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YOUNG ACHIEVERS Of The Martial Arts
Author: sensei
"I UNDERSTAND and accept the discipline that is required to become a true Martial Artist", affirms 13year-old Kel Stratton, a selfconfessed 'Martial Arts fanatic'. Although Kel' s longterm art and first love is Taekwondo - which he has been studying now for six years - he also enjoys regular supplementary training in Muay Thai-style kickboxing, under the expert tuition of former World Muay Thai Champion, Sakad Petchyindee.
Enthusiastic application of the required degree of selfdiscipline since he took up the high-kicking Korean Art at the age of seven, has resulted in Kel's current junior ranking of 2nd Degree Black Belt.
A Chung Do Kwan stylist,,' Kel has competed in four of that organisation's Australian Taekwondo Championships over the past four years (1985, '86, '87 and '88), winning the bronze medal in his division of each of those tournaments. He also competed in the 1989 Chung Do Kwan South Pacific Championship, winning a silver medal for runner-up in that event.
Away from the tournament arena, last year Kel also won several community-based Sports A wards - the Radio Station 2WS (Sydney) and St George Building Society weekly awards. Apart from the personal recognition involved, Kel is proud that these awards help elevate Taekwondo's community image and respectability, positioning his chosen art alongside mainstream activities such as swimming, basketball, weightlifting, track-and-field, tennis and hockey in the public consciousness.
Kel recently expanded his horizons beyond mere training and competition, by accepting the responsibility of teaching Taekwondo. He instructs about 20 students weekly at his own classes (under supervision) at Sydney's Castle Hill Community Centre, and also teaches Year 7 students at his high school the basics of the Korean Art for their Asian Studies period.
Kel initially got involved in Taekwondo "to give him something to do" while his mother, Kickboxing and Martial Arts tournament promoter Marie Stratton (of 'MAMA' fame) taught her weekly aerobics classes. "Taekwondo training has helped Kel improve in many, many ways - not the least being his levels of con-' centration and resultant improvements in his schoolwork", enthuses Marie. (It was, in turn, her son's growing dedication and constant improvements which sparked Marie's personal interest in the Martial Arts and her expansion into the financially parlous business of Martial Arts and Kickboxing tournament promotions).
Both Kel and Marie are quick to pay tribute to his instructor, Greg Wylie, 4th Dan (a school teacher at Samuel Gilbert Primary School), crediting Greg with much of the responsibility for Kel's steady and satisfying progress in the art.
In terms of his Sport Taekwondo aspirations, Kel hopes - no, aims - to be good enough to represent Australia in a future Taekwondo Olympic Games. In the meantime, he is determined to apply himself to becoming a better and stronger Black Belt, competitor, instructor and person - and to accepting Martial Arts as his way of life.
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