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My martial arts instructor.

No real sports heroes as I didn't really become a fan of sports until I got to college.

While I liked playing backyard sports, never got too deep into organized sports as a kid. Basically, I hated to run, and any sport I was good enough at to want to join a team involved a lot of running.

So about age 14, I generally gave up on traditional organized sports and focused on martial arts. And in doing so, I stumbled into probably the single greatest man I've ever known. I wish I'd known then just how incredible he was (I found out later in life when I tried to find a new dojo and realized how many yahoos out there teach martial arts).

I will stack up the lessons he taught about perseverance, continuous learning, personal responsibility and accountability against any teacher or coach anywhere.

I am truly blessed to have known him. May he rest in peace.

In response to this post by bourbonstreet

Posted: 09/25/2018 at 5:24PM

...who was (or maybe still is), who was your Hero growing up? -- bourbonstreet 09/25/2018 3:56PM

Past the age of 9 or so, i can't say I had one. Fran Tarkenton when -- Late 80s Hokie 09/26/2018 07:27AM

No real "hero";but frankly, growing up I had a great deal of admiration for -- MikeVT85 09/25/2018 8:32PM

Johnny Unitas, Coach Lester(Midlo), Pops ** -- budztheman 09/25/2018 8:32PM

Early yrs. Mickey Mantle, then Clemente. Grandfather my entire life. ** -- 7Hokie1 09/25/2018 8:18PM

Grandfather who was a Battle of the Bulge vet. sports...Larry Bird** -- HokieJamie 09/25/2018 7:49PM

Didn't know it at the time but now I realize it was my grandfather -- Vienna_Hokie 09/25/2018 7:34PM

1-Dwight Gooden 2-Kevin Butler -- GoobyPls 09/25/2018 7:24PM

Mmm, after dad, -- VaTechie 09/25/2018 6:46PM

Plural? How many? Every Amazonian? ** -- Late 80s Hokie 09/26/2018 07:30AM

In chronological order Roger Staubach, Ace Frehley, Neil Peart ** -- MrBayAreaHokie 09/25/2018 5:36PM

My martial arts instructor. -- Tafkam Hokie 09/25/2018 5:24PM

I spent a lot of time alone growing up b/c of a single working mother -- HokieAl 09/25/2018 5:14PM

Clint Eastwood ** -- Brown Water 09/25/2018 5:02PM

Joe Gibbs ** -- LaneRat 09/25/2018 5:00PM

#1 Dad, #2, sweet 16, no.16, & we are all young again, G.Blanda ** -- astrohokie 09/25/2018 4:56PM

Family my dad, Sports David Robinson and Kirk Gibson ** -- Betabeachbum 09/25/2018 4:32PM

My Dad and my Granddad. ** -- Major Kong 09/25/2018 4:31PM

My grandfather and Jack Nicklaus. I never realized it, but all along it was -- thankbud 09/25/2018 4:27PM

My father, Terry Bradshaw, my High School coach, Frank Beamer -- Born a Hokie 09/25/2018 4:20PM

Yaz ** -- Stork 09/25/2018 4:14PM

#9 -- great2bahokie 09/25/2018 4:12PM

My Dad, Sonny, and Bill Russell. ** -- Femoyer Hokie 09/25/2018 4:31PM

Tough guy, he and B.K. both. ** -- bourbonstreet 09/25/2018 4:13PM

Dale Murphy. -- Chris Coleman

09/25/2018 3:57PM

Solid. Still my favorite Brave.... -- Freddyburg Hokie 09/26/2018 12:50PM

Childhood trauma watching Glavine throw at Murph. Didn't realize Tom... -- VTDante 09/25/2018 6:45PM

Saw Dale play several times in Richmond......as a catcher. ** -- Femoyer Hokie 09/25/2018 4:29PM

Pitcher would duck so Murphy wouldn't hit him on throw to 2nd. -- 48zip 09/25/2018 8:17PM

My favorite Dale Murphy moment was when he was a Philly, however. Remember -- RhinoVT 09/25/2018 4:13PM

Otis Nixon was pissed at Glavine. Bobby said next batter beaned even Murph. ** -- VTDante 09/25/2018 6:47PM

My martial arts instructor.

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