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Meet the DesJardins Family!

Dear Grand Master Hafner,

My twin kids started Tae Kwon Do two years ago while I was working in Boston.  I wanted them to develop physically and mentally, to acquire self control, discipline and a sense of confidence, to be ready for whatever came their way and to learn to adapt to different life situations. Tae Kwon Do was the perfect martial art to teach these skills.  When we moved to Ann Arbor, Keith Hafner’s Karate was obviously the best Tae Kwon Do school around for kids and they joined immediately.

At the same time, I was facing the biggest challenge in my career so far, that of becoming a tenured university professor.  I knew this would be an arduous task and I knew I needed strong discipline, self-control, mental and physical focus, a sense of confidence, and to adapt to anything that would come in my way during my journey toward tenure.  What I needed was to develop the same attributes that I wanted my kids to develop when I made them start Tae Kwon Do.  So I asked myself, why not Tae Kwon Do for me, too?

I started looking for Tae Kwon Do schools for adults in Ann Arbor.  During one of the class session with my kids, I was impressed by several of the instructors.  Their positive attitude and general outlook toward life and Martial Arts impressed me, and I wanted them to become my instructors.  So I registered and started training at Keith Hafner’s three months after my kids started, and so did my wife.

Keith Hafner’s Karate has helped me in my life and work.  It has made me regain some control over my aging and out of shape body.  My flexibility, attitude and ability to perform different activities is continuously improving.

By being physically fitter and more focused, this has helped me stay awake during conferences and meetings, something I had not been able to do for years.  It has also given me the discipline I need to achieve that distant goal of making tenure.  It has taught me that I can do anything if I put enough effort into it, and I have learned to adapt very well to every situation I have faced.  Overall it has been a very positive experience for me.

I plan to become a Tae Kwon Do Black Belt in three years.  Although I still have a long way to go, and still need to improve my flexibility and coordination, the positive attitude I have developed will make me overcome every hurdle toward that goal.

Benoit Desjardins, MD, PhD
University of Michigan