'Kickback' from the Big Apple

STORIES about Trinbagonians who have left our shores and made a successful life abroad abound. However, there is none quite so unique as Darryl and Indira Williams, who could be referred to as our own First Couple of Martial Arts. Domiciled in New York, USA, for more than a decade, the Williams have carefully cultivated a reputation for hard work and commitment in their chosen profession. Now satisfactorily established, they have turned their attention to their homeland with a burning desire to give something back and honour the centuries-old tradition that has brought them much success and pleasure.

Although not close to the proverbial “million,” the barometer of financial  security, Darryl Williams is comfortable in the strides they have made in so little time in the highly competitive environment of martial arts. And he is not discounting the investment in time, energy and commitment that they have demonstrated over the years in their tutelage of literally thousands who have come under their care. He met Indira, a registered nurse, through the sport as a member of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital Karate Club and when she took up the offer of a job in the Big Apple in the early 1990s, Darryl followed. It was no surprise then that they both gravitated towards the sport on arriving in the US, since Darryl had been instrumental in forming the Bushido Karate Dojo with schools in Diego Martin and St Augustine. Daryl holds the distinction of being the first to introduce the Shito-Ryo style, one of the four major Japanese systems of martial arts. The highest local in the style, Anthony Sydney, is a student of Darryl, while the art form has spawned about 20 schools currently practising in Trinidad and Tobago.

In New York, Darryl and Indira run a school for about 100 children from four years upwards, which mainly comprise Americans, Hispanics, South Americans, Europeans and a sprinkling of West Indians. He said martial arts mushroomed over the past few years since the sport was admitted by the International Olympic Committee as a medal sport at the quadrennial games. “Now there is the incentive of winning a karate Olympic gold medal and this has added some interest in the sport,” Darryl said on a recent visit to Trinidad and Tobago. However, according to Darryl, there are other immeasurable benefits of karate as well: it assists greatly in motor-coordination skills; helps in keeping the enthusiast physically fit; boosts the development of the child’s attention span; and, most importantly, serves as a platform for the successful launch into the academic world. “It is a proven fact that the children who engage in martial arts on a consistent basis under a qualified instructor do better in school,” Darryl said. Both of the Williams’ two children are keen martial artists.

However, Darryl cautions against expectations that the dojo can be used by delinquent parents to instill discipline in their children. “Discipline begins at home. You can’t escape that fact. We only have the children for a few hours. But the parents have them at home all the time. They should take the time and instil in them all the great qualities that they should acquire,” Darryl said. He said nowadays, martial arts instructors in the US have to be well-qualified before they are allowed to supervise the children in a sport still viewed as “dangerous” and most likely to produce injuries, both minor and serious. He outlined the series of examinations set by various state and district Boards in New York, which rank the proficiency of the instructor to engage in tutoring. The Williams have come up to scratch in the Sports Education Programme, CPR first aid for sports teachers), and the Child Abuse Course. “These standards must be met for insurance purposes because, when accidents happen, one must be able to render assistance and take the appropriate steps immediately to secure the safety of the child,” said Darryl.

The couple is eminently qualified as attested to by their relentless pursuit of excellence and their strict adherence to the highest standards in their chosen sport. Darryl has been practising karate since 1970 and currently holds a Fifth Degree Black Belt, while Indira is a Fourth Degree. Darryl explained that the highest one can go is Tenth Degree, but this accolade is rare since after the Eighth Degree, the others are merely honourary. His next exam for the Sixth Degree, he revealed, is four years away. However, the burning passion of the couple is now being directed to the young people of Trinidad and Tobago whom they wish to serve by providing assistance to get a proper grounding in the sport. He said they have detected several major problems that are currently inhibiting the progress and spread of the sport in his homeland. They wish to make martial arts more accessible to the masses. “There is the high cost of training, expensive equipment, the ridiculously high price of uniforms and the exorbitant money paid to sit examinations set in Japan,” Darryl said.

He said he has been able to locate cheaper uniforms, source instructional DVDs and is going to set up an Internet Research Department to verify the authenticity and credibility of persons wishing to gain membership to the Karate Federation affiliated organisation. He said that while there are those who can afford the attendant costs of practising the sport, there are literally thousands who do not and his organisation will give them the opportunity to develop and aspire to the highest standards. “I have observed a high level of skill in the non-traditional areas of the sport. We need to tap into this abundant resource pool,” Darryl said. He said the onus is on the emerging group of instructors to properly market, manage and set their curriculum in a structured, organised way that corresponds with the accepted international standards. “This is the only way they can make a living out of the sport and produce champions in the future,” he said. Darryl said although his ideas are not new, it may be alien to the pervading concept held by some in the martial arts world in TT.

He insisted it is not his desire to be controversial or to buck the establishment. “We want to work with the Karate Union for the betterment of the karatekas and the sport. We want to create opportunities and an easier passage to achieve the best results for everyone,” he said. He named Gerard Torres, vice-president; and Curtis Carrera, chief instructor and Keshni Sookram as three main people in the Karate Federation who will lead the charge into the next phase of the development of the sport. Indira is particularly concerned about the level of attention and care that some local instructors impart on their charges and will be directing her attention in this regard. She said that after 30 minutes, the attention span of children begins to wane rapidly and as a result in their NY dojo, sessions are no longer than 15-minutes and classes are punctuated with water breaks. “We do not wait until they are thirsty to offer some refreshment. One must be sensitive to their needs and expectations, including signals of abuse in the home and at the dojo. Both must be reported to the authorities,” said Indira.

She said parents interested in getting their children training in martial arts must be particularly concerned about the qualifications of the instructor, their preparedness to respond to medical emergencies and the general suitability of the dojo to match up to accepted standards. “There are cases where children get beaten up in dojos or abused as some kind of perverse corporal punishment. This must not be tolerated. Karate must be approached as a safe sport,” she said. Among some of the better instructors in Trinidad, Williams lists Don Jacobs, Anthony Sydney, Michael Jarrett, Roger Howai, Junior Codrington and Neville Mason. “We have to start with educating the parents. The first question that must be asked is ‘Are you qualified to teach my child karate?’” Indira said. On their next trip back home, Darryl and Indira hope to take their mission one step further in making their karate dream  come true.