Siblings keep eyes on black belts

MARTIAL ARTISTS: Baxter (front), Crawford and Felicity Johnson-Ronald are excelling in in Feast Tae Kwon Do. PHOTO/BEN FRASER 200614BF1

Rules say they must wait until they're 13

Give children the option of sports and most will go for team codes - rugby, league and football dominate Saturday mornings.

However, three Rotorua youngsters are involved in a martial art that has no competitive element, instead focusing their minds and bodies on the fundamentals of Feast Tae Kwon Do.

Baxter Johnson-Ronald, 12, his sister, Felicity, 11, and brother Crawford, 9, are on the fast track to gaining their black belts. Baxter and Felicity were awarded their junior black belt at their last grading and, in August, Crawford is confident he will get his black tip on his brown belt - one step away from the junior black belt, which he hopes to achieve at a younger age than his elder siblings.

They cannot go for the black belt until they turn 13 but it is a goal they are confident of achieving and they have their sights on higher degrees, which takes commitment to the sport.

"One day I'd like as many stripes on my belt as senior instructor has got," Baxter said.

That number of stripes is four and they have taken Craig Thompson 23 years to achieve.

"I like the fundamentals and I enjoy all the classes," said Baxter.

"We use the mental side of it in everyday life. Everyone should do tae kwon do. It helps with discipline."

The fundamentals are breath control, calm mind, concentration of power, balance, speed, reaction and force. Classes in Rotorua are held twice a week at Owhata Primary School Hall. The Johnson-Ronalds have attended all bar one since it was founded in the city in May 2011.

"And that was only because the car wouldn't start," said dad Rob Ronald.

He saw a brochure advertising the start of classes and decided to take his three eldest kids to see if it was something they would enjoy.

"We came along, liked it and stayed. The kids love it."

He said Feast Tae Kwon Do secretary general Ben Caldwell was an unsung hero in the city, travelling twice a week from his Morrinsville home to instruct the classes with Thompson.

Thompson said he was proud of the siblings for what they have achieved in the sport so far.

"You don't see a lot of young ones go for their black belts," he said.

"You need a lot of support from parents and that helps. Feast Tae Kwon Do isn't practised for the sport; it's for the art. It's not competitive, which is quite unusual.

"It's probably the only one around that doesn't do it for the competition. It makes you look at yourself, rather than at other people."

Feast Tae Kwon Do is at Owhata Primary School Hall on Thursdays from 6.30pm and Sundays from 6pm.

Go to www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz for a video.