IN NORTHERN suburban community halls and backyards, karate kids are practising their punches and honing their martial arts moves.
IN NORTHERN suburban community halls and backyards, karate kids are practising their punches and honing their martial arts moves.
Inspired by a constant diet of action films, children are still attracted by self-defence arts and black belts — and their parents are right behind them.
West Meadows resident Vicki De Luca keenly watches her 10-year-old son, Anthony, train twice a week at a Gladstone Park hall.
"Anthony just likes the moves —he thinks they’re cool," she said.
"Karate kids: Anthony De Luca and Natasha Hegedis"
‘As parents you think that when they become teenagers, it might give you peace of mind because they can look after themselves.
Ms De Luca has seen her son change in the year he has trained in the art of goju-ryu karate.
"He’s more self-disciplined and can control his impatience a lot more. It’s (the karate) done him a hell of a lot of good," she said.
Anthony, who has done two gradings and has a yellow belt, is keen to keep training to black belt standard.
"When I’m a bit older and going around with friends, if people come to harm me, I might be able to go over the top of them and beat them," he said.
"I like the sparring and the black belts help us out, they teach us stuff — it’s good fun."
Ljuba Hegedis has to control her emotions sometimes when watching her eight-year-old daughter, Natasha, practise fighting during karate classes.
"The sparring is non-contact, but as a mother you cringe — you think, ‘don’t you hit my child!" she said.
Ms Hegedis said her daughter had been passionate about karate since she was four.
"She just loves it — she loves learning it," she said.
"Every parent wants their child to have an outside hobby and she just naturally found this."
Ms Hegedis said karate was about more than just learning how to kick and punch.
"It’s different to what the movies have portrayed . . . karate is about combining the spirit, mind and body into one. You feel serene when you walk into that hall," she said.
This article appeared in the OBSERVER (local newspaper) on May 9, 2000.