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It all begins with a vision… My vision began in my families' living room on a hot Texas Monday night, in the summer of 1984. Monday nights at The Nolte's were set-aside for Family Time. My dad read or made up stories, my mom made refreshments, and The Nolte Kids were in charge of entertainment. My brother, three years my younger, and the only boy, might I add, had been enrolled in Karate at Al Garza's, always something with him, "Dwaine the Pain who lived in Spain" we called him. We Girls were busy with Dance, Drama, and Duran Duran Posters. But, we loved to see Dwaine the Pain in his funny little white Gi, his colorful belts, and Kung Fu shoes. Boy, did he ever think he was special.He would entertain on some evenings with his Kata's and us with our dancing, acting, or singing, the best we could anyways. But the thing everyone loved doing the most was fighting! We were tempted because Dwaine would tease us by knocking on his cup and at the same time in a General Block tap on his chin and say "C'mon, right here, right here" (tap, tap, tap). So, us girls tore into him and had a blast doing so. Therefore, Monday night entertainment turned into a Caveman version of UFC that we called "Family Fight Night". My dad would challenge us to follow the Sparring Rules, and if we kept on fouling he would enroll all of us in Karate. Well, I love a challenge, and we won the battle, but lost the war, we fouled our butts off! Then entered the Dojo for real. Those DuranDuran posters didn't look as hot as all the boys in that karate class so I was definitely in! I loved the moves, the attention to detail, the structure, the principles, the knowledge, the reverence, the fight, the respect, the recognition, the competition, the performing, the advancing, the camaraderie, the integrity, the black belt, the vision, and the passion!I was hooked, we became saturated competitions every weekend, traveling, winning trophies, jackets, making new friends, boy friends!! I began to put my karate moves into my dance moves and performing with more attitude and definitely more kick! All my friends called me The Karate Kid. My dad bet me money to go see The Karate Kid in my Gi and Belt, he was proud he said, but was going to reward me if I did. So we walked in together and I had my Kung Fu shoes on, my belt, strutting down the movie isle looking for a place to sit and all the while thinking my dad was next to me… He, was in the very back laughing, I could have kicked him!! People there called me The Karate Kid too. My Prom book predicted that after High School Renee will move to LA to join a Gang, just so she could use her Ninja skills!Regardless, I was loved even more because of karate, more accepting of others; everyone was and is my friend. Because of not only my family principles & standards but also Martial arts principles and lifestyle I was able to reach out, help others and enjoy living to do so. I was Class Sweetheart, Most Talented, Dedicated Dancer, Chaplin, and the Homecoming Queen. As a mother I felt mother to all, karate students and strangers. I have lived to help others recognize there potential, and bring out there best because I know what will happen…. greatness! Everyone loves being around great people, right?I knew while earning my first Black Belt that this is what I would be happy doing for the rest of my life. There are 1,000 stories and more where this one comes from, and more to come. The chapters in the past reveal that I never gave up, when all else may have failed, I preserved and accomplished more than most may want to try. All because I have a dynamic vision that began in 1984.
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