Four Oxford residents have new belts to add to their wardrobes.
That’s because three Oxford High School students, 16-year-old Michael Baggett, 17-year-old Matthew Baggett and 15-year-old Conner Booth, along with Conner’s father, 47-year-old Dennis Booth, have now gone from first-class brown belts to black belts in the Japanese martial art Koei-Kan.
The first-level black belts, or shodans, tested for their belts on Feb. 22 at The Gym in Lake Orion.
They are students of Sensei Dave Spearing, a sixth-degree black belt who runs Koei-Kan Karate-Do at The Gym, and their test was conducted by Sensei Brian Frost, Sensei Spearing’s sensei and chief technical advisor for Koei-Kan in North and South America, Greece and Venezuela.
Dennis described the hour-and-a-half black belt test as ‘grueling but well worth it?, though it hasn’t sunk in yet.
‘This has to be my proudest moment, and it’s the achievement of a long-term goal,? he said.
The teens all described the test of stamina and knowledge as very challenging. Michael said it was very exhausting and very fast-paced while Matthew described it as hard to think at some points since you get very worn out.
Conner said while it’s great to have a black belt, it only marks the beginning of black belt training in Koei-Kan.
‘Getting a black belt just shows what you accomplished,? he said. ‘You can give anyone a black belt, but it doesn’t make them a better person. It is technically a piece of fabric wrapped around your waist.?
Normally, one must be 16 to test for their black belt in Koei-Kan, but with Conner’s 16th birthday just a few weeks away, he was allowed to test.
A form of karate, Koei-Kan Karate-Do translates from Japanese as ‘Happiness and prosperity by way of the empty hand.? Founded in Japan by Eizo Onishi, Koei-Kan has been taught and practiced in America since the 1950s.
Sensei Spearing described it as a path someone takes to defend themselves physically, mentally and spiritually in life.
‘Koei-Kan is very traditional style,? said the sensei, who’s been practicing it for 37 years. ‘We base all techniques on tradition, the history and the philosophies of the martial arts.?
Koei-Kan’s belt system starts with three levels of white belts, then three green levels and then three brown. These are called the ‘kyu? ranks. In the black-belt realm, called the ‘dan? ranks, there are eight levels.
For the four, training in Koei-Kan began about 10 years ago. Matthew said he liked watching Jet Li martial arts films. Once he started training, his brother joined. They introduced it to Conner, who started going also.
Dennis saw the martial arts as a way to bond with his son.
‘For myself, it was seeing how the sensei handled the kids,? he recalled. ‘I thought there was something special in the sensei, and that it would be neat to participate and grow with my son.?
The bond has also strengthened for the three friends, who still play baseball together.
When it comes to Koei-Kan, Matthew said he likes learning the different techniques and katas (patterns of movements used in training). His brother likes the family aspect.
‘You can always trust everybody,? Michael explained.
Added Conner: ‘It teaches you self defense and also how to be respectful not only to yourself but to everybody around you.?
Matthew said he enjoys learning new things, which makes it fun for him to learn the martial arts. Michael added it takes a lot of patience and years to learn. ‘But when you get done, you can see the payoff,? he added.
Like Michael, Conner said Koei-Kan can be difficult at some points to learn certain moves. The idea is to keep practicing over and over again.
Dennis doesn’t find any of it really difficult, adding: ‘If you love something that you do, it’s not going to be difficult. It’s repetitive, and that only makes you better and stronger at what you do. Learning new katas are the most challenging since katas involve so many different techniques.?
Sensei Spearing, one of three sixth-degree black belts in Koei-Kan in Michigan and the second-highest ranked Koei-Kan sensei in the state, said the idea behind testing for black belt is for the four to not just test what they’ve learned over the past 10 years but to continue working on what they’ve learned and add to it.
‘I’ve seen their growth and think they’re stronger within themselves and that they have–no doubt in my mind–respect for other people,? the sensei said. ‘I’m sure they’re more agile than they were since getting older due to the timing, balance and coordination.?
For more information about Koei-Kan along with Sensei Spearing’s school, visit www.koei-kan.us.