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Karate Kid
Sixteen-year-old Mathew Velvick from Ashford has become the first person in the UK aged under eighteen to be awarded a 3rd Dan black belt in karate. View Transcript
View Synopsis
AMANDA FISHER reports.
It may be late on a cold, winter's evening, but nothing stops teenager Mathew Velvick from joining his mates at their local - for the fourth time this week. But this isn't the village pub. It's the local school gym... and Mathew's here to indulge in a few rounds of his favourite sport.
Mathew started learning karate when he was six - that's exactly ten years ago. All his training's been under the watchful eye of national coach, Joe Ellis. This January Mathew did something no other British youngster under the age of eighteen has managed - he's gained a third Dan. That's three senior grades up from a black belt, and with it comes the title of "Sensei", or teacher.
VELVICK: 'It's amazing really... it's something I've always really aspired to be. Being the first obviously in Britain to do it is something which I was unbelievably happy about, it means so much to me and I've always felt that I've needed to put something down that shows what I've done during my life and I really feel that this is something that will contribute to that.'
Until eighteen months ago, karate pupils under eighteen weren't permitted by the sport's governing body to attempt a senior black belt grading. With the change of policy, sixteen year-old Mathew was judged alongside two older members of his club. After five hours of physical and mental tests, only Mathew was thought good enough to pass with flying colours. It's a first for British karate, and a remarkable achievement for Mathew.
JOE ELLIS, Karate 6th Dan, National Coach: 'I'm very proud of Mathew, incredibly proud of him because it takes a bit of commitment, it takes a lot of courage and determination and skill level, a great skill level, and above all, a good person from the heart, as well as from the mind and we're very, very pleased and proud of Mat, if he sticks to it, and it's unusual for someone of that age to stick to this level of karate. Normally, about 85 - 90 percent drop out at roughly about the brown belt to black belt level, so for a child to actually go through higher than that is some achievement, by any standard.'
It's ninety-one years since the first public demonstration of Karate took place in Japan. Since then the 'art of the empty hand', as the name translates, has grown into a sport practised by millions of people around the world. In clubs around Kent more than 25,000 enthusiasts use the discipline to keep mentally and physically fit for life. Mathew recently left school to work at a retail outfit in his home-town of Ashford. But he's aiming high for a future career.
MATHEW VELVICK: 'It's really nice to see people taking an interest in something that means so much to me and just that it's really been recognised now, not just locally, but nationally as well.'
Mathew recently left school to work at a retail outfit in his home-town of Ashford. But he's aiming high for a future career.
MATHEW VELVICK: 'Well I plan to go on to the police force when I turn eighteen, something that's always been very dear to me, like karate. Karate has given me that motivation to really go for something and set my standards high and try to aim high to get the better rewards.'
JOE ELLIS: 'He's an incredibly talented lad, but most importantly, we've got a very special and very talented person in karate, who we hope can share his experience. I hope he will become a national ambassador for us at some stage - sooner rather than later.'
It may be late on a cold, winter's evening, but nothing stops teenager Mathew Velvick from joining his mates at their local - for the fourth time this week. But this isn't the village pub. It's the local school gym... and Mathew's here to indulge in a few rounds of his favourite sport.
Mathew started learning karate when he was six - that's exactly ten years ago. All his training's been under the watchful eye of national coach, Joe Ellis. This January Mathew did something no other British youngster under the age of eighteen has managed - he's gained a third Dan. That's three senior grades up from a black belt, and with it comes the title of "Sensei", or teacher.
VELVICK: 'It's amazing really... it's something I've always really aspired to be. Being the first obviously in Britain to do it is something which I was unbelievably happy about, it means so much to me and I've always felt that I've needed to put something down that shows what I've done during my life and I really feel that this is something that will contribute to that.'
Until eighteen months ago, karate pupils under eighteen weren't permitted by the sport's governing body to attempt a senior black belt grading. With the change of policy, sixteen year-old Mathew was judged alongside two older members of his club. After five hours of physical and mental tests, only Mathew was thought good enough to pass with flying colours. It's a first for British karate, and a remarkable achievement for Mathew.
JOE ELLIS, Karate 6th Dan, National Coach: 'I'm very proud of Mathew, incredibly proud of him because it takes a bit of commitment, it takes a lot of courage and determination and skill level, a great skill level, and above all, a good person from the heart, as well as from the mind and we're very, very pleased and proud of Mat, if he sticks to it, and it's unusual for someone of that age to stick to this level of karate. Normally, about 85 - 90 percent drop out at roughly about the brown belt to black belt level, so for a child to actually go through higher than that is some achievement, by any standard.'
It's ninety-one years since the first public demonstration of Karate took place in Japan. Since then the 'art of the empty hand', as the name translates, has grown into a sport practised by millions of people around the world. In clubs around Kent more than 25,000 enthusiasts use the discipline to keep mentally and physically fit for life. Mathew recently left school to work at a retail outfit in his home-town of Ashford. But he's aiming high for a future career.
MATHEW VELVICK: 'It's really nice to see people taking an interest in something that means so much to me and just that it's really been recognised now, not just locally, but nationally as well.'
Mathew recently left school to work at a retail outfit in his home-town of Ashford. But he's aiming high for a future career.
MATHEW VELVICK: 'Well I plan to go on to the police force when I turn eighteen, something that's always been very dear to me, like karate. Karate has given me that motivation to really go for something and set my standards high and try to aim high to get the better rewards.'
JOE ELLIS: 'He's an incredibly talented lad, but most importantly, we've got a very special and very talented person in karate, who we hope can share his experience. I hope he will become a national ambassador for us at some stage - sooner rather than later.'
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