It’s heartening to hear the trait of possessing great physical prowess runs in the family as two sisters have been rewarded with a black belt in karate.
Agata Szafranski (34) and her sister Kelsey (32) originally from Benoni, graded to shodan in December last year when the sisters competed at the NWS National Championship.
The event was their first national competition since 2019 due to Covid restrictions.
Agata finished fourth in kata and third in kumite while Kesley placed third in kata and fourth in kumite.
They said obtaining a black belt made them realise how little they knew and how much more they had to learn.
At the same time while they were training the juniors made them realise how far they have come, how much work they have perfected, and how much more they still needed to perfect.
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“Some people do karate just to grade or chase the next belt level, but I just wanted to learn. When sensei Janien told us we were nominated for shodan, we had a massive mental shift which was a necessary part of our preparation.
“Now that we have obtained it, it means we have a responsibility to not only share our knowledge and passion for karate with juniors but most importantly, to set an example for them.
“We had the honour of learning from sensei Janien who sets the example for us and now we get to continue that legacy,” said Kelsey.
Through all the trials and tribulations of the sports Agata said she thinks there will be a shorter list to mention what was not injured.
“I had a broken foot and various toes, injured fingers and had a broken spirit at times. I managed to dislocate a toe during training a week before grading and had to continue training.
“Our arms and legs are constantly bruised, but it was a whole new level during the grading week where there are lumps under the bruises and haematomas,” Agata added.
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Kelsey said she had broken a toe and ended up going into the final week before grading with bruised ribs.
“The bruises are countless; it comes with participating in a contact sport.”
The sisters explained it generally takes approximately five years of continuous training to reach your black belt.
“That’s the shortest time you could do it in. It has taken us a bit longer after being delayed by the Covid restrictions which meant we couldn’t train for over 6 months.
“Now that we have obtained our black belt, the next grading will be a minimum of two years from now, if not longer.”
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The sisters are proud and humbled to own black belts and see it as a massive accomplishment.
“One out of 1 000 students that start karate will ever get to black belt, but at the same time, it is just a belt.
“If you are chasing the colour of the belt, then you are doing this for the wrong reasons. It is the knowledge, understanding and wisdom that comes with the belt that is the achievement of a lifetime.
“It still feels a bit surreal. To be honest, after so many months of preparation and build-up, when reality sets in, it feels incredible the moment I remember what I have achieved.”
The sisters described karate as an art that has been turned into a sport.
“Yes, it requires a high level of fitness and teaches you how to defend yourself and fight if you are required to.”
They said the main purpose of karate is to master the mind, body, and spirit, to synchronise it to work as one.
Agata joined in 2016, and Kelsey in 2017, and since then it has been a journey of perfecting their characters both on and off the floor.
“Agata joined first and I used to wait in the car while she was training. One night it was cold, so I decided to sit on the side of the dojo while she was training,” said Kelsey.
“After that session, sensei Janien asked me when I was getting on the floor. I was too scared to say no thank you to a sixth dan sensei so I said next week. I joined and have not looked back.
“The running joke now is I am the one who makes sure we get to training, even when we don’t feel like it. If Agata gets stuck at work late, I still make arrangements to get to training,” said Kelsey.
One thing they love about dojo is how it pushes them to their limits, not only physically but mentally.
”99.9% of the time it is mind over matter as your body wants to give up on you because it is tired and you need to keep pushing through that barrier.”
Agata said karate requires a hunger for knowledge and discipline, no matter what is happening or how hard it is, you show up to class.
“Everything else you will learn with practice and time. Karate isn’t a sprint, but a lifelong marathon. You have to commit.
“I think the biggest is discipline. It is something that is always associated with karate, to the point of sounding a bit cliché, but there is a reason.
“It takes discipline to train when you don’t feel like it, even more so in the cold winter months. The rest is practice and admitting you don’t know everything because that is the only way you will learn.”
“Under normal circumstances, karate practice takes place three times a week, with added time in the gym.
“In preparation for our black belt grading, we were training four to five times a week and if life gets in the way, we will skip gym before we even consider skipping karate.”
The sisters thanked sensei Janien for believing in them.
“There are not enough words that could explain the gratitude that I have for sensei Janien.
“Her guidance, her knowledge, and the sacrifices she made to be the sensei that she is. Her belief in her students long before we believe in ourselves, giving us the extra push when we feel like we have nothing left to give, and the occasional tough love of a ‘karate mom’ that we need to hear.”
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“She isn’t just a sensei to us. She is a friend, a big sister, a mom, and the favourite aunt you get up to nonsense with.
“My life would not be what it is without her presence in it and no matter what happens, she is a part of me and will always be there to guide me and support me and be my voice of reason.
“Also a massive thank you to sensei John Barnett, for his wisdom and knowledge he is always willing to share,” said Agata.
“I don’t think words can express our gratitude to sensei Janien. Her commitment to teaching and sharing her boundless knowledge, and her unwavering belief in us and our abilities, especially when we don’t believe in ourselves, is just remarkable.
“It is her passion for this art that has fired up the passion in us. If we can be half the example she is to future generations, we will be set.”
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Kelsey said sensei Janien taught them everything they know, and they would not have got this far or achieved this belt or any previous belt if it was not for her.
They said she was the best sensei, mentor and friend they could ever have asked for.
“Thank you sensei Janien. You mean the world to us.”
Agata and Kelsey said their lives are experiencing a massive shift, but no matter what happens or where they end up, the plan is to continue with karate.
They plan to keep training as karate is not just an exercise for them but a way of life.
“Obtaining your black belt is the beginning of the journey in this art. It is only now that we can truly learn because we have a foundation of knowledge on which to build deeper understanding.
“Part of that is getting to share that knowledge through teaching others, which is a huge honour. The plan is to continue the legacy both sensei Janien and sensei John have instilled in us,” they said.
