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Mastering the Moment

Grand Master Ron Rice, of Rice Tae Kwon Do in Charles City, teaching a class at YMCA in Mason City on Thursday, March 2. Press Photo By Thomas Nelson.
Grand Master Ron Rice, of Rice Tae Kwon Do in Charles City, teaching a class at YMCA in Mason City on Thursday, March 2. Press Photo By Thomas Nelson.
By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Last Saturday in Ames, a local Charles City resident became a Grand Master of Tae Kwon Do, or seventh degree black belt.

“You’re always a student,” said Grand Master Ron Rice, the 72 year old owner of Rice Tae Kwon Do said. “You can’t just sit back, you’ve got to be involved in everything.”

Time and effort are needed to achieve what Rice has, he said.

Rice has been teaching Tae Kwon Do to students in Charles City and Mason City for almost 30 years.

“This has never been a money maker for me,” Rice said. “I started teaching in (1981).”

Rice started off at the old senior citizens center in Charles City. He started the Rice Tae Kwon Do club in 1983, Rice said.

It all started for Rice in Mason City, where he took his first Tae Kwon Do classes and achieved the rank of blue belt.

“I started Tae Kwon Do in 1975,” Rice said.

Rice’s brother-in-law started doing Tae Kwon Do through a NIACC program, and Rice joined him.

After getting his blue belt he transferred over to Grand Master Yong Chin Pak, a staple of the Iowa State martial arts community for 40 years.

“I used to drive to Ames, when I was getting ready for testing, a couple times a week,” Rice said. “Grand Master Pak took me under his wing and guided me in the right direction.”

In 1984, Rice got his first recommended black belt, in 1986 he became a first degree black belt.

“I’ve never been one to say, ‘hey when can I test next,’” Rice said. “Whatever you put into the martial arts, that’s what they look at.”

Grand Master Pak presented Rice his seventh degree black belt in Ames.

To be able to get his seventh degree black belt, Rice needed to do more than just demonstrate that he could break a board, he had to write a full essay about his leadership.

A fifth degree black belt is a master in Tae Kwon Do, and fourth degree, junior master, Rice said.

Rice also had to submit a resume. Tae Kwon Do is what Rice does full time now.

“I’m retired actually,” he said.

Rice worked at Curries in Mason City before retiring from there in 2007.

“A long time ago we used to have 50 to 60 students in here,” Rice said.

Since then his class sizes have become smaller, but the lessons remain the same. Rice doesn’t compete in competitions anymore, though he has the trophies to show that he did.

Tae Kwon Do is a source of confidence for Rice and that rubs off on his students. Rice had one student from Greene that was very bashful and shy, he said.

“His mother had to walk him up to the school almost pulling him,” Rice said.

The student started with Rice’s program and went on to receive his black belt and got first place in the junior olympics, he said.

“His mother said, ‘I can’t keep him home he’s all over town,’ he became such an out going individual,” Rice said. “That’s what I like to see.”

Rice likes teaching people of all ages, including adults.

Lexi Redeker, 15, is Rice’s assistant instructor, and has been a student of his since she was 6 years old.

“He just gave me the position a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve been teaching since I’ve been a red belt.” Redeker said.

Redeker got her black belt when she was 12 years old.

“I like how it teaches you respect,” Redeker said. “Never give up, its like the main thing in Tae Kwon Do, alway keep trying.”

‘Never giving up’ holds a special meaning for Redeker. She wanted to quit Tae Kwon Do when she was a yellow belt because of how difficult it was, she said.

“He kept telling me ‘you can do it, I can see you being a black belt,’” Redeker said. “Here I am today.”

During class Rice has a different demeanor than speaking to him out in the world.

While explaining moves and exercises to his students he speaks calmly and succinctly, explaining in detail how to execute strikes.

His voice changes its tone once it comes to time to execute, he shouts.

Rice’s class all responds in military unison.

Rice teaches Tae Kwon Do Tuesdays and Thursdays in Charles City and Mason City alternatively. His classes begin at 6 p.m. and go until 7 p.m.

 

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