HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-11-12, Page 14Second Section - November 12, 1997
McPhersons a mother -daughters karate act
Karate threesome. Mom -Jane McPherson, left. and.daughters Anne. 13. and Rachel. 16, all
have their black, belts in karate. The McPhersons of Clandeboye earned their black belts
• under the instruction of'South Huron Martial Arts' Brian Decker.
By Craig Bradford
T -A Reporter
GLANDEBQYE• --Looking--at. the McPherson
women . wouldn't: strike •fear 'in the hearts of
r. anyone: • •
But: the -looks of -mom -Jane,-..Rachael; ,16,- and
Anne, 1,3, are deceiving.
Alli three are now black belts in karate with
Anne donning. the coveted darkest belt .on Nov. 1
at -a special ceremony at Exeter -Public School -
Rachael was awarded. he! 'black .belt on March.
26, 1986 and mom got hers iii summer '95.
Did the McPhersons 'want to be' ome a multi-
blackbeltedfamily•on. purpose?
"I don't know if we talked i 31i\vanting to,
be black belts," Jane said.
Earning your black belt -isn't simply a case -of
changing your workout wardrobe. It took Jane
four. years worth of up to four or' more karate
classes a week with South Huron: Martial Arts
under. the tutelage of .Sensei and .South Huron .
Martial Arts'• founder. Brian Decker. to work her
way up . the ranks' to her Shodan- black .belt.
Rachael gained her Shodan-Ho (junior) .black belt
after five hard years and Anne took seven years
fon hers with- some extra private lessons from
Decker: .
"Annie has trained 'very hard," 'Decker said
,after the recent ceremony where Anne received
her honor. "It. took the quite a bit to stay ahead of
her. Because cif her hard work and decncation; she
has gotten to where she is how. She has' shown
she can, work through adversity"' -
Jane; Decker's f1rst,black belt student, runs the
• South Huron :Martial Arts Lucas program that
meets _We iriesd,ay ntghts_at_ the _Lucan=Merpo.rial
Communit'. Centre's Leprechaun. Hall. .
"If it wasn't for Jane 'E wouldn't be•doing all
that ['m -doing right -now," Decker said.
As for the three.women's success•so.far, Decker
said going to karate, classes together and w•irking
so hard.has paid off - • . ,
. "Participating as a family makes it easier for
each individual to learn." he said. -.-
But -why do the McPhersons apply•themselves'
so deeply to karate?
• ".When, I was :in high "school I took ludo;:; (ane
explains. "I liked the regimen of the exercise and
always wanted -to get back into it."- •
'.She,.saw a South Huron Martial Arts a_ d and
knew she had to try it. • • '
"It just clicked,"'she said.
Though all. three, are working on the.. Toide dis-:
'cipline (throwing); all have,different reasons 'why
they love martial arts.
"ti like the. mat work," Jane said: •
Rachael ,answered , m ' a more • philosgphical'
manner.
"I like the aspect that you are working out both
physically and mentally:''she-said'. 'It's a really
good workout."
Her morn .elaborated.
"There's always somethin.g new to team," Jane
said. "About what your body can do, your mind
and the art itself." '
Anne cut straight --to the point_ on what she.
enjoys about karate. . •
"i like the forms the best," she said, or the con-
ditioning • exercises that look like graceful., but
powerful dance: _ •
-
But devoting three evenings and Saturday atter-
noon each week -to karate (they've dropped the
Saturday class) meant someone had to take'up the
slack at home. That's where Jane's husband, Rom
'Clayton', comes in.'
"It's probably due to ,him that we've peen able
te dd this, Jane said. .
"Lsupport them 100 per cent that way." Clayton
said. "If I had boys I'd be -taking them to -hockey.
or whate.•ue.r.;
One highlight -for, the. McPhersons was travel
ling to Louisiana tWo' years ago for a contact ludo
meet. -Rachael said the experience, while worth-
while; wasn't a pleasant, relaxed vacation. -
"We drove 21- and a half hours in the car ,and
then did contact judo," she said.* "Not' a good
"idea...( was dead."
