of course there can be other goals as well. Perhaps one seeks fame through international competition or perhaps a grandmaster would wish to open their own gym, formulate a new style of fighting. But just because they have reached the “Last Belt” doesn’t mean they don’t have things to improve on. Which is precisely the purpose of the Dan system in belt arts such as karate. Maintaining the proper mind set and skill set I will receive my black belt and go on to realize my martial arts goal one day.
Christian Goals:
My goals as a catholic is to learn the Catholic’s complete history from the early times to the present. The goal I hope to achieve is to become the best human and friend can be in life.
I love training in the martial arts. Everything else will come along at it’s own pace. The LORD will tell me when it is time to make any decisions about future family life.
Martial Arts Training Background
I began my martial arts training at the Moo Do Academy of Martial Arts in Palm Coast with owner and operators Rich and Saundra Defeo. The Defeo’s were friendly and presented a program that my parents felt would be a perfect place for a beginning of training for me. I was placed into the “Little Dragon’s” program because of my age. I learned a great deal that aided with my concentration and getting physically fit.
At that time Rich Defeo, a third-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, is the chief instructor at the academy. Saundra Defeo was Mr. Defeo’s partner in the karate academy.
I stayed with the Defeo’s until March 2019 when they had to close the academy. I will never forget all of their teachings.
My martial arts training continued when Supreme Grandmaster (SGM) William Rankin acquired the studio March 30, 2019. I had no idea who he was with the exception of being in a couple of his seminars when he visited us from time to time.
SGM Rankin the Founder and the Director of the United States Martial Artist Association. He is a 10th Degree black belt in Okinawan Uchuno Shorin-ryu Karate and Kobudo (Ancient Weaponry). I have learn a great deal of self-defense that includes Executive protection, Streetwise self-defense, Jungle Warfare, and proper competition in Place Forms and fighting. He also is training me in the arts of Kobujitsu (Place Weapons). The list goes on and on.
SGM Rankin is a very serious instructor. He demands discipline, I have no issues with that. I have developed a better understanding on what the body can do to protect itself and my family. Some of my instruction is more on the educational aspect. Why techniques work and why they will not. I have learned a great deal about the 3 A’s of self-defense that I did not know before.
Training with SGM Rankin has been great. SGM Rankin is preparing me for my Black Belt examination scheduled for July 16, 2021 at the USMAA International Martial arts Hall of Fame.
