Douglas Henderson is a 9-year-old student with a lot of personality. He has experienced a great evolution of self in his time at OMAC, so he is a prime example of what taekwondo training with OMAC can help you achieve, especially with persistence and a positive attitude! Douglas teaches us to train hard even when things get tough, to live your dreams, and to treat others the way you’d like to be treated (except when you’re sparring…).

Interviewer: Douglas, what brought you to OMAC?

Douglas: Because my mom and dad thought of it and they said I could try a few classes and I liked it, and then I got my white belt.

Interviewer: Was there a specific reason why you started training in taekwondo?

Douglas: I just wanted to know what it felt like.

Interviewer: Do you remember your first day at OMAC?

Douglas: Yeah, somewhere in 2014. My first class was sort of good and I told my parents I would try it again.

Interviewer: When did you decide that you loved taekwondo?

Douglas: Well when I got to the higher belts, around blue belt, I was sort of living my dream. I saw martial arts on TV, and now I can’t believe I’m doing it. When you get to red belt it’s sort of hard.

Interviewer: Do you ever feel like you want to give up? What keeps you motivated to continue training?

Douglas: Sometimes. When you get a new belt, you’re always one step closer to black belt. Like the holidays, when you begin a day and it ends, and you start a new day, you’re one step closer to a holiday.

Interviewer: What has been your favourite memory from OMAC?

Douglas: The testing part. It’s hard but fun.

Interviewer: How are you going to push through the challenges you will face in the belts to come? You’re not so far from black white, black red, and then black belt.

Douglas: Some of my friends and most of the people that I know told me that practice makes perfect.

Interviewer: How has training at OMAC helped you in your life at home and at school?

Douglas: Well with my sister it has helped. And when you’re trying to defend yourself you don’t get badly injured. And now I’m in grade 4, and I’ve got 5 A+’s so far. I had to work hard to do that.

Interviewer: From the beginning to red belt, what’s the best thing you’ve experienced?

Douglas: Making new friends has been the easiest thing to do here. So many people I don’t know are always so nice. At my school we learned to treat others the way you want to be treated. I do that at OMAC… not so much in sparring though.