Interest in karate holds mother-son bond tight
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — While many mothers and sons may enjoy watching movies, reading or playing board games together, Nancy Watson and her 8-year-old son, Matthew Hedrich, of Mapleton, have a more unique common interest — karate.
MATTHEW HEDRICH and his mother, Nancy Watson, both take karate lessons at LeBlanc’s School of Martial Arts in Presque Isle. Hedrich has earned his “gurple” belt, which is halfway between green and purple, and Watson is a yellow belt. Watson said she enjoys doing karate together with her son because “it gives us a night out together, gives us exercise, plus we can help each other at home.”
“Matthew has been doing karate for two years. I’ve been doing it for a year; not consistently like he has, but I try to be [consistent],” said Watson, 41. “I insisted that he do dance, which he did for three years, but then he didn’t want to do it anymore. There weren’t many boys that did dance. Once LeBlanc’s School of Martial Arts dropped the age to do karate from 7 to 6 years of age, Matthew started taking karate.
“My husband [David Hedrich], who once took karate, was not a fan of dance, so he was the proponent for karate,” she said. “I was sitting there for hours watching Matthew do karate and I said, ‘Enough of this.’ I needed the exercise, too, so I started, but Matthew didn’t want me to. He was embarrassed, but now he doesn’t like it when I miss a class.”
Matthew said one of his friends had been taking karate and encouraged him to try.
“It sounded interesting and like something I’d want to try,” he said. “I told my parents and they said, ‘Sure.’
“When my Mom told me she was going to start taking karate, I was kind of weirded out at first, but at the same time it was kind of exciting,” Hedrich said. “It was weird because it was my Mom, but it was exciting because it was something new that we could do together.”
Matthew has earned his “gurple” belt, which is halfway between green and purple, and Nancy is a yellow belt. They both take classes every Wednesday, while Matthew also does the Saturday “pick-up” classes.
“The classes overlap. I start a half-hour early and he ends a half-hour later,” she said. “Usually we’re spread out when we’re in class and work in different groups, but I noticed when we were in the same group, he was always keeping an eye on me.”
Watson said she enjoys sharing a similar hobby with her son.
“It’s awesome. It gives us a night out together, gives us exercise, plus we can help each other at home,” she said. “I need a lot of practice, he doesn’t, so he likes to teach me which is great because it gives him confidence.”
Matthew said his mother is doing “good” with her lessons.
“Sometimes I’m just laying on the couch watching TV when she’s practicing, and I’m making sure she’s doing it right,” he said. “I’m more of a supervisor.”
While Watson enjoys karate, she said she has no expectations about ever earning a black belt.
“If Matthew weren’t there, I would not do it,” she said. “I would never have been introduced to it or even thought of it. He is my motivation to get out and do it as much as I do.
“It’s something totally different than I’ve ever done, the exercise is fantastic, and the people are super. They’re nice, helpful and encouraging,” said Watson. “Do I think I’m ever going to make a black belt? I do not see that in my future, but I do see a black belt in his future. I would love to become a green belt. I’d be happy with that.”
Matthew said he enjoys both the physical aspect of karate and the quality time spent with his mother.
“You get to roll and do kicks, and sometimes we get to play games like dodge ball or obstacle courses. Karate helps me both physically and mentally. It keeps me in shape and it helps me with memorization, concentration and focus,” he said. “My goal is to get my black belt.
“I’m glad my Mom does karate with me,” said Hedrich. “It’s pretty special that we do this together and it’s something I’ll never forget.”
For more information on LeBlanc’s School of Martial Arts, located at 450 Main St. in Presque Isle, call Sensei Andy LeBlanc at 227-5934 or e-mail aleblanc5@roadrunner.com.