Morning Sentinel
'Karate grandfather' earns black belt
By COLIN HICKEY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Thursday, April 05, 2007

SIDNEY -- For most 70-year-olds, getting a black belt is about purchasing an accessory.

Not so Bob Willette of Sidney.

He acquired his black belt through karate achievement.

Sunday he earned this mark of martial arts expertise from Club Naha at Alfond Youth Center, the culmination of a three-day test that involved a mountain climb, a rigorous written exam, a long distance run and fighting 13 seasoned black belt opponents.

Not bad for a retired man who started his martial arts training just five years ago.

Willette said at the end, after passing the final test, he felt a mixture of joy and exhaustion.

"When I saw my wife and daughter and grandchildren and son-in-law outside (Alfond Youth Center), that was kind of emotional," Willette said. "You don't realize how much energy and concentration it takes to get to that point."

Ken Walsh, chief executive officer of Alfond Youth Center, is the founder of Club Naha. He also is a black belt in karate.

He supervises the three-day test, participating in many of the activities, and thus knows the hardships firsthand. That Willette overcame them at age 70 is especially inspiring, he said.

"I had no doubts abut his character," Walsh said of Willette, "and that is what we really focused the most on. But the test is physically taxing, especially at the end. Bob proved that no matter what age, there are goals and passions that people can still pursue and accomplish."

Willette's pursuit of a black belt started Friday on a Passamaquoddy reservation at Pleasant Point. With 11 companions, most of them Passamaquoddy, Willette endured the 200-degree heat of the tribe's steam house -- a structure constructed of birch, blankets and tarps -- for about 90 minutes.

Willette said water poured on heated rocks in a small pit generated the steam.

Walsh said the experience is meant to be spiritual, an opportunity to reflect on yourself in an environment that is both strange and cleansing.

Later that day, Willette took a written exam on martial arts terminology and philosophy at Camp Tracy, the Waterville Area YMCA camp in Oakland. Camp Tracy served as the home base for the testing period.

The following day Willette donned snowshoes to climb up and down Tumbledown Mountain in Weld.

"This is part of the journey of reflecting on who you are and what you are all about," Walsh said. "And there's no better place to reflect than on top of a mountain."

Willette estimated the effort took him four hours.

"It was pretty vigorous because of the snow conditions," he said. "The temperatures weren't bad, and I had a nice pair of hiking boots, but I had no gaiters, so my feet got drenched coming down."

Sunday brought the final steps, starting with a five-mile run at the Colby College track that left Willette's joints aching.

After the run, Willette had to exhibit his abilities as a martial artist at Alfond Youth Center, including separate sparring sessions with 12 black belts. Each session lasted three minutes.

At times the 5-foot-6, 155-pound Willette had to battle opponents who stood 6-foot-2 or better and weighed more than 220 pounds.

As his final challenge, Willette had to score three points against his instructor, black belt Craig Sargent.

"Fortunately, he is about my size," Willette said, "and the thing is you don't have to worry about him scoring on you. In this case, all we have to do is score so you just reach deep and find any way to score a point."

Willette found that way, and his black belt is proof.


Reader comments

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Slf of Sidney, ME
Apr 5, 2007 1:07 PM
Congratulations! Way to go Bob.report abuse

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