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WE TRAIN HARD SO WE CAN TRAIN OTHERS HARD
A Few Thoughts on the Masters Hall of Fame, An Organization of Leaders
By Dana L. Stamos
The anticipation grew as I wound my way to the I-5 north toward Los Angeles. I was on my way to the Anaheim Hilton, not far from Disneyland, in southern California. I became a little giddy the closer I got to my destination. I was going to the Masters Hall of Fame and the Academy of Masters put on by Dan Hect, the Executive Staff and the Masters Hall of Fame Ambassadors. The Executive staff includes Olohe Soloman Kaihewalu, Eric Lee, John McCarthy, Shihan Alfred Urquidez, Shihan Paul Hayes, Hanshi Dan Hecht, Soke David Dye and Shihan Gregg Wooldridge and the twenty or so Ambassadors include highly respected martial artists as well.
I would have been been elated to spend time with the Board and the Ambassadors, as these are pioneering men and women in the arts, but I am even more blessed with hundreds of my fellow martial artist who are being inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame and the Academy of Masters. These are my people, men and women who “train with every ounce of there being” to become excellent at what they do. The funny thing is, they train very hard so they have the honor and privilege of training others very hard. (This is why Martial Artists work so hard to get a Black Belt, to show that they have the knowledge and ability needed to pass on what they’'re learned to others. Contrary to popular belief, it is not simply so we can kick each others butt).
To me, the Masters Hall of Fame and the Academy of Masters epitomize exactly what the Martial Arts is all about. The MHOF not only “recognizes excellence in the Martial Arts,” but the goal of the Academy of Masters is to “create excellence in the Martial Arts”. This organization is all about leadership. Many martial artists will be inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame tonight and some will be recognized for their contributions to the arts. Some will be recognized for their excellence in teaching; some will be awarded for their humanitarianism and there will be Lifetime Achievement awards in categories including Silver, Gold and Platinum. There will be Living Legends and Pioneers in the Arts and, in addition to the Masters Hall of Fame awards, there will be the Academy of Masters awards designed to award leadership in young martial artists, those who will take the place of this generation.
The MHOF/AOM accomplishes its goal by honoring those men and women who, through their dedication, mentor and teach and strive to develop to their full potential both as teachers and students. These are the people who set an example throughout, not only the Martial Arts community, but their own local communities and throughout the world. These men and women embrace the most highly valued aspects of the arts and live their lives accordingly. These men and women are Martial Warriors. The difference between the Masters Hall of Fame/Academy of Masters and other halls of fame is that the MHOF/AOM is not looking for the famous, but for excellence and leadership in those that are inducted.
This years Founder's Award went to Lupe Urquidez, the mother of Benny "The Jet" Urquidez. Mrs. Urquidez is responsible, not just for Benny, but an entire family of very high ranking Black Belts in Kenpo-Shotokan, Arnold, Ruben, Armando Benny, Adam, Lilly and Alfred. These are all great names in the martial arts.
This years Male Student of the Year and the first Academy of Masters scholarship went to Kevin Michael Weber, who has Cerebral Palsy. He is a warrior with a positive attitude and determination which will carry him as far as he wants to go. Kevin will put the scholarship money to good use in his pursuit of a degree in Communications.
The day began with seminars taught by Soke David Dye, who is known as The Samurai Cop of Los Angeles, and a seminar by the evenings honored guest speaker, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace who is the undefeated Professional Karate Association Middle Weight Champion. Cane Master Mark Shuey Sr. co-founder of Cane Masters International Association, and Shihan Luis Salseda, instructor at the Los Angles Police Department’s Police Academy and co-owner of Lethal Control, LLC also taught.
This year we were blessed to have Steve Cooper and Mo join us and the decision was made to bring together the Masters Hall of Fame and the Long Beach Internationals next year! The Masters Hall of Fame and the Academy of Masters will celebrate it's 10th Anniversary with the Long Beach Internationals and it will be a tremendous event in 2009!
One of my favorite parts of this event is listening to the stories. I want to pull out my tape recorder and just let it record, but I am too shy to do so. I know that I have short term memory loss so I probably won’t remember some of what I hear, but I know that it builds my warrior spirit, it makes me want to work harder at my martial arts and to make USADOJO.COM reflect this same warrior spirit.
Tonight I get to sit with Bill Wallace, Kathy Long, Dana Abbott, Tony Calvino and Rebecca Greenough and my two favorite people Dan and Dana Hect. I watch as Dan and Dana work very hard, against many odds, to make this evening very special to those of us who attended. I listen as Bill Wallace and Dana Abbott tease each other relentlessly about everything and then I listen even more intently as Bill Wallace, the guest speaker, shares with all of us about working through pain and injuries. How fitting a speech, I think. He doesn’t tell us how wonderful we all are, although I know he thinks we are. He gives us a warrior’s message, don’t give up, work hard and train smart, go through the pain and hardship to the other side, use your warrior spirit.
I leave the Masters Hall of Fame and the Academy of Masters a changed woman. I had watched “love for the arts” in action. I had rubbed shoulders with the best. I take home with me a little bit of warrior dust passed on from our martial ancestors. This was a night I will not soon forget and a night I look forward to in the future. Thank you to all who make Martial Arts what it is, (and I still capitalize the words Martial Arts, because they deserve to be capitalized!!!) Thank you to Eric Jones and his Black Belt TV and Hanshi Gary Lee who record the event for the future, just in case I forget something. And an even bigger thank you to CEO Daniel Hect, his wife, Dana and the Executive Board and Ambassadors of the Masters Hall of Fame and the Academy of Masters! All of your hard work has paid off in a fantastic evening for all of us.
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