Happy Birthday Ruth
Yesterday, in my email blog entitled “God’s Country”, I told you a little about my friend Paul Baumann.
Today I wanna share 3 more facts about him:
1. he was my partner when I opened the school in October of 2000.
2. he is a master at what he does, just as we are at what we do.
3. his wife, Ruth, and kids, Luke and Jacob Baumann, are KMMA Blackbelts!
4. I also want to share something he told me while we were sitting outside alone yesterday…
Paul said that what he has really noticed over the last few years is the incredible leadership culture, and the quality of leaders that I have helping me accomplish our mission.
He said that he’s sure that the great success we’ve experienced is directly a result of that, the leadership evident in our school.
Of course, this got me thinking, and I thought about all we do that makes this true.
1. We have an incredible program that instills leadership, even as students begin their journeys in our Basic Training Course. Here students begin to develop self leadership, through our character development program and the 6 foundational Blackbelt Superpowers that we teach at Krav Maga Martial Arts.
2. Many students qualify for our Blackbelt Leadership Program, that develops public speaking and communication skills, team building and other leadership skills to lead ones self and others. The goal of this program is to transform students into confident and competent Blackbelt Leaders, prepared to survive and thrive in any situation, and empowered to lead- where they’re at, and into their futures.
3. Our Certified Instructor Training Program is the secret to our amazing head instructors and assistant instructors, and the special way they are able to help other students develop into their full potential, and help sow into the next generation of leaders and instructors as they do!
I get excited just writing about it.
And I am so proud of and grateful to all the amazing Head Instructors that help me to accomplish all we do: Sensei Winston, Sensei Allie, Sensei James, Sensei Charlie, Sensei Ayden, Sensei Lydia, and all the other assistant instructors, FIST and CIT too!
Thank you to all my Shihan (Master Instructors) in my FAM (Force Auxiliary Masters); most of them have other careers, but still find time to help sow into the tribe!
And thank you to all my KMMA students, parents, Ms. Barbara, Ms. Ruthe and all the other support professionals and tribe that are also instrumental in maintaining our amazing leadership culture and community.
I am proud of and grateful for all of you.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com StephenDelCastillo.com
p.s. it’s my birthday today. but it’s Ruth Baumann’s too. join me in wishing her happy birthday, and make sure you watch her blackbelt speech below too.
About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commissioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.
See stephendelcastillo.com for more information and to order my book, Developing Your Superpower, Meditations on Mastery, Volume 1.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com