Black belts

Yes, taekwondo is a martial art. It’s self-defense and physical skill. The word translates to “the foot-hand art.”

But not everyone is aware that the Korean tradition goes much deeper than that.

“It’s a character check. There’s absolutely no doubt,” Grafton’s Academy of Martial Arts founder Fred Van Hecke, 81, said.

“You’ve got to overcome adversity, build on foundations. You’ve got to learn to balance your body, your timing. The numbers of techniques increase as you go up the ranks.”

Four of his young students from Grafton recently reached one of the pinnacles of taekwondo, their first black belt.

Saina Balaji, 10, her 16-year-old brother Pranay, Miles Krogman, 11, and Sashwadh Suriyaraj, 15, all passed their tests last month that lasted more than two hours.

“These kids have really earned it, as I hope would be obvious from their performances,” Van Hecke said.

Most got involved because they wanted to learn self-defense. All realized the benefits go well beyond that.

“Self-defense is the basic picture but deeper down I don’t think a lot of people understand the values and discipline needed. I learned it along the way as I developed into a better student and leader,” Pranay said. “It taught me leadership, responsibility and other skills that will help me later in my life.”

Miles said, “It’s not really just about fighting. It’s more learning and pushing through things.”

That, he said, has helped him in baseball and soccer.

“The structure and the other things I’ve learned play a part in the other roles in my sports. Teaching at practice and doing it well and doing it over and over again helps with everything,” Miles said.

The black belt test entailed knowing a series of patterns of kicks and movements on command, as well as demonstrating physical moves on other students, some not allowing contact. Other moves involved taking down students from different positions, showing how the self-defense aspect plays out. Multiple judges with decades of experience in taekwondo took notes and determined if the students passed the tests.

Breaking boards was the final test with mixed results.

“They’ve just been working their little tails off for two hours,” Van Hecke said, and there was a “little tension” in the room with parents, friends and relatives watching.

“It’s not that easy for a kid like Saina, who’s 67 pounds dripping wet,” Van Hecke said. “For me, that’s nothing. I’ve done eight (boards at once).”

Before reaching the black belt test, students had to pass nine other physical tests, two written exams, complete 20 hours of community service and do a thesis. Saina’s paper was how the KPop Demon Hunters are reflective of Korean culture.

“She put her brain to it and came up with stuff,” Van Hecke said.

The black belt test also included a written portion, quizzing students on the meanings and history of pattern movements, the Korean culture and language and how taekwondo has affected their lives.

Ten is the youngest age Van Hecke and his staff have tested.

Saina and Pranay worked together on preparation.

“Every night we would practice,” Saina said. “Whenever I needed help and didn’t understand something, he would always help me.”

When it came time to test, Saina was usually paired with Miles — they’re closer to the same size than her and her brother — and Pranay was with Sashwadh.

Prep time picked up the past several months to multiple times per week at the academy, but achieving a black belt takes years. Miles, Pranay and Saina started in 2022. Sashwadh started in 2019 and had a gap year due to the pandemic.

“I didn’t think I was going to be a black belt or anything. I figured I was going to come in once or twice a week and leave,” Sashwadh said.

His father Suriyaraj Sudalaiappan admitted his son was inspired by Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies, and he stuck with it.

“I really like the patterns and how there’s a sequence and how everything relates to each other — hand, foot, breath,” Sashwadh said.

Taekwondo has nine degrees of black belts. Van Hecke has been involved for 60 years and is one of the few in the U.S. to reach the highest level. Three of the four students want to continue their training to reach the second level, which requires memorizing more patterns and sticking with it for two more years.

Being a first-degree black belt already comes with more responsibility.

“Now I get to teach the classes and show them what is done and how to do things,” Miles said.

Sashwadh said he wants to follow in the footsteps of other black belts.

“I always love how the black belts without hesitation are on the spot to teach me. I’ve learned a lot from them,” he said. “Now that I’m a black belt I can do that too.”

Taekwondo’s tenets are courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit, and the students’ parents have seen their children develop in these areas.

“Basically, I see the discipline and dedication to getting something done,” Saina and Pranay’s father Balaji Senapathy said. “Now I’m also seeing leadership coming up for the kids. They’re starting to take up from previous levels they were at and they are able to train and mentor the next set of kids.”

Miles’ father Karl is a black belt and knew the benefits of taekwondo. He got Miles and his younger brother Ari involved.

“It’s a fun activity to do with my boys especially at this age. It’s a little nostalgic to see them, smaller versions of myself,” he said.

Sudalaiappan also sees the changes in his son.

“It just improved him a lot with all the other things, self-discipline,” he said.

Results of the black belt test were announced later that night at a dinner.

“I felt really excited after the four years I finally got it,” Miles said.

“I was proud of myself and smiling in front of the whole crowd,” Saina said.

For her brother, “It was a big accomplishment for me. I spent about five to six years working toward that putting countless hours and practice and achievement toward that goal,” he said.

Sashwadh said, “It was very rewarding to hear my name.”

Van Hecke, who started the academy in 1984, said competing with school’s athletic programs is a growing challenge in having children stick with taekwondo.

“A lot of them don’t hang in there like these kids did. They did, and they’ve acquired high skill levels,” he said. “I’ve been known to get emotional at these tests when I see this product coming out.”

The next test at the academy is July 18. One man is testing for master, a college woman studying astrophysics is going for her fourth-degree black belt and a high-schooler is going after his second-degree.

For information on the academy, visit www.academyofmartialartsinc.com.