Black belt makes history
Kathryn Kuczkowski earns distinction despite being just 13
Mar 29, 2007
By Brad Kellybkelly@durhamregion.com
COURTICE -- Kathryn Kuczkowski is way ahead of schedule.
Citing her long-term goal of achieving a 9th degree black belt some day, she has already taken the first step on the long road that she estimates will consume about the next 10 years of her life.
The 13-year-old Courtice resident earned her first degree black belt at a recent testing in Toronto, becoming the youngest member in the 25-year history of the Oshawa-Wado Kai Club to earn that status.
As a testament to her fast-track to a black belt, because she hasn't turned 16 yet, she has to wear a red belt, but nonetheless, she has the distinction of being a 1st Dan black belt.
"It was really nerve wracking," says the Grade 8 student at Courtice North Public School of attaining the special rank of black belt. "But, it was easy and simple because I knew what I was doing."
The road to getting a black belt hasn't been a long one, registering at the age of six after the sport, "caught my eye. I saw some people doing it in a class and I wanted to do it," she recalls. Along the way she has earned countless awards, trophies and medals.
Kuczkowski has also served as an inspiration to her family, encouraging her younger brother, Michael, to become a member, and her mom, Susan, soon followed in some adult classes. In fact, because of her advanced stages, Kuczkowski began helping teach classes, and will be given her own class beginning next month. One of the classes she assists includes her mom as a student, but she answered with an emphatic "No" when asked if she pushes her mother a little harder than the rest.
The fact she is helping others is the big payoff.
"It's really cool," she says of the teaching aspect. "I like giving help and passing my knowledge on to the others and letting them learn from me."
As for earning that 9th degree some day, she is driven to attain that goal, and isn't concerned about becoming complacent despite attending four classes per week -- two as a teacher and two as a student.
"I really love it because I am always learning new things and it never gets boring. There's not a lot of repeating because there is always something new to learn."
