Rebecca’s Journey to 3rd Degree
Master Helsdon: Alright, Ms. Becca, you just earned your third-degree black belt. How does it feel?
Becca: Pretty good, sir. Pretty good.
Master Helsdon: Tell us a little bit about going from second to third degree. It’s tough. You made it through the transition of graduating high school and moving on to college, which is one of the biggest points where people stop. But you made it through. How did that happen? What pushed you through?
Becca: Well, to start off, I always kind of assumed I would stop karate at high school. I thought I would stop when I went to college and then just wouldn’t pick it up again. But I kept going through high school. I didn’t train as much as I wanted to because I was busy with afterschool activities and all that stuff. The school I went to was fantastic—it’s close, and I’m still going there. I had some people I was really happy with, and I just didn’t want to stop. There was no “this is the end” feeling.
Becca: I currently teach classes at my college with another instructor friend of mine. We teach two times a week. It’s great. Without that, I probably would have tested maybe next year. But with that, it definitely pushed me to feel like I was ready to test for my third degree.
Master Helsdon: What would you tell somebody in college about teaching a program there?
Becca: It’s really hard. There are a lot of loopholes you have to go through to get it started. Don’t let those stop you. The only reason I was able to start teaching my freshman year was because my co-instructor, who is a year ahead of me, was already going through it. They spent their entire freshman year setting up all of those loopholes. So don’t let that whole year where you cannot teach because you’re actively creating the club stop you.
Master Helsdon: Excellent. Are you happy that you kept going from there?
Becca: Yes, sir.
Master Helsdon: Becca’s parents, what do you think about her journey?
Becca’s Mom: I think she’s awesome. Thank you.
Becca’s Dad: As the owner here at the studio, we always figured Choan was a definite, but anything after that was her choice. To see her decide to own it and teach it at college is one of those moments where I’m really proud of the journey she’s decided to go on. It’s all her choice now.
Becca’s Mom: Yeah, I’m super proud of her, how confident she’s become. She’s a great instructor. From a shy kid to a super confident instructor in her life, from being really shy and tagging along in mom and dad’s thing to really owning it herself and taking it upon herself to continue others in the journey forward. Super proud of her.
Master Helsdon: Excellent. Thanks, Ms. Becca, and thank you, Becca’s parents.
True Balance Karate was founded in 2012 by Master Sue and Paul Helsdon. We offer specialized karate lessons for children and comprehensive fitness programs for adults, tailored to meet the unique needs of each age group.
Kids Karate Lessons
Our kids’ karate lessons are designed for:
- Pre-school children ages 3-6
- Elementary age kids ages 7 and up
These lessons are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need — specialized for their age group — for school excellence and later success in life.
Adult Martial Arts Training
Our adult martial arts training provides a complete fitness and conditioning program for those who want to:
- Lose weight
- Get and stay in shape
- Learn self-defense in a supportive environment
About Master Sue Helsdon
Master Sue Helsdon is a certified instructor with the World Tang Soo Do Association and a certified judge. Her diverse training includes Tang Soo Do, Shotokan Karate, Kung Fu, and Qi Gong. With a background as a certified special education teacher and two master’s degrees in education, she brings extensive classroom experience to the training floor and our instructor’s education.
Master Sue is also the author of Inspired by a Black Belt; Lessons in Focus, Self-Confidence, Respect, and Self-Control. You can find her book on Amazon and visit her author page. She has written all the supplemental curriculum used in True Balance Karate’s advanced leadership training program and the comprehensive character program, True Character.
Contact Us
Our instructors are available to answer questions 24/7 at 630-912-0592. Visit us at: https://truebalancekarate.com/contact-us/ or stop by in person at 406 Ogden Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515 (next to CVS)
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True Balance Karate proudly serves the communities of Downers Grove, Westmont, Oakbrook, Woodridge, and Lisle. Join us and experience the benefits of martial arts training in a supportive and empowering environment.
