The martial arts have been an ancient and prevalent practice essentially since the beginning of time. Even now, they are still thriving.

Perry students Andrew Dillingham, Nikki Galvez, and Lincoln Luse are a few of the many who continue to participate in the various forms of the time-honored exercise. And while their high school grade levels and forms of martial arts differ, they all unanimously agree that participating in martial arts has positively impacted their lives in a way no other sport could; it has taught them life-long lessons on focus, self-defense, and self-confidence.

Sophomore Lincoln Luse admits she would be lost without martial arts in her life. “I don’t know who I’d be without [martial arts]. It’s kind of made me into the person I am,” Luse stated.

Luse currently is a fifth degree black belt, and plans to get her sixth degree in Feb. However, that is easier said than done.

“It’s a 12 hour test, and you have to run four miles in forty minutes, and then three hours of conditioning, and three hours of kickboxing, and then you do your curriculum. And then if you pass, you get your next black belt. I’ve done five [of these tests],” Luse stated.

While this test may seem extreme to the general majority, many other martial artists alongside Luse have completed it. Senior Andrew Dillingham and junior Nikki Galvez are also martial artists who have reached the title of black belt; Dillingham as a third degree and Galvez as a second degree.

Through their difficult tests and demanding practices, Dillingham says it’s his teammates who help fuel his determination, “I know if I didn’t have the teammates that I had to push me through, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Though teammates are there to help assure any doubts in self-confidence, Galvez states, “when it comes down to it, it’s about your own personal journey and having confidence in yourself, and being able to one day protect yourself if anything happens.”

Luse agrees with Galvez, and drew the analogy, “it’s kind of like track, like it’s a big team, but you do your individual things.”

When asked if the martial arts should be added as a sport or club at Perry, again, all unanimously agreed yes. Both Galvez and Dillingham have separately thought about starting a club for martial artists to join and teach different aspects of their tailored form, but neither advanced in their plans.

Galvez’s mother, AP Calculus AB/BC teacher Amanda Galvez, feels like a club -when led by the right instructor- is the perfect opportunity for fellow martial artists.

“[the leader of the club] would have to be an expert, a master, so that [the students] would want to be a part of it. I think it would definitely be interesting,” Galvez stated.

With as many students as there are involved in the martial arts, hopefully an experienced master can create a welcoming club where students can take a break from learning about calculus or English, and instead study the richer and worthwhile aspects of life; focus, self-defense, and self-confidence.