Editorial

by Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg

After 13 years of training with plenty of highs, lows, and frustrations, we proudly welcome Sifu Erich MacLean to an exclusive group; Black Sash Instructors. It may seem like attaining the rank of Black Sash is a natural progression in your Kung Fu training, but I assure you that it is not. Regardless of how many years you have been training, nobody is owed a black sash; it’s something that must be earned. This is a fact that, even at his relatively young age, Erich understood.

At WKFA we are fortunate to have graduated an abundance of instructors over the life of the school, in spite of the fact that our Black Sash bar is set very high.  Look at the picture below.  A few weeks ago, the tree was thick with leaves and then they began to fall, gradually at first, then faster and faster until only a few tenacious leaves continue to cling to the branches.

Now think of that tree in terms of the number of students that begin Kung Fu training.  Everyone begins with great enthusiasm, but just like the leaves on the tree they begin to drop off, slowly at first, but as time passes they drop faster and faster until only a few steadfast individuals cling to the last branch, the Black Sash branch.

When I began my Kung Fu journey, I simply wanted to learn Kung Fu, I had no grand vision of wearing a black sash or becoming an instructor, in fact it wasn’t until after my blue sash grading that I even thought it might be possible.

After 34 years at WKFA I have seen hundreds of students come and go, but even many of those that did the work necessary to earn their black sash soon fell from the tree.  Did you know that WKFA has promoted 56 students to the rank of Black Sash, with our first being in 1992?  Nearly 50% of them are no longer active at the school. Instructors stop training for a variety of reasons.  Some because they think they have reached the pinnacle of their training; some for a variety of health-related reasons; some pursue other forms of martial arts, and some just lose interest.

In retrospect many of those who left saw the attainment of a Black Sash as a destination rather than just a milestone along the path.  So, you see, just like the abundance of leaves on the tree only a few continue to cling resolutely to the branch.

I gained the bulk of my Kung Fu knowledge in the years after I attained my Black Sash.  Even as a senior instructor, I consider myself to be a student, and always will. I have often commented to other students that “when one person teaches; two people learn”.  Many want to learn Kung Fu; few will become a martial artist, because a martial artist doesn’t think in terms of a destination but in terms of a lifelong journey.