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A Martial Arts Oasis of Excellence
I bring two variables to the study of martial arts that could have a mitigating effect on optimal learning outcomes. Number one, I am 57 years old; number two, I have multiple orthopedic problems including traumatic arthritis of the left ankle, a bad lower back, shattered elbow and a badly torn rotator cuff on my left shoulder. From my initial interaction with Master Wang and his outstanding instructors to this very day I have been encouraged to do my best and practice regularly .The message has always been that your age is not a relevant consideration and your injuries will simply involve compensation and adaptation on the part of your body. Because of the great instruction that I have received at Wang's Martial Arts, I am physically, psychologically, and spiritually more fit than I have been for many years. I experience less pain and stiffness, my flexibility is better, cardiovascular fitness is greater, and my balance is significantly improved. My ability to control my anger has gotten much better, and my stress tolerance and management is vastly improved.
When I first started taking lessons at Wang's Martial Arts, my initial intention was to try Kung Fu for a few months and then resume my former life. Wrong! I really got hooked on not only the knowledge and skills, but also the learning process itself. I have made many new friends and have been involved in several activities that are designed to give back to the community and help other groups of people in need. Among these were the Gala to help the children of Nicaragua and the Northeast Hospital Foundation Gala. Master Wang is a good man who promotes a great number of good works in and around the Humble Community. His honesty, integrity and compassion for people are manifested in not only his martial arts school, but also in the many ways that he attempts to improve the community in which he lives. I feel that I am a better person for having been involved in Wang's Martial Arts programs both in and out of the school for this brief period of time.
I function as the principal for a secondary alternative school that provides instruction to highly at risk students in the Houston Independent School District. My students are all expelled from middle schools and high schools for disciplinary reasons, tend to be angry, impulsive, non-compliant, and resistive to authority. They do not set boundaries for themselves, don't respond to boundaries set by others, do not manage their anger very well, experience problems with conflict resolution, and in general demonstrate a great deal of unsocialized, acting out, aggressive behavior. One day last year I was talking to Master Wang about possible intervention strategies for my students that may assist them with their behavior problems. He told me about the MATT Program (Martial Arts Therapeutic Training) that he and Mr. Green had successfully implemented in mental health programs. After a brief discussion, it appeared that this approach may have great benefits for my students at Terrell.
The essential thrust of the MATT Program is to utilize Tai Chi training in tandem with counseling techniques to improve the behavior of a group of youngsters . Master Wang, Mr. Green and myself met several times and carefully conceptualized a MATT Program for Terrell and have implemented it for the past three semesters at Terrell. Those students involved in the collaborative efforts of Wang's Martial Arts and Terrell Alternative School have manifested improvement in the following very important areas: attendance, ability to focus and stay on task, attitude, physical fitness, willingness to openly discuss problem areas in their lives, social skills, impulse control, and general self discipline. We have conducted this ten-week program (2 days per week for 2 hours each session) on three different occasions since last year. We are currently completing the third MATT Program at Terrell in successful fashion. Each time the students, faculty and staff have been empowered and enriched by the experiences of their involvement with the MATT activities.
In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Master Wang and his dedicated instructors for the excellent work that they do individually and collectively in Wang's Martial Arts School and in the greater community. Many of the Black Belt Instructors have been with Master Wang since they were young students in this highly effective school. I am proud and honored to be associated with this truly outstanding group of individuals. It is tremendously gratifying to observe the wonderful, positive impact that Wang's Martial Arts School, led and inspired by Master Wang, has on those adults and children alike who enter this fantastic school on a daily basis. Please accept my heartfelt thank you and appreciation for your outstanding efforts to make the world a better place in which to live for all of us.
Respectfully submitted on this fourth day of December, 2000
William D. Kerfoot, Ph.D.