- Each year the: three" head to.: Toronto for the
Ontario Women's Martial 'Arts seminar where
they . instruct • 'and learn- a . few .• new- • things
themselves.
Their goals in karate,soynd simple till you recall
•
how long it took them to ;get their black -belts:.
- -.,Just,to,keep=learning;"-..Jane---,aid. 'I'd like -td-
get 'my
o=get'mv first degree black belt in Toide within the
"next near." -' - .. ,
• At age 47, Rachael and Anne can drop the Ho or
Junior from their Shodan black belt titles and then
Work towards their 'second .degree black belts they
can earn at age 20.
While • still 'young, Rachael • thinks he_ wants a
tiareer in :law. enforcement while 'Anne is 'in.' her
,second year of rmv' Cadets - on her way to a'
potential career in the atmv. Jane is the deputy_
treasurer for -Stephen -Townshii3 while Clayton
works ata London truck nm plant: • .
Though it.sounds••like the martial arts inspired
Rachael'.s and Anne's chosen ,career, paths. they
said it had never crossed their minds., But • J.ine
said it's; good her two daughters ;might have a
practical use for their atter school passion.
, ."They could be using what they are learning,
Jane said.: •
'fl -just don't want to be sit behind a desk.'
Rachael quipped.•
Jane teaches all over -age .11 students' at their
Lucan school and 'Rachael instructs the children.
Anne helps out eitheras much as she can.
'They're neat kids but they're hyper," Rachael
said offher 10-12 charges each Wednesday. night.:
"I wish i. had .half of their energy --:they're all
bouncing around." .
The phvsical_.•benefits ,of karate are obvious, .
especially, when you witness .a belt_ grading (a
three to four hour workout with questions to- be
answered to boot):
"Grading'._ is a complete dramphysically -and .
mentally," Rachael said. -
But karate is about more than learning self
defence and fitness - it also -builds self esteem,
discipline and patience. . .
.. 'It's- a' real ,ontrdence builder," Rachael said.
'You learn It ;o that Voli newer have to use it."
,lane' said -even ,Anne's teachers at Biddiilph
Central Sc,hool saw a drtterence'rn-her because of
karate.
"It helped :Annie conie out of • her shell," Jane
said.
• For adults karate can wash away the rigors of a
strPsstul day. : '
"Being .-Doped up behind a desk all.:dav, I need
this release, Jane said.
' 'Lnlike many sports, the martial arts can be
practiced by anyone.
• "The :potential. rs .there for anvtme, Decker
said. "It. just depends on .how much you want to
put into it and how tar you want to go.
Decker gave this analogy about how martial
arts impacts on, vour lite: • • '
"I used • to `plav hockey until .1. gave up old
timer,. I used to play ball and this Is_mylast veS-ir
of :reefing. -But--1-ll-aiway4
doesn't matter how- Old you are, there is always
soniethin g new to learn."
For those •interested , ui learning. more _-about
karate and-dther martial arts. here's a rundown of
whep and, -where Siuth Huron -Martial -Arts otters
classes: - .
•.At Exeter Public School on Tuesdays, 6:3O
p.m. -8. ",p.m.; .with Tai Chi following, .and
'Sattirdays,10 a.m.-1110 a.m. - - -.
•At Lucas Memorial Community Centre.;. -
Leprechaun Hail ,:n Wednesdays. ,:.3() pm. -8 p m.
•:k1 'Grand Bend's Immaculate Heart ot Mary
Catholic Church on Mondays and Wednesdays.
•At Zurich Public- School on. Thursdays. n:30
p.m. -8 p.m: with a. [ai (itsu r.Art of the Draw :with
swords) following, and Saturdays, 1 p.m. -2.:30
pm. .
At Seatorth :vena on Mondays and
Wednesdays. r1:3() p.m. -t? p.m! . - - •
Cost per person ;s 55. month for unlimited
,.lasses. a third .family member receives instruc-
tion
.,'r free. - .
Ft:r more information. call Decker at 263-2410.
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