All in the family




 

 

Mason Flame has been learning how to throw kicks and punches since he was old enough to walk.

He’s following in the highly skilled footsteps of his father, Jason Flame, a black belt grandmaster and owner of Moorpark Karate & Krav Maga.

The 18-year-old was promoted to fourth-degree black belt master at a May 13 event at his dad’s karate studio. The promotion ceremony is a celebration of rank and skill, and marks an important step forward for people on their martial arts journey.

Alongside the young master was his father, who received his eighth-degree black belt.

The family’s black belts don’t stop there. Flame’s wife, Jackie, is a fourth-degree black belt and Mason’s sister, Madyson, holds second-degree status.

Mason said he’s been training since he was 2 years old.

“I was starting with the basics, really,” he said. “Throwing little kicks and punches.”

“He was in diapers, taking classes,” his father added.

CUTTING-EDGE—Mason Flame displays his sword technique during the May 13 black belt promotion at the martial arts center in Moorpark. Mason Flame earned his fourth-dan (degree) black belt. Photos by RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers

CUTTING-EDGE—Mason Flame displays his sword technique during the May 13 black belt promotion at the martial arts center in Moorpark. Mason Flame earned his fourth-dan (degree) black belt. Photos by RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers

For a father and son to achieve such high black belt rankings at their respective ages is something of a rarity, Jason Flame said. Very few 18-year-olds have been training long enough to receive a fourth-degree black belt like Mason.

According to karate lore, Jason Flame said, the only way to reach 10th degree status is when it is bestowed upon you in death. The 48-year-old is one of the top five highest-ranking people in American Tang Soo Do.

“But there are 10th-degree black belts in the world,” he said. “In our general area, there’s very few eighth- and ninth-degree black belts.”

Martial arts has been an interest of the Flame family for generations, Jason Flame said. It was his mother who encouraged him and his siblings to take classes. The 1984 “Karate Kid” movie was a big inspiration, he said, and he started his karate journey in 1985. Flame’s brother, Jacob Flame, operates his own karate studio in Newbury Park.

“My mom wanted to do karate when she was younger, but her parents told her that girls can’t do karate,” Jason Flame said. “She said that when she has kids, she would give them the opportunity to do martial arts.”

RANK AND SKILL—Grandmaster Jason Flame spars during the black belt promotion May 13 at Moorpark Karate & Krav Maga. Flame earned his eighth-dan (degree) black belt.

RANK AND SKILL—Grandmaster Jason Flame spars during the black belt promotion May 13 at Moorpark Karate & Krav Maga. Flame earned his eighth-dan (degree) black belt.

Mason, a Moorpark High School student, dabbled in other sports including football, wrestling and was on a highly competitive baseball team. But karate was a sport that he always rigorously trained in, spending hours daily doing hard workouts, teaching younger students and practicing his form, one-steps, self-defense techniques and jiu-jitsu combat skills.

“Combat is my favorite part,” he said.

More important, martial arts is where his heart and passion live.

“It’s a part of my life,” he said. “It’s the art of it, the community, and all the people I know there. It brings everything together.”

There’s no end in sight for his father either. Perhaps one day he’ll reach ninth- or 10th-degree black belt status, but in the meantime, Jason Flame will be training the next generation of karate masters and well-rounded community members.

 

 

“The physical aspect only takes you so far,” he said. “Everything else helps (students) become leaders. That’s what we want to do. We want to build people who will help others.”

Zia Zografos is on Twitter @ZiaZografos