Black Belt/ Hall of Fame
What exactly does it mean to be a member of the /Black Belt/ Hall of Fame?

Since its introduction in 1968, the /Black Belt/ Hall of Fame has
become the highest public accolade that can be bestowed upon a martial
artist.

At the time of its inception, the /Black Belt/ Hall of Fame was the
only martial arts “hall of fame” in existence.

Others have surfaced since then, of course, but /Black Belt’s/ has
remained the leader in terms of stature, integrity and significance.

Since 1968, it has honored more than 200 gifted and devoted
individuals for their artistry, technical skill, competitive
achievement and ambassadorial longevity.

Alumni of this prestigious and exclusive club have toiled for years to
preserve and pass along the history, techniques and nuances of their
particular arts.

The few who are selected each year for the /Black Belt/ Hall of Fame
are chosen for their positive impact—not only on the martial arts
community, but on the world at large.

“Space limitations prevent us from listing every event at which Ross took top honors. Suffice it to say that she’s been the grand champion at every major tournament in North America,”

COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
BECCA ROSS
What do you get when you take a 4-year-old girl, school her in wing chun kung fu, taekwondo,
kenpo and hapkido, and then, when the time is right, turn her loose on the tournament circuit? Well, it all depends on her motivation. If her heart isn’t into it, she probably won’t go far. But if she’s training because she loves the martial arts and is driven to succeed, you just might wind up with one Becca Ross.
Ross, now 19, was raised in New York, where, under the tutelage of Chai Hillman, she was a standout at local tournaments almost from the get-go. In 1998 she moved to Boca Raton, Florida, and began working out with Lauren Kearney, an authority on weapons and forms. Three years down the road, Ross started to shine nationally—first in the sparring divisions she was accustomed to and later in traditional, creative and musical forms and weapons, making her a force to contend with in all three competitive categories. She continued her winning ways throughout the 2000s, polishing her presentation and honing her skills as she neared adulthood.
Space limitations prevent us from listing every event at which Ross took top honors. Suffice it to say that she’s been the grand champion at every major tournament in North America, including the Battle of Atlanta, U.S. Open, Compete Nationals, Diamond Nationals, AKA Blue Grass Grand Nationals, Ocean State Nationals, U.S. Capitol Classics and Quebec Open. As of press time, a quick check of the NASKA Web site revealed that internationally she was ranked first in two divisions, second in four divisions and third in two more divisions.
Ross currently holds a second-degree black belt in American kenpo and a first degree in hapkido. A member of Team Full Circle, she’s perhaps best-known as an expert with the ho. She credits her martial arts training for having made her body strong, her mind sharp and her self-confidence unflappable—in the dojo, in competition and, most important, in life.
When she’s not training, teaching private lessons or conducting seminars at home and abroad, she attends Florida Gulf Coast University Whatever her career winds up being—she’s debating one as a sports attorney versus one in sports marketing and management—she says she’ll always make time to share the martial arts, and all the benefits of training in them, with the next generation.
In honor of all her accomplishments, Becca Ross is Black Belt’s 2010 Competitor of the Year.
BLACKBELTMAG.COM
DECEMBER 2010  BlACK BELT