From Being Bullied To Martial Arts Instructor
Mr. Oliver Bloxom, Level 1 Instructor
From Being Bullied To Martial Arts Instructor
On March 2, 2017, we walked into Spicar’s Martial Arts, not knowing what to expect, but knowing this is where Oliver needed to be. From the moment Oliver stepped onto the mat, he was greeted with kindness and encouragement. The instructors were so supportive and welcoming. Throughout that first class, they called him by name, classmates encouraged him, and he got to break a board at the end. As we sat in the lobby looking from afar, we were thinking, wow, all this on day one! We left that day with Oliver smiling and feeling happier than we had seen in a very long time.
Even though Oliver did not speak much during that first class, we could see the joy all over his face. Actually, whenever he did speak in class over the next several months, he spoke in a "Batman" voice. Even though Oliver loved attending classes at Spicar's, he was a 9-year-old little boy who was trying to find his voice and confidence again. We would watch him as the Instructors called on him, and he would answer them with a very loud "Yes, Sir/Ma'am," in his perfect "Batman" vocals. No one ever said anything to him or asked us questions about it. They just accepted Oliver for who he was and continued to support and encourage him every step of the way.
Eventually, we attended a Spicar's Bully Defense class on a Saturday morning, and everything changed for Oliver that day. As we sat in class, listening to Mrs. Spicar talk about the dangers of bullying, we could see Oliver become very uncomfortable. Our first response was to take him by the hand and leave, but we knew that we all needed to hear everything that she was saying. As we sat absorbing her words, she started saying, "You have a voice, you have a right to protect yourself!" She had us pair up and say these words out loud. Even though Oliver still used his "Batman" voice, he spoke with more confidence than we had heard in years. He was finding his strength to fight back.
You see, Oliver had felt powerless for the past several years due to severe bullying. This left him feeling afraid and lacking confidence in his ability to accomplish anything of importance. He lost his voice! He spoke in a "Batman" voice in class because it made him feel brave and invisible to what people would think of him. It wasn't until we attended Mrs. Spicar's Bully Defense class, and heard those power statements from someone he trusted, when he started to believe he could take back control . When he attended his regular karate class the following week, Oliver answered his instructors with his own voice! Batman had finally retired when Oliver reached a Senior White belt, just over a month after his first karate lesson at Spicar's!
Mr. Oliver Bloxom with Spicar’s owner, Mr. Spicar.
With his newfound confidence, he continued to push himself to grow in Taekwondo. In June 2017, after initial hesitation, he decided to join their new Black Belt Leadership Program. From early on, Oliver established goals for himself to complete the graduation requirements of the program. In December 2018, he completed his 100th Leadership class and became their first student to join the SWAT team.
Over the next 8 months, he worked diligently to take the skills that he had learned through the Leadership program and focus on becoming an Instructor. He knew that he wanted to be able to test for his Level 1 Instructor certification before his 12th birthday in December. With this ambitious goal in mind, he asked for us to help him achieve just that. As a family, we looked at the calendar and set a schedule to ensure he could meet his goal.
He asked us to hold him accountable and to encourage him through the times where that goal might not seem attainable. Also, he asked for us to help him by always watching him during his classes. This was important to Oliver. As a family, we needed to work together to support him in any way he needed us. As he pushed through and met his goals, he had tremendous support not only from his family and friends but from the incredible instructors at Spicar's. They encouraged him when he was too critical of himself and gave him the guidance he needed to feel confident while learning to work with the younger students.
On August 23, 2019, he graduated from the Leadership program. He spent the next six weeks, focusing on his Level 1 Instructor exam. Between preparation for the annual tournament, school commitments, and recovering from a knee injury, he utilized all his free time to prepare.
Mixed with excitement and nervousness, the day finally arrived that he had spent the last two and a half years working towards. Living out the tenets that Spicar's Martial Arts stands on, he had finally achieved what he had worked so hard to accomplish!
When he received his Instructor Uniform with the red collar stripe, he celebrated his significant achievement with such happiness. He immediately set out for new goals to achieve - testing for his 1st Degree Black Belt and mastering Level 1 Instructor.
If you would like more information about our Martial Arts Program don’t hesitate to call us or text at 469-444-0246.
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