Sarel's Road to Black Belt

When I was around seven years old, back when the Power Rangers were still cool, my parents asked me if I would like to learn karate. Without a second thought, I immediately answered YES! That next week, I was enrolled in the JKA Shotokan karate club in my school, where I trained until I got an orange belt and had to move to a new town.

In the new town, I continued my karate journey in my new school, this time learning Goju-Ryu. This club not only practiced empty handed karate, but also weapons. I was only able to train until green belt, because I had to move towns once again.

My third dojo had me start from orange belt again, because by that time I was a bit out of practice. This time I trained in Goju-Kai, and trained until I was brown belt. This training under Shihan Danie Rossouw was probably the most intense of all the the dojos I have had up until that point, training 3 hours a day, three times a week. Schools in South Africa usually end at 2PM, so there was time for this. Unfortunately, I had to stop my training to focus more on my studies. At that point, I also lacked the self-discipline to continue on the 9-hour per week training.

Fast forward many years, and I am donning my gi again, this time with the clear goal of obtaining my black belt in 2024 under Sensei Andy Kent. I started my karate journey at seven years old, and I am finally getting my black belt at thirty-two.