Matthew McFarlin Six Year Old Black Belt

At promptly 4:45 every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, Matthew McFarlin strides confidently through the huge gymnasium of Canton’s Lifetime Fitness Center. His destination: The Choi Kwang Do dojang (classroom). Classes start at 5:00 p.m.

More often than not, he will lead the other students through warm-up exercises before resuming his place at the rear of the group. For the next two hours, Matthew will participate in intricate patterns designed to promote self-defense, speed, balance, and flexibility.

The bright red and black martial arts uniform he wears is a bit unusual in itself, but what surprises most observers is his age. On Aug. 6, Matthew will test for his first degree black belt, which is expected to make him one of the youngest ranking black belts in the country at just 6 years old.
So what exactly drives the pint sized dynamo who won’t turn 7 until September? His father, John McFarlin, jokes, “If I knew what it was, I would bottle it and sell it on TV. I’d be rich.”

Dearborn residents John and Arcelie McFarlin signed their son into the Choi Kwang Do classroom shortly after his 4th birthday. Recalled Arcelie, “After his second class, I could tell, it was something he really, really liked to do.”
At that time, classes were being instructed by Master Dorothy Stoddard.

Michael Ayerst took over the Canton Choi program when Master Stoddard retired to devote full time to her new duties as a grandma. The McFarlins initially were apprehensive that it might affect Matthew’s progress, but if anything it seemed to make him even more determined.
“We asked him if it was going to bother him to have a different teacher, and he said ‘nope’ and that was that,” related Arcelie.
What exactly attracted young Matthew to martial arts? According to John, “If I had to make a guess, I would tell you that he got it from watching the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) on TV. “He wanted to be like Shawn Michaels, who called himself “The Heartbreak Kid. “

“Shawn was known for a high kick maneuver he called “sweet chin music”, and Matthew was trying to do it himself. We figured that Choi Kwang Do would be the way to go, because they promoted self-defense without advocating any kind of physical contact,” John added.

These days, the “Sweetheart Kid” is almost like any other 6-year-old. He plays soccer, enjoys T-ball, bowling and fishing, and is taking swimming classes at the Canton Lifetime Fitness Center. He will be entering second grade at Howard Elementary in Dearborn this Fall, and recently joined the Choi Demo team based out of Novi. .As one of the youngest and most advanced junior students, it makes him proud to be part of such a tightly organized squad. The Demo Team
performs choreographed routines set to music for conventions, seminars, and at monthly color belt tests held in Novi. Most recently they were seen at the Northville 4th of July Parade.

Sabumnin (means Teacher or Instructor in Korean) Ayerst put Matthews’ accomplishments in perspective; “If he keeps going the way he has, working hard at it, by the time he’s 22 years old, he could be a 5th degree Black Belt, which would make him the youngest, highest ranked Black Belt in the World….”But if nothing else, we’ve given him the tools to succeed in whatever he wants in life. He can be anything he wants to be.”
And as for the parents? John adds this; “I used to cry like a baby every time Matthew would earn a higher color belt. But he’s been promoted so many times that these days my eyes just get a little misty.” And from Arcelie, “Matthew has put a lot of hard work into his Choi Lessons. He’s a good boy, the best thing in our lives.”

As a reward for his last promotion, to Brown Belt Senior, the parents purchased Matthew tickets for The Wiggles concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills on July 29th….But, aren’t The Wiggles an act for little kids? Yes they are. And at six, Matthew is still little. He likes The Wiggles.

And maybe someday, who knows, World Wrestling Entertainment might be looking for the new “Heartbreak Kid.”

EPILOGUE
Matthew McFarlin was tested at the Novi Choi Kwang Do dojang on August 6th for his Black Belt. The test lasted nearly three hours. Later that evening, at an awards ceremony, Matthew was awarded his First Degree Black Belt. It was announced that he was one of the three youngest Black Belts in the United States. (Grand Master Chois’ daughter is in this select group.)
After a whirlwind tour of Disneyworld in Orlando, Matthew was back in the Canton Lifetime Fitness dojang on Monday promptly at 4:45 sharp.

On September 29th at the Novi Dojang, Master Nigel Brophy from the UK was on hand to conduct special Black Belt classes. (Brophy, a 5th degree Black Belt, is one of the worlds highest ranking and respected
instructors within Choi Kwang Do.) He presented Matthew with two achievement awards.