My Name is Victor

 

When I began as a student I had no idea of what traditions we were following. I just followed instructions. After a while I observed what others were doing and followed the same way.

 

Sensei was my instructor, Tom Lewis, it was his program. I later noticed some instructions on a bulletinboard on the school wall alongside the doorway. One of them said as I recall “All black belts are to be referred to as Mr, Mrs, Miss or sensei.”  We never spent much time on lectures, there was too much karate to do. This was never discussed and Sensei was always Sensei.

 

When we went to tournaments this was never discussed either, I just called anybody the title others were using out of politeness.

 

Then when I moved away and my only option was another art, Tang Soo Do, I just followed their school tradition.

 

Later when I was able to return to Isshinryu training with Charles Murray this was one of the first things he cleared up, when I questioned if I should refer to him as Sensei. “Vic,” he said. “Tom Lewis was my first instructor, and he was your instructor. That is the only Sensei we will ever need. To you I am just Charlie.”

 

And that was that.

 

Then I was alone. At tournaments and when visiting friends schools I was always polite and called them whatever they wanted.

 

But when I began teaching the youth of the Scranton Boys Club, I did not want to give any impression to anyone I was teaching anything but karate. I requested the kids to call me Mr. Smith. They did and that was that.

 

Years later again moving to Derry NH, again teaching youth through the Boys and Girls Club of Derry, I followed the same and simply asked to be referred to as Mr. Smith.

 

About a year later I began my adult program, all of them mature, accomplished adults. I simply requested them to refer to me as Victor. Perhaps at one time someone in class referred to me as Sensei, I can’t recall if it was done, but it never stuck.

 

I am after all just me.

 

Then in time a martial arts camps people began to refer to me as Sensei Smith, and Master Smith. Every time I took me work to explain I appreciated the salutation,  but as they weren’t my student I preferred to just be called Victor.

 

Another thing I never discussed my rank, because that was irrelevant to the training, added nothing. They were there because I knew things they did not, and I was sharing, step by step, how to obtain them. I had students who trained with me for a decade and my rank was never a discussion. I always had too much karate to teach.

 

Privately my instructors have always supported my work, and through them I was granted more rank than I ever needed. Always coming with a greater burden to do more.

 

I structured my program to address the needs I saw. I prepared my students to meet those needs. It never close ended and I tried to develop my students to ride into that undiscovered country. All built on the core of Issyhinryu my perfect answer.

 

 

I remain Victor