The Making of a Grandmaster

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO I MOVED TO THE AREA WHERE I NOW RESIDE. UPON COMING TO THE CHAPEL HILL AREA I STARTED LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO TEACH MARTIAL ARTS. I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL OWNERS IN THE DURHAM AND CHAPEL HILL AREA WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. THERE WERE SEVERAL REASONS WHY THEY DID NOT WANT NOR NEED MY SERVICES AND I RESPECT WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO HAVE AN UPPER BLACK BELT COME INTO SOMEONE’S TRAINING HALL AND NOT FEEL SOMEWHAT THREATENED.

I EVENTUALLY APPROACHED MASTER ERIK NEILL , OWNER OF NEILL’S TAE KWON DO AND FITNESS. MASTER NEILL IS A FIFTH DEGREE TAE KWON DO INSTRUCTOR. I HAVE OBSERVED THOUSANDS OF MARTIAL ARTISTS DURING MY CAREER. I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THAT ERIK WAS A VERY GOOD FIFTH DEGREE BLACK BELT.THAT,HOWEVER, IS NOT HIS GREATEST MARTIAL ARTS ATTRIBUTE. HIS MOST OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL QUALITY IS HIS ABILITY TO HOLD ON TO THE DESIRE TO CONTINUE LEARNING. SADLY, SO MANY MARTIAL ARTISTS LOSE THAT TRAIT WHEN THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE REACHED “MASTER STATUS.” THEY THEN CLOSE THEMSELVES OFF FROM ANY CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND GROWTH.

ERIK NEILL HAS A UNIQUE OPEN-MINDEDNESS ABOUT HIM. HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS MISSION TO TEACH OTHERS, YET STILL MAINTAINS HIS THIRST FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE.HE IS FOCUSED AND ABSORBS TECHNIQUES QUICKLY. FOR EXAMPLE, I TAUGHT ERIK A TONFA KATA. HE EASILY LEARNED IT IN ONE LESSON. HE PERFORMED THAT KATA AT A TOURNAMENT AND TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THE BLACK BELT WEAPONS DIVISION. FEW MARTIAL ARTISTS COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THAT FEAT IN SUCH SHORT TIME.

INSTRUCTING ERIK IN TIGERSHARK JUJITSU (WHICH COVERS KOREAN JUDO, STANDING STRIKES AND KICKS, AND GROUND FIGHTING) IS A JOY AND PLEASURE. NOT ONLY DOES HE WORK OUT AND DO WHAT HE HAS TO, HE SHARES WHAT HE LEARNS WITH THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT HE INSTRUCTS IN HIS OWN CLASSES.
HE SEES THE VALUE OF THE INFORMATION THAT HE RECEIVES AND USES IT TO BENEFIT HIS STUDENTS.
HE TEACHES HIS STUDENTS THAT IT IS ALRIGHT TO LAUGH AT ONESELF AND SHOWS THE HUMAN SIDE OF
BEING A MARTIAL ARTIST. HE IS AN ENCOURAGER OF EFFORT AND THEREFORE, HIS STUDENTS BECOME
CHEERLEADERS FOR EACH OTHER’S EFFORTS. HIS CLASSES ARE DISCIPLINED,BUT JOYFUL SAFE PLACES TO LEARN NEW SKILLS. I APPRECIATE HIS APPROACH TO MARTIAL ARTS AND QUEST FOR MORE SKILLS. I WILL FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY TO GRANDMASTER STATUS WITH PRIDE.
-GRANDMASTER JOHN DOWDY