Cracking the Black - Don Maurer

We have some great news to share from last weekend. Don Maurer was awarded his Black Belt in Mantis Boxing by my hand on December 3, 2016.

Don Maurer - 2006

Don was one of our first students when we started this school. He has spent the past 12 years training with us, and is, in my mind, the epitomy of perseverance. No matter the setbacks life has thrown his way, he has found a way to stay the course and keep his feet on the path. 

Don has always worked at bettering his skills, and bettering those around him. Some of you may even remember when he was helping run classes back in the mill. He is a tenacious martial artist, and always pushing forward through adversity.

I recall a story Don told me once from his childhood that I believe had a profound affect on his ability to stick with it when life tried to say otherwise.

When he was a child, Don's father came home one day with a guitar. He asked his father what the guitar was for, and his father replied - "It's yours. I signed you up for guitar lessons and you start next week." Don adamantly told his father that he did not want to learn guitar. His father's respons - "Too bad. You're taking guitar."

After a couple years, Don grew to love playing the guitar. Do you know what he still does to this day, some 40+ years later? Plays guitar. I have not personally heard him play, but I can tell through our discussions, and how he relates martial arts to music, that he is at a master level. 

That same perseverance has paid off again. Now his level of understanding has evolved in Mantis Boxing. The ability to see the unseen, to know the intricacies, to connect the dots. To achieve something that cannot be taken away, or erased. A mark is left.

It is such an honor to be able to guide people to this level of the journey. Thank you, Don. I am glad Mantis Boxing is being passed down and I am grateful to be able to share the art with you. 

photos by Max Kotchouro

Cracking the Black - Holly Cyr

photo courtesy of Haeyong Moon

Saturday was a very special day. Holly Cyr received her Black Belt in Mantis Boxing  (Tángláng quán 螳螂拳) on Saturday, January 2, 2016. The first Black Belt awarded by my hand. Holly has beaten the odds and continued to stay the course. Becoming one of the few women to achieve such a rank in Mantis Boxing.

Holly has spent the past seven plus years dedicated and committed to not only her training, but the elevation of her peers. She constantly contributes to the team in any way possible, and has been an upstanding student, mentor, and coach.

Holly receiving her first belt in Mantis Boxing. 2008

Over the years Holly attended classes every possible chance she could. Including workshops (here and abroad), mountain retreats, and competitions. Training during the day, returning again at night. Day after day. Any opportunity to train, learn something new, or hone an existing skill, she was on it. This took second place only to her desire to help others.

As our mantis boxing has grown and evolved, so too did Holly along with it. Change is difficult for many, but rather than let it stop her, she embraced it. If it improved what we did, she never looked back.

In 2010, we added to our striking and kicking, with a class devoted to throwing. Holly jumped right in. When we added Fitness Kickboxing to create a bridge to the local community, she offered to help coach it. When we needed a kids instructor, she was there helping to run the class, and organize holiday events for the kids.

Seeing a need in the local communities, she jumped at the chance to help coach self-defense training for adult and teen women. Later integrating her knowledge of ground fighting into her coaching.

Continuing to add to her skillset, she took on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and devoted a passion and focus and to ground fighting and self-defense. She competed and gold medaled at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation in 2013, and was one of the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belts in our school.

Over the past year, her Mantis Boxing has coalesced into a formidable art; Holly has become a force to be reckoned with on and off the mats. Her hard work has paid off, and will continue to serve her well into the future.

IBJJF Boston Open 2013

It has been a true honor to watch Holly grow and evolve as a coach. It is the pinnacle of our experience to be able to see someone reach this level. Many fall by the wayside over the years, which only makes this achievement all the more meaningful. Staying the course for this length of time, persevering, seeing something through to this level, is a sign of true inner strength.

This accomplishment did not demarcate an end to Holly’s journey, nor a completion of her training. More aptly, it has only served as an entry into Holly’s greater sight, skills, knowledge, and an ever growing desire and ability to share her art with those around her.

No matter where she goes. No matter how hard life gets. No one can ever take this achievement away from her. Thank you Holly for many years of dedication and commitment to the arts, and the pleasure of being able to award you this honor. You are an inspiration to all those who follow in your footsteps. I look forward to seeing where you take the arts from here.