We asked Mr Queen Jr. some questions about his Martial Arts journey.
How did you get into Martial Arts?There was an assembly at school where the headteacher was talking about an afterschool Martial Arts class. When I got home I asked my dad if I could go but he told me he knew a better place to learn Martial Arts. I fell in love with it instantly
What do you enjoy most about Martial Arts?Sparring, definitely sparring. Whenever I’ve had a bad day, putting on my pads and sparring with Mr Queen or Mr Oldroyd always makes any negative thoughts disappear. I also love teaching and helping other with their sparring and seeing them progress.
What is your favourite Martial Art?Wado-ryu is the only Martial Art I’ve ever really dedicated myself to. I have tried other Martial Arts and Weapons which I did enjoy but Wado-ryu is definitely my favourite. One of the reasons for this although it is hard work and you have to push yourself, the feeling of accomplishment when you finally reach your goals feels amazing. The boost of relief but also happiness and joy is an amazing feeling.
What is your proudest moment in Martial Arts?It’s hard to choose between 2. The first was getting my 2nd Dan after years of training which I’m immensely proud of. The seconds is being invited on to the Certified Instructor Training program after going from teaching a few online classes for the Little Ninjas in lockdown to being trained as an instructor to get me where I am today.
What do you hope to achieve in Martial Arts in the future?I want to work towards my 3rd Dan and learn all 16 Kata’s. I also want to improve my sparring as I really enjoy this and would like to compete at a high level like my parents did.
