I spent twenty years living in Miami were I played piccolo and flute in middle school concert band and high school marching band for all six years. I also love to sing. And I love animals, especially horses. From the age of eight to 15 I had a pony and horses. Occasionally I still go horseback riding. I moved to Tampa in 1992 to get married and, therefore transferred from Miami Dade Community College to the University of South Florida. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, the marriage did not work out. But I continued to study at USF earning a Bachelor’s degree of English in 1995.

I had always been interested in Martial Arts and loved Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies. Back in 1997 I checked out some dojos, but they were so incredibly expensive that I simply could not afford it.

Then I met Seth in 1998. After pestering him for a full year to start an adult beginning martial arts class, I finally got my wish. I started on the very first day of that class at Gladden Park and have stuck with it ever since. Eventually I became Seth’s assistant instructor. In that time I have learned a tremendous amount about martial arts and about myself. I am now a 2nd degree black belt and have taken over the Gladden Park class from Seth.

Taking over the class has been an honor and a challenge. Being able to perform a technique takes a certain level of understanding and skill, but it takes a much higher level of understanding to be able to teach that technique effectively. While teaching solo at Gladden, I have come to have a much greater appreciation and understanding of Seth’s talent and skill as a teacher and a martial artist.