|
Scott Yorke is one of the young, dedicated
black belts at Choi's Taekwondo Academy. He is fifteen years old, and
he has been doing taekwondo for six years now. Scott has a brother and
sister, Mark Yorke and Kim Yorke. They are both black belts as well.
Scott says that he started in the fall of '96, and that "Mark was
the first one who started among us." Scott continues, "He
started at U.S. West Coast, and then switched over to Choi's. After
he had been going there for a while, Sabumnim came to my Mom and said,
'Why don't they all do it?'" Scott and his sister attended their
first class, and Scott knew that he was hooked.
For Scott, being a black belt now is completely
different from his lower-belt memories. "I'm at the top of the
group now. It's not pompousness, but it's pride at knowing that I'm
that good, good enough to have reached that point at which I can test
for my black belt." Testing for your black belt is definitely not
an easy experience. Not only do you have to know every single form that
you have ever been taught, you have to know all your one-steps, know
how to referee, know all your vocabulary, break five boards, and spar
well. You also have to make up ten self-defense moves on your own and
exhibit them. This, and the maturity it takes to actually test for your
belt, makes the test very rigorous. "It was one of the scariest
things I have ever done in my life. People kept telling me how it's
over before you know it, but it was the waiting that really scares you.
One of the best things about that test was how most of my friends were
testing with me. It made it so much easier. Before the test, we all
just sat there hugging each other." Scott tested with eleven other
students; they had all known each other for a good part of their lives
before going for their black belt. "It was such a bonding experience.
You can't go through what we've been through and not be friends. I think
I wouldn't have been able to do it if my friends weren't there."
But Scott knows that now that he's a black belt, the "door has
only just opened. I've just been sitting here knocking the whole time."
He laughs- it's a joke that Master Leon Preston told at Summer Camp.
Now that the door is opened, Scott knows he still has a lot of learning
to do.
One of Scott's favorite memories of his time
in taekwondo is the '99 Juniors Olympics. "It was in Las Vegas.
It was a great place. At Juniors, you get an idea of the range of skills,
not only the skills of the people in my division, but the range of skills
between me and the black belts. The people representing Oregon were
also very cool; I enjoyed talking with them a lot." That was the
good part. He says, "The worst part of the Juniors was waiting
in the bullpen. I must have waited there for two hours, just sitting
and talking with the people who I would eventually spar. That's ok,
but once you've just talked with someone for two hours, it makes it
slightly uncomfortable to spar with them." He recalls a guy with
spiked hair and an earring who he talked with, and laughs. "Some
of the guys there were so cool. It doesn't even matter much anymore
what the score was- just the fact that I had such a great experience
is all that really matters."
He's glad that taekwondo has given him so many
good experiences. "Taekwondo has changed my life a lot," he
admits. "It's given me confidence. And discipline. When you become
higher in rank, and gain new skills, you use the confidence and teachings
in your everyday life as well. For instance, at school, if you are getting
picked on, you have the discipline- and confidence- not to punch them
in the face." He says that taekwondo has taught him to respect
the Student Creed- courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control,
indomitable spirit. He tries to incorporate those into his everyday
life, and tries to live them to the fullest extent. "All of them
are very special to me," he says.
Even though the door has just opened for Scott
Yorke, we know that we can expect many great things from him.
|
