Morgan Chandler Makes the Papers
Our second daughter and newly appointed senior black belt has made the regional paper with her recent karate triumph. Read the story featured in the Asbury Park Press below to share our pride in Morgan’s remarkable dedication, perseverance, and all-round achievement in an ancient and strenuous art:
FAIR HAVEN – After completing a grueling, non-stop four-hour test, that’s comparable to any military boot camp, Morgan Almasy and Morgan Chandler were three planks of wood away from making history.
The two Morgans have joined an elite group at Fair Haven Martial Arts, becoming two of only 20 people to obtain their black belts under Sensei Jim Pawlak. But what makes Almasy and Chandler so remarkable is that they’ve received their adult black belts, at ages 14 and 10.
Jim Pawlak opened Fair Haven Martial arts in 2007. In that time, he’s never seen the level of discipline and determination shown by both girls during their test this past May.
“I’ve been teaching martial arts for 20 years,” Pawlak said. “These girls were the two most impressive people to ever test for a black belt.”
Both girls have dedicated half of their young lives to perfecting Shotokan Karate. The older Morgan (Almasy) has been a student since the age of 7, and the younger Morgan (Chandler) since age 5.
At first glance, it would be hard to think these girls, who are small in stature and sweet in personality, would be able to go through such a physically draining experience. Despite having the distinct honor of being the dojo’s first females in 10 years to receive a black belt, both girls remain humble.
“It’s definitely a big honor,” 10-year old Chandler said, with a big smile on her face. “I feel like it really changes your life. “Once you put that belt on, you feel like a different person. You feel more fearless.”
The test to become a black belt is seemingly nothing to shake your head at.
The first hour was dedicated to showcasing the nearly 100 techniques they’ve learned over the years, including a variety of punching, kicking, and blocking combinations. The next sequence was to do 150 round kicks in 90 seconds.
“That was definitely one of the hardest things about the test,” Almasy said.
This was followed by a 55-move kata, which is a rehearsed fighting sequence. After a non-stop sparring session for an hour with other students of various skill sets, the final part of the test is breaking three boards with a flying side kick, a wheel kick, finished off with a forward elbow strike.
The test wasn’t just difficult for the girls, it also was just as daunting for the parents to watch their girls go through something so challenging.
“As a parent, seeing that level of accomplishment at a young age is amazing,” Bob Chandler, the younger Morgan’s father said. “Seeing the girls go through something for so long, with only little water breaks in between was difficult. As parents, we were saying, ‘My God, can they sustain this level of intensity?’ But the girls didn’t waver even a little bit during it.”
The Morgan duo plan on continuing their martial arts training, even though they’ve already reached the top of the mountain. The skills they have learned under Sensei Jim are ones they can use in many facets of life.
“I like how you learn things that you can use outside of karate,” Almasy said. “It helps keep me focused, and has helped with my flexibility in dance class.”
Sensei Jim emphasizes that the girls shouldn’t say that they have black belts, but that they are black belts.
Article by APP Staff Writer and Editorial Intern Ryan Norton: rnorton@gannettnj.com
