Not every kid wants to train hard at night, but 7-and-a-half-year-old Emmie Wolery is already a black belt in the martial arts.
She’s one of youngest students to start her training at Master Tran’s Martial Arts Academy in Westerville when she was 4 years old, and has come a long way after three years of perseverance and dedication in her training.
“I was committed because I wanted to spend more time with my dad,” Emmie says, a second-grader at Columbus School for Girls, “but Mom played a little bit of a role too.”
She started her martial arts training early – you could say martial art is just in her DNA. Her father, Don Wolery, is a martial arts instructor who teaches at the academy late in the evenings.
Wolery’s mother Angela An, a news anchor at WBNS-10TV, is also a martial arts black belt.
“Although she just turned 7 when she got her black belt, she’s still considered an upper belt to adults who are starting out as white belts,” An says, “so I think that confidence, watching her be a mentor to others no matter her age, is also an important part of the whole martial arts philosophy.”
Master Tran’s Martial Arts Academy is certified by World Taekwondo, the international governing body of the sport based in South Korea, and Emmie is registered with the federation.
“I wanted to defend myself against bad people who may try to hurt me, and by (training) I got more confidence and learned how to fight better,” Emmie says.
An says parents should listen to their children and know when they are feeling overwhelmed. You never know which path your child will take, so it’s important to let them guide you without overcommitting them.
“Part of the reason is obviously because, as a woman, my husband and I felt it was important for Emmie to know self-defense, and not just a class here and there but something that was more instinctive to her,” An says. “She probably got my short genes so we know she’ll be smaller than average. We just wanted her to be able to stand up for herself both physically and mentally, which is what I think martial arts does a lot for children.”
An’s advice to parents is to have clear conversations with their children, and if they don’t want to do something anymore, to ask them why. It’s important to talk about the lessons behind quitting and what can come out of perseverance.
The desire to push your child to accomplish certain things or to live vicariously through them can be difficult to overcome, but An says that although your child’s talents may be different than what you had imagined, remember that your dream should ultimately be for them to be the best version of themselves.
In addition to mastering the art of self defense, Wolery has turned her sights to parkour (the activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area by running, jumping, and climbing), and has been practicing the sport for the last few months.
“Everyone is allowed to have those highs and lows, but you have to look down the road at your end game, like, what is your goal?” An says. “I think Emmie had a goal, she knew she wanted to be a black belt and it was kind on her bucket list of wanting to become a better martial artist.”
Here's a video of Wolery demonstrating her skills:
Sanaya Attari is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
