In the summer of 2008, Zach was invited to a birthday party hosted at Family Karate for one of its members. In the loot bag from the party was a voucher for a free month of karate. Who knew that a loot bag could change a person so profoundly?
September of 2008 was the beginning of Zach’s passion for karate. His trial membership led him to becoming a full member in October, and he never looked back. Once Zach got a couple of belts completed, he joined the weapons program, which became his first love. Zach would go to the dojo every day for class, and an hour early on Saturdays so that he could get extra time on the floor to practice.
This extra practice was noticed, and in 2009 Tina Hough, the head coach of the team, approached Zach and asked him if he would like to join Family Karate’s competitive team. This is the time Zach fell in love with the bo and sparring. Zach competed in Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and he has made many friends along the way – and won dozens of first-place victories.
After many years of competing and gathering experience, Zach became a coach and mentor in 2014. It was an honour that Zach did not take lightly. He never missed a practice and was always available to attend tournaments to keep the team focused and on target.
As important as karate became to Zach, there was always school in the background. When it came time for Zach to think about his post-secondary education, the winner was the University of Ottawa. Zach entered the Political Science and Communication program at uOttawa. While he enjoyed his new experiences, he found that his future was in the trades, and he is now enrolled in Electrical Engineering at Algonquin College in Ottawa.
Whenever Zach would come home, he would arrange for private lessons and floor time for him and his bo. This past Christmas was no exception, as Zach made it to the dojo – even though he was only home for a couple of days.
Zach is a much better man for being in karate. Karate is in Zach’s DNA, and it will always be part of his life.
Submitted by Family Karate Centres
