Gayle Gettemy

I grew up watching power rangers, teenage mutant ninja turtles and other action pack martial arts movies though that didn’t originally make me want to start martial arts. We lived in a bad area so I was often a victim of bullying. I asked my mom to go into martial arts and that same week I was enrolled in Tae Kwon Do at the local ATA. I excelled in the program and put years into it. Then I was forced to quit; having to stop martial arts felt like something was torn from me. I wasn’t myself.  I met friends in my last year of high school and the desire of learning once more fueled me. One of my friends (We are close enough now that we are mistaken as siblings) Got me back with trying to learn sword. It was like a chain reaction as things were set into motion, I met an old friend (Now fiancé) having pulled over to aid getting ladders out of the street from a construction workers van. He brought us to American Karate studios as one of the instructors there offered Traditional samurai classes and was promoted to first degree back in 2008 then tested for my second degree in 2010. It was there that grew and extended my knowledge. I have knowledge in Kenpo, Aikido, Ninjutsu, JKD, Kendo, Iaido, and some small circle jujitsu. 

I met Sean Gordon in 2005 when he was teaching at American Karate studio and took his classes. Since then we have always been close my daughter calls him uncle. I might have not grown up in a martial arts family but I'm proud to say that we are now.

 

Never give up no matter how dark it gets. Always survive, adapt, and overcome.