Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Grasmere.
Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began my martial arts journey back in 1999. Movement had always been a big part of my life, having done Ballet from age 5- 18, and training in several styles of dance afterwards. Shortly after moving to Western Mass in 1998, and inspired by movies like Fist of Legend, the Matrix, and Star Wars, I became interested in trying something new. I tried kung fu classes at a Kung Fu school in Easthampton, MA. I was hooked from day one.
The first style I learned was Wah Lum, and after a year or so, I began assisting my Sifu (Kung Fu teacher) by teaching kids and adults. I earned my 2nd-degree black sash in Wah Lum. A few years later, I had the opportunity to start training with my current teacher, Sifu Lisandro Vega, and have been focused on the arts of Shaolin Long Fist, Eagle Claw, and Chen Tai Chi.
I found that I love teaching and helping to guide students along their own journey. In 2007, at my Sifu’s request, I took on ownership of the school and have never looked back. Today, our school is run through a collaboration between myself and my “Kung Fu brothers—3 black belts who I’ve trained with for over a decade. We also have a team of young leaders- teenage assistant instructors.
Though I have been running the school for over a decade, and recently earned my 3rd-degree black belt, I am still very much a student. Humility, and being willing to expand your knowledge and understanding, are paramount for martial artists. You can always improve, and your understanding is ever-evolving. You learn from your students. Even the highest level masters are always seeking ways to improve themselves and be better teachers. This is something I strive for.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I wonder if anyone can honestly say they have had a completely smooth road? There are hurdles in running a small business even in the Pioneer Valley, where the community is fairly supportive of small businesses. Even in a small town like Hadley, big businesses have a strong influence. Since 2007, we have relocated the school 4 times, which is hard work, even with a lot of help from our community of students and families.
Kung Fu means “hard work” or “supreme skill through hard work, time and effort”. That principle is something you apply to anything you do. For example, you can have good parenting “kung fu”, or good “kung fu” at your vocation or craft. I’ve made mistakes and learned hard lessons. In Kung Fu and on a day to day life, it’s the struggles and challenges that sharpen us into warriors. And besides, the challenges we face are minor compared to what many people in the world face today.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Shaolin Kung Fu Center of Hadley story. Tell us more about the business.
At the Shaolin Kung Fu Center of Hadley, we specialize in teaching the arts of Shaolin Kung Fu, a form of Chinese Martial Arts. Specifically, we teach Northern long fist, and Eagle Claw styles, as well as training practical self-defense, sparring, and the internal styles of Tai Chi and Qigong. Kung Fu is a very old art. Many styles of Kung Fu can trace back hundreds of years. Eagle Claw Kung Fu traces its history as far back as the Song Dynasty of China, sometime in the 12th century CE.
As a school, we have been in operation for 13 years. We work with students from old to young and have had the honor of working with so many different people over the years. I am most proud of our students, and seeing them work hard, persevere and grow. Seeing them push past imagined boundaries to achieve what they didn’t think possible.
I am sure we are known for a number of things in our community, from the very popular performances we do throughout the area, to our long legacy, to our unique programs. But what we are best known for is the thought and care our instructors put into each student, and the sense of camaraderie in the community of students, parents and friends.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
One of our advanced teen