Professor Jacob's Visit to PDI GA for Grading
USH PURPLE DRAGON MEMBERS,
Wow!!! What an awesome night for grading. The night was cool and fall was in the air. Professor Jacob was visiting the Atlanta area for the first time and it was our first grading at the Purple Dragon Dojo in Cartersville , Georgia. Not only was it exciting to have Professor Jacob in town for grading but it was also Halloween. The strip mall where our dojo is located was having a trick-or-treat celebration for all of the local children in town. Each business in the strip mall had its doors open where the children and parents could come and go as they pleased. Most were in costume to celebrate Halloween which added to the excitement of our first grading with Professor Jacob. To our pleasure, our dojo was filled with parents, friends others we had just met. The dojo was also filled with instructors from other area dojos who came to see what Purple Dragon was all about.
Everyone in the dojo was excited to say the least and many of the sans were even a little nervous at the thought of meeting Professor Don Jacob for the first time. Instructor Chris Coxall had been telling us about Professor Jacob since he opened his dojo in early July of this year. I can honestly say, just hearing about Professor Jacob through someone else’s voice pales in comparison to meeting Professor in person. He is very passionate about Purple Dragon, martial arts in general and more importantly, he is passionate about people doing well.
We were all waiting patiently when Instructor Chris’ truck arrived in front of the Dojo with Professor Jacob and the others the Professor was traveling with for grading. Everyone snapped to attention waiting to meet Professor Jacob and begin our first of many grading sessions with this great man we had heard so much about over the last four months. When the door opened, Professor entered the dojo and greeted everyone with a big smile and a welcoming handshake. I had only heard about the Professor's presence when he is in a dojo but the enthusiasm he exudes is amazing. When he spoke, it was as if nothing else mattered. You could not help but pay attention to what he was saying and the passion he was saying it with. If you were tired, soar, out of breath, whatever, nothing seemed to matter when Professor spoke.
The excitement died down a little as Professor was preparing to begin the grading. People were coming in and out of the dojo and yet others were taking their seats in the chairs we had set-up. Sensei Anthony started the grading session, the sans stood ready and everyone who was watching was silent in respect for Professor Jacob and what we were preparing to accomplish. The grading started and members of the dojo were overwhelmed with excitement, pain and passion. Professor Jacob generates so much excitement in the dojo that it seemed as if no time had passed and yet 2 hours had elapsed since Professor started grading the members of the Cartersville, Georgia, Purple Dragon Dojo. All you could hear from our guests sitting in the dojo and those who could not get into the dojo were words like "Awesome", "I want to do that", "Wow, we do not even show these types of moves to our black belts" (TKD Instructor).
After we finished our grading, a few minutes went by and the names of the sans were called and the ranks they were to receive were announced. Every member of the dojo was a white belt except one who was a yellow belt from his dojo in New York . The dojo erupted in applause after each name was called. Everyone who tested achieved a rank of Yellow to Blue belts. After Professor Jacob excused the sans, many parents and visitors asked questions about Purple Dragon and the man who created this awesome system... Professor Don Jacob. Instructors from other dojos were amazed at what we do in Purple Dragon and the passion that Professor Don Jacob exudes. One of our guest’s called his cousin in New York City because his cousin had met Professor Jacob years ago and has remained passionate about meeting him and his teachings over the years. He said he is going to fly to Atlanta and travel to Cartersville in April when we have our next grading so he can just listen to Professor Jacob lecture and teach.
We look forward to many more grading sessions at the Cartersville, GA Purple Dragon dojo as well as future tournaments. Professor Don Jacob is an outstanding teacher that exudes passion and enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing him in the near future.