Disappointment

[pegkerr]

I heard from sensei yesterday that Fiona did not pass the third pre-screening, so she won't be taking the September black belt exam. She'll have to go through the pre-screening process all over again, which means that she has to go through three pre-screenings and (assuming she passes them all) the soonest she could test for black belt is December.

Sensei assures me that this isn't unusual (he went through the entire process three times himself before getting his own black belt). She hasn't been a double black stripe for very long and mostly needs to build up more strength, but we'll get the specific notes on what she needs to work on when she goes back to class next week.

Still, it is, of course, a disappointment.

Comments

[arian1.livejournal.com]

All things in time.

I have always subscribed to the martial art philosophy that "kids" should never be "black belts". If you look at the traditions becoming a black belt was also a sign of becoming an adult. I think too often I see schools speed ranking kids up. Sure, you might know the moves, but do you understand the thought behind it, etc etc. This isn't a dig at Fiona, just a random burst of comment that your post brought out.

She'll be fine, and seasoning is a good thing. Trust me I know :)

[aome.livejournal.com]

Aw, rats. I know that anything worth having is worth working for, and all that, but to a fourteen year old girl, that's tough. :( *hands another Hope pendant to Fiona* I hope having friends all around at music camp helps cushion the blow a little bit.

[bekkio.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's too bad! :(

At least you know that he won't send her for testing if she needs more time to prepare. Not passing at that level would be a even greater disappointment. I'm sure that it'll encourage her to work ever harder the next few months.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Any martial art worth the name should reserve black belts to people who are very capable and have worked damn hard at it. I'm not saying she isn't/hasn't, I'm just saying it should be hard. I know with TKD, black belt is a pretty huge deal and I think it's a mandatory 1 year of study from the last color belt until you can even be considered to test for first dan black. If it were too easy it wouldn't mean as much.

Is the testing there open? In our TKD school anyway, black belt testing is private, just the student and the masters, and lasts from 6 to 10 hours. I've had single hour classes that I was incredibly exhausted from; I can't imagine going for 10.

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, I know how good that would have felt for her. She's such a waif, I'm not surprised about the strength thing. She'll nail it next time.

[bohemianspirit.livejournal.com]

As the others said, there's plenty of time. I know she's feeling disappointed, but at age 14 everything tends to feel like it has to happen NOW!!! ...but it doesn't, as we all learn (hopefully). Patience with the process, and all those other platitudes that nobody wants to hear when they're wallowing in the muck of dejection. ;-)

I hope I didn't jinx her by writing the tentative test date in my calendar. ;-) Anyway, I'll jot down the next potential date when you announce it. Tell her to keep on with the good work and never give up on her dreams.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear it. I hope she won't take the disappointment too hard.

[amethistdolphin.livejournal.com]

failing a belt test is awful, you go through the whole process, in front of everyone, the hard work, the stress, the pain and suffering and then fail... I say she was sucessful, she reached this far overcoming her own difficulties, and that is the great test, the belt will come in time...

*Hugs to Fiona*