Jamilynne Shadman's Biography

        I was born in Syracuse, New York and I am twelve years old. I’ve been doing Tae Kwon Do for five years. Now, I will be testing for my Black Belt on Saturday, August 2, 2008. I started Tae Kwon Do because my two friends, Carmen and Haley, were involved in AMAA Tae Kwon Do and one time I watched them do Tae Kwon Do and I thought it was cool, so I tried it. Also, my stepmother was involved in Tae Kwon Do in New York. 

       After about one or two years in Tae Kwon Do, I found another hobby. A hobby that let me express who I am and how I feel at that moment in time and that hobby is figure skating. Also, I like to draw. Through drawing, I have discovered that I like designing clothes. Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to be an actress.

       Now that I don’t have that fear of sparring, what I enjoy the most in Tae Kwon Do is sparring. I used to like forms, but now I like sparring. When I first started sparring, which was when I was a yellow belt, I was totally afraid of sparring. With the help of Master Derick and the other instructors, they helped me over come my fear of sparring.

       Now that I’m a black belt candidate, I realized ever since I started liking sparring, Tae Kwon Do taught me that I can do things that I thought I couldn’t do and to face my fears. Now that I’m a black belt candidate, I have to face my fears now, because if I don’t and be a chicken, that is not a black belt candidate. That is basically a white belt who doesn’t face their fears.

Obtaining an AMAA black belt means to me that I’m apart of another big, happy family that defends, protects and loves each other as friends and family.

       Now that I’m basically at the top in Tae Kwon Do, I can share the memories I have in it. Last summer, I tried the demo clinic. Yeah, it was hard. But I still went on with the high kicks that I barely could do because I wasn’t flexible enough. I still went on with the backhand springs that I did and every time I was done with them, it felt like I sprained my wrist and arm. Finally, it was the day of the decision of who was going to be on the elite demo team…YESSSSS!!!!!!!!! I screamed as I saw my name on the list. That day meant a lot to me. Now that I was on the elite demo team, I had to do a lot of demo practice for shows and competitions. After all the fun on the demo team it was time to say good-bye. It all was done. Unless I did another demo clinic, and I was chosen again to be on the elite demo team. But, I told myself I had enough. Even though it was one year. It was sooooo tiring.

       Now that I finally achieved one thing in my life, I will always keep all my Tae Kwon Do experience memories in my heart forever and when I have kids I will tell them… “ If you find a hobby that you like, be a black belt not a white belt. Don’t be a chicken, face your fears. Be a leader not a follower. Don’t continue something just because your BFFs' are. You should continue something to teach yourself and others that you CAN do things that you thought that you couldn’t. That you're not a quitter. You are a winner. You win the achievement by continuing and pushing through it. You don’t just get it when you ask for it and say “ ooo look I achieved in something. That was fast. Oh well. Lets just quit.” Don’t think so. You win it by trying.