Two young karate students have put in plenty of blood, sweat and tears into earning their black belts at Traditional Shotokan Karate-Do Federation (TSKF) Perth.
Taj Strother, 14 and Kalei Parianen, 15, have been practicing the art of karate at the Forrestdale-based dojo for the past five years before earning their stripes to show they have mastered the basic principles and techniques of the sport.
Sensei Jordan Fraser said both Taj and Kalei are very dedicated and hard working students who leave their troubles outside when entering the dojo.
“The day you receive your black belt is one you will never forget, I still remember getting mine many years ago,” he said.
“They should be extremely proud of their achievements, it is a huge achievement but is only the start of the journey.”
The pair must now learn the meaning behind the techniques in order to grow as karate experts.
“Achieving your black belt is not something that happens overnight, it cannot be rushed,” Mr Fraser said.
“It takes years of training, not only mastering techniques but also understanding why we do something a certain way.
“Now that they have received their black belt it’s vital they realise that you never stop learning and there is always opportunity to grow.”
Taj and Kalei received their black belts at a grading session at TSKF Perth last Friday.
