Today I’m Grateful For This Team And Tribe
Today I am so proud of and grateful for my Team at KMMA.
And our whole tribe too.
We had an awesome graduation ceremony this weekend, where students got to celebrate their success, show off for their parents, spouse and family and friends.
We had a particularly awesome speaker in Lt. Col (Retired) Sonya Ferreira, who is also the author of her new book, Rites of Passage- Raising Sons To Be Men of Standard.
She spoke on Godly leadership, and what that looks like, on the leadership crisis in our world today, and what we can do about it. She spoke about the Blackbelt Leadership Program at KMMA, and how she sees it as developing leadership traits in the youth, teens and adults we serve at Krav Maga Martial Arts.
I am very grateful for her contribution to the great event.
One of the things I enjoyed the most, though, was seeing the love and pride exchanged within the families, and the greater family, there.
For this one I chose a ceremony based on a memory from my experience as a military leader too. I shared how my mom and dad used to come and pin my rank on me when I promoted- wherever I was in the world.
Then we did the same thing; allowing moms, dads, grandparents, spouses, siblings to tie the new belts on each other.
Each and all were beautiful moments that will be great memories.
One example I really loved was watching KMMA Probationary Blackbelt Greg Kapourellos. He got to tie new belts on his daughter, Alena, and his son, Leo, and then his mother came and tied his next step probationary Blackbelt on him. It was such a beautiful moment. And of course his beautiful wife Kimi was there in support taking pics and sharing in the moments too.
I am so proud and grateful for this family, and the rest of the great families in the KMMA tribe too.
The Blackbelt Leadership and family culture at KMMA didn’t happen overnight. It’s been evolving for the 24 years since I opened the school.
And for many years before that if you count the whole martial arts and leadership journey that led to the creation of the school…
but it’s not about me, or any individual.
What I am most proud and grateful for is what my KMMA Team does for students and Tribe does for each other.
Ultimately, as Colonel Ferreira said in her speech, leadership is about what we do for others.
Today I’m proud of and grateful for what we do for so many families every day.
To experience the fitness, fun, family and fellowship for yourself, call 813-948-4844 to schedule your 2 week free trial and orientation as my VIP guest.
You will have fun, get a great workout and learn something new.
And you may even find what you’ve been looking for too!
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com StephenDelCastillo.com
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. Today I continue to train, learn, sow and grow under the mentorship of World Champion Grandmaster Jeff Smith, who regularly visits the academy to help sow into my teams and students as well.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes BLVD and now our new location in 8836 US 19, Port Richey! Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Port Richey 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