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KARATE KIDS
martial arts
A local martial-arts master, with ties to celebrities, delights in the progress of special-needs student.
LIBERTY — A.E. Vea has exchanged karate moves with master martial artists Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee, but now the longtime instructor derives satisfaction watching the progress of student Ben Powell, who has cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is a motor condition described as a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous-system functions such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing and thinking.
The 13-year-old student at Volney Rogers Middle School in Youngstown has been a student of Vea’s for five years.
“We wanted Ben to be involved in something that helped his movement,” said his father, Bill Powell, of the boy’s involvement with karate at Vea’s studio at 3200 Belmont Ave. “He was a ‘preemie,’ and he has problems with his legs and balance.” In fact, Ben is scheduled for surgery March 23 to lengthen his hamstring muscle.
“He needed a physical activity to help with the tightness in his legs,” Bill Powell said. “He really took to [karate].”
Ben said. “It’s fun learning this stuff,” he said. “It’s helped my legs.”
Not wanting to be left out, Ben’s older sister, Heather, 17, a student in Youngstown Early College, also starting taking classes. Ben and Heather are working toward their black belts under Vea. She is at the brown belt level, one below black belt. Ben is a blue belt, half way to black belt.
Their mother, Nancy Powell, said she is “pleased and amazed” with how the karate classes have positively affected her children. “It’s really helped Ben with strength and flexibility,” she said. She added that it’s improved the self-esteem of both the children. “They both have more self-discipline,” she said. The family lives in Youngstown.
Vea, who opened his martial- arts studio in 1956, has mentored international and national champions and students who are mentally or physically challenged. He was introduced to martial arts in 1954 while serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. In the Northeast Air Command, 64th Air Defense Division, he gained knowledge of personal defense and weapons. After an honorable discharge, Vea studied with Edmund Parker, a senior grand master regarded as the “father of American karate.”
Vea emphasized that karate, which means “empty hands,” (no weapons) was a defensive art used by Buddhist monks.
“The natural weapons ... hands, feet, elbows ... are used,” he said.
Roundhouse kicks are Heather’s favorite moves, and she emphasized the importance of stretching before practicing. Ben said he likes to go through the practice routines. “It gets me up, and I’m not sitting around,” he said.
Vea said Heather and Ben are among the more than 40,000 students that Vea has instructed through the American International Karate Association, which he founded. The program includes American kenpo, kung-fu, tae kwon-do, Okinawan, Filipino, weapons and Tai Chi. Vea has operated 37 schools around the country at one time, but has closed or sold all but the Liberty site. And his students and studio have won more than 1,500 trophies, with a third of them as first places. The walls at the martial arts studio are covered with plaques and photos.
Vea, 72, said karate not only helps Ben’s health, it has helped Vea’s. He said he felt the physical nature of martial arts helped him survive two heart attacks.