Savas Publishing & Consulting Group

In Search of Balance

08/13/03

"Sijahk!" (Start!)

"Courtesy! Integrity! Perseverance! Self-control! Indomitable Spirit, Sir!"

A lone voice orders: "Kyungnae!" (pronounced Kung-Ya, meaning bow.)

The students bow at the waist. "Respect!" they shout back.

And so the routine begins as it does with each class. A line of students, eyes locked forward, hands clasped into fists, yellow and orange belts tied around their crisp white uniforms. No one moves. One of them is my son. . . .

Demetrious is my clone. He can't sit still, likes to do three things at once, and boasts an irrepressible spirit. Keeping his little tush in a school desk more than ten minutes is a real accomplishment. This past spring his wonderful first grade teacher at Golden Hills School, Vi Gragg, offered a solution: stick him in Tai Kwon Do. The change has been nothing short of dramatic. . . .

With opening formalities out of the way, 44-year-old instructor Paul Olson surveys his students like a leader preparing his troops for battle. And that's exactly what he's doing--teaching lessons for handling the campaign of life.

"Tai Kwon Do instills and develops leadership skills like no other program I know of," he explained to me in his El Dorado Hills studio. "Students learn responsibility and how to manage their own behavior, then direct and oversee junior students as they move up. It all starts with balance. Balance of the mind and body. Once they find harmony in themselves, they learn how to teach it to others."

The Minnesota native and 5th Degree Black Belt immersed himself in martial arts in high school before moving to California in the mid-1980s. He taught second grade in the San Juan School District until 1997, all the while honing his own skills. Olson took over a studio in the early 1990s--and never looked back.

His pupils range in age from four to sixty. Why do they take? "Most kids saw it on TV or in a movie and it looks fun," explained Olson. "It builds self-confidence, teaches self-defense and physically fitness. Most of my adults started their kids and signed up themselves."

What can be fun also takes discipline and hard work. Classes meet several times each week, and it takes about three years to earn a First Degree Black Belt.

Olson's students have enjoyed notable success, both in-studio and at the tournament level. Much stems from his natural teaching ability, which is evident from the first moment you see him on the mat. Outwardly, his demeanor is soft and composed. But look closer. A not-so-obvious fire burns brightly within. In a word, he is intense. His gift is the ability to effortlessly disseminate his no-nonsense passion into his students. (He is the quintessential teacher so many of us wish we had experienced during our formative years.)

What could be an overwhelming presence, however, fades into the background once class begins. Like all true leaders he becomes almost invisible, empowering others to achieve success. That's because Olson does not "teach" Tai Kwon Do" as much as he "shapes" behavior. He deftly facilitates the development of natural ability rather than bluntly "instructing" how to move, kick, block, or punch. His is both a unique and elegant teaching style.

"Why is your method so effective?" I inquired.

"You can't do everything at once, so I work on small things, one at a time. That is why time was invented," he replied in his characteristically soft-spoken manner. "Many people who don't have a lot of natural athletic ability develop flexibility, confidence, concentration, and upper and lower body strength. In the process, they become very skilled in the art of Tai Kwon Do."

The accomplishments are awesome to behold. Demetrious changed before our eyes this summer. His attention span quadrupled, his ability to listen and act quickly matured, and his level of respect for himself and others has grown. He has accepted the tenets of Tai Kwon Do and is trying (as best a 7-year-old can) to apply them to his life outside the studio.

Olson smiled when I told him this. "You have heard that before?" I inquired. He nodded. "Yes, I hear that often. He is finding balance within himself."

Courtesy. Integrity. Respect. Indomitable spirit.

How could a father ask for more?



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	In Search of Balance 08/13/03 "Sijahk!" (Start!) "Courtesy! Integrity! Perseverance! Self-control! Indomitable Spirit, Sir!" A lone voice orders: "Kyungnae!" (pronounced Kung-Ya, meaning bow.) The students bow at the waist. "Respect!" they shout back. And so the routine begins as it does with each class. A line of students, eyes locked forward, hands clasped into fists, yellow and orange belts tied around their crisp white uniforms. No one moves. One of them is my son. . . . Demetrious is my clone. He can't sit still, likes to do three things at once, and boasts an irrepressible spirit. Keeping his little tush in a school desk more than ten minutes is a real accomplishment. This past spring his wonderful first grade teacher at Golden Hills School, Vi Gragg, offered a solution: stick him in Tai Kwon Do. The change has been nothing short of dramatic. . . . With opening formalities out of the way, 44-year-old instructor Paul Olson surveys his students like a leader preparing his troops for battle. And that's exactly what he's doing--teaching lessons for handling the campaign of life. "Tai Kwon Do instills and develops leadership skills like no other program I know of," he explained to me in his El Dorado Hills studio. "Students learn responsibility and how to manage their own behavior, then direct and oversee junior students as they move up. It all starts with balance. Balance of the mind and body. Once they find harmony in themselves, they learn how to teach it to others." The Minnesota native and 5th Degree Black Belt immersed himself in martial arts in high school before moving to California in the mid-1980s. He taught second grade in the San Juan School District until 1997, all the while honing his own skills. Olson took over a studio in the early 1990s--and never looked back. His pupils range in age from four to sixty. Why do they take? "Most kids saw it on TV or in a movie and it looks fun," explained Olson. "It builds self-confidence, teaches self-defense and physically fitness. Most of my adults started their kids and signed up themselves." What can be fun also takes discipline and hard work. Classes meet several times each week, and it takes about three years to earn a First Degree Black Belt. Olson's students have enjoyed notable success, both in-studio and at the tournament level. Much stems from his natural teaching ability, which is evident from the first moment you see him on the mat. Outwardly, his demeanor is soft and composed. But look closer. A not-so-obvious fire burns brightly within. In a word, he is intense. His gift is the ability to effortlessly disseminate his no-nonsense passion into his students. (He is the quintessential teacher so many of us wish we had experienced during our formative years.) What could be an overwhelming presence, however, fades into the background once class begins. Like all true leaders he becomes almost invisible, empowering others to achieve success. That's because Olson does not "teach" Tai Kwon Do" as much as he "shapes" behavior. He deftly facilitates the development of natural ability rather than bluntly "instructing" how to move, kick, block, or punch. His is both a unique and elegant teaching style. "Why is your method so effective?" I inquired. "You can't do everything at once, so I work on small things, one at a time. That is why time was invented," he replied in his characteristically soft-spoken manner. "Many people who don't have a lot of natural athletic ability develop flexibility, confidence, concentration, and upper and lower body strength. In the process, they become very skilled in the art of Tai Kwon Do." The accomplishments are awesome to behold. Demetrious changed before our eyes this summer. His attention span quadrupled, his ability to listen and act quickly matured, and his level of respect for himself and others has grown. He has accepted the tenets of Tai Kwon Do and is trying (as best a 7-year-old can) to apply them to his life outside the studio. Olson smiled when I told him this. "You have heard that before?" I inquired. He nodded. "Yes, I hear that often. He is finding balance within himself." Courtesy. Integrity. Respect. Indomitable spirit. How could a father ask for more?

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