Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 25, 1993 TAG: 9302250237
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN DeVIDO SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
`PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT'
He stands 4-foot-7 and weighs about 70 pounds. With his short brown hair and innocent looking brown eyes, he looks like any another 11-year-old.But there's something different about Justin Paget, a sixth-grader at Blacksburg Middle School.
He's a junior black-belt in karate.
Paget trains three days a week at Ed Hampton's School of Karate in Blacksburg. Earlier this year, Paget became the school's youngest junior black belt.
And he's way ahead of schedule. The average age for a junior black belt at Hampton's school is 15.
"He's one of the quickest learners we've had here," said former instructor Carolyn McIntyre. "The majority of kids forget what they learn the second they step out the door, but Justin is always trying to improve."
Justin's father, Joe Paget, a pediatric dentist, said karate was his son's idea. When he was 6, he saw the movie "Karate Kid" three times and decided that was for him.
"He's a very goal-oriented little guy," he said. "It hasn't taken a pushing from me."
Improvement is one thing Paget has done plenty of since he started karate in March 1988. The only reason he is a junior black belt and not a full-fledged first-degree black belt is because of his age and size. First degree black belts usually aren't awarded until a student is 16.
But Paget could break tradition. He could be a second or third-degree junior black belt by his 16th birthday, which would be a first for the school.
"We're exploring new territories for Justin," McIntyre said.
None of this seems to faze Paget. He goes about his business, whether it's training or teaching a karate class.
All black belts at Hampton's must teach a karate class and Paget is no exception. He teaches a group of 7- to 15-year-olds.
"A lot of my friends at school take karate here," he said. "They told people and the next thing you know, it's all over the school."
Needless to say, Paget doesn't get picked on.
He fights in karate class, though. Without pads, too. But he doesn't fight in tournaments.
He has competed in kata tournaments, however. Kata is a series of moves put together that each student performs.
"His kata looks better than most adults'," said Tomas Hudlicky, his current instructor. "You can tell he puts in a lot of time in his kata, hundreds and thousands of repetitions."
Paget lives by the motto "practice makes perfect." He has an area set up in his living room where he practices his kata. He's even practiced out in his yard.
"He has such determination," McIntyre said.
A few years ago, he was supposed to give a kata demonstration at the annual Steppin' Out festival in downtown Blacksburg.
"He came in sick with a fever," McIntyre said. "He did his performance and his dad had to carry him home. That day I knew he was a black belt."