To Be Like Master

In Columbus, Ohio there is a small building with a sign over the front door decorated with three Chinese characters. The characters on the sign read Ma-Li-Ke, or Mollica. It is in this building, called Ho-I, that Master Matt Mollica teaches an ancient and powerful Chinese martial art to students of all ages. Every Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon in the building, there is an 11-year-old boy who arrives earlier than any of his classmates. He wants to be the best. He wants the instructors to acknowledge him. He wants to be like Master Mollica. His name is Charlie Schenk and he has been taking kung fu for a year and a half and already he knows the power and self-control that comes from his training. He can remember a time, not too long ago, when he struggled to be as good as he wanted to be in school and soccer. Now, his daily curriculum is boring and mundane compared to his kung fu training. Charlie can be seen in Ho-I practicing his kicks and stances with incredible grace and power. He can remember when these simple techniques used to take much more energy and thought to execute. Now, he uses these kicks and stances harmoniously to perform a series of techniques, one after another, until his invisible opponent is incapacitated or has given up the fight. All the while, his father, Fred Schenk sits in a corner admiring his son’s progress. When asked what benefits Charlie gets from taking kung fu from Master Mollica, Charlie’s father merely said, "a multitude." Schenk, Charlie’s father, was made aware of Master Mollica’s Ho-I school nearly two years ago. He had a friend whose son started taking classes there. This friend told Schenk about the school and the enjoyment that his son had from taking classes. Not only that, but Schenk’s friend noticed positive growth in his son. Schenk knew that Charlie, his son, had an interest in martial arts; he had seen his son mimic the moves of cartoon characters, especially Japanese cartoon characters like those from Dragon Ball Z, he said. "The opportunity came," Schenk said. "We liked it and here we are." Over time Charlie quickly moved up the ranks from white sash, to gold, to green, then blue and now brown. All he has left his red and Charlie will be a black sash in Master Mollica’s kids’ kung fu class. Charlie said when he gets his black sash, he is going to work is way up the ranks in the adult classes and become a Master like Mollica. Many children nowadays do not get this sort of training; instead they sit around and watch TV or play video games until their young hearts become weak and their bodies become sluggish and fat. This lack of motivation in a child’s life will be vindictive to their health as they age. They will begin to lose control of their body, which in turn will frustrate them to the point that they will begin to lose control of their mind, and finally their spirit. "The great thing about children taking martial arts, especially kung fu, is that they develop a sense of themselves and what they can do before the fear -- or self-doubt and self-consciousness -- that goes with being older creeps in," said Master Mollica, who has been teaching his system of kung fu to children for about 25 years. "They learn that they can’t fly like their superheroes, but they can leap and kick and spin and roll." Charlie’s father has noticed that his son has developed greater strength and agility that not only helps him in the kung fu gym, but also on the soccer field. Schenk said that Charlie has played soccer since he was 5 years old, but has never excelled so much in the game until now. "(Charlie) gets more strength training in kung fu than on the soccer field," he said. But Charlie becomes a young powerhouse on the soccer field with great control over his physical movement. His mind is strengthened as well. "In kung fu there’s a lot to pay attention to," Schenk said. "There’s a lot to remember and focus on." In kung fu class, students have to obey the instructors just as they do with a school teacher or soccer coach. But the difference lies in the demand. In school Charlie has to memorize words and simple math formulas and on the soccer field all he has to remember is how to run and kick a ball; whereas in kung fu, he has to memorize forms of movement and techniques. The difference: kung fu techniques must be executed with blazing speed and accuracy occurring one after the other. They also involve your whole body along with your mind. In school, Charlie exercises his mind. On the soccer field he exercises his body. But at Ho-I he does both. "Ultimately self-control is control of the mind and body," Schenk said.

Another benefit from taking a martial art, which is likely the most obvious one, is the increased awareness of combat and its inner-workings. Children learn the basics of self-defense from taking martial arts. "Martial arts teach coordination and the integration of physical skills with mental focus and emotional content and control as well as a viable means of protecting oneself," Mollica said. "Knowing they can defend themselves helps the child to view their world without being overwhelmed by it." Mollica went on to say that children who take martial arts, especially kung fu, are not nearly as scared of bigger children in their schools in neighborhoods. The children also have a sense of what to do in a situation that may involve abduction or molestation. They can learn to calm themselves in potentially dangerous situations and even get out of them. Mollica also mentioned the fact that being in a kung fu class creates another "peer" group in which a child can redefine their perception of themselves. An example of a "peer" group is a place like school or home, where the child attains a sense of who they are: a student, a brother or sister, a soccer player, etc. Mollica said in his kung fu class, children learn to get a sense what it is like to work as a group toward a common goal and at the same time learn to accept each individual in the class, regardless of skill level, for who they are and without criticism. While mentioning all these benefits "there’s one more: the cultural aspect," Schenk said.

Taking kung fu from Master Mollica exposes a child to Chinese culture and language, which in America is a culture that is often perceived as being mysterious and backward. By sprinkling commands in Mandarin Chinese throughout his classes and adorning Ho-I with Chinese art and literature, children taking kung fu become curious about other cultures - especially Chinese - and more open-minded at the same time. With all the benefits that kung fu adds to a young person’s life, it seems that every parent would want to sign their child up for a class. But what restrictions are there to joining? Master Mollica said that children can begin classes by age five; as long as they can understand simple instructions, for example: following left and right movements, changing from a deeper to wider stance, or putting more weight on one leg and less on the other. With these simple directives, Mollica can help a young student understand and explore who they are. It may seem farfetched, but that is the way of kung fu. "(Kung fu) is an art, and as such each child learns to express themselves artistically within the structure of the style," Mollica said. "Self-expression is a release and thus children get a chance to burn off steam, stress and be creative at the same time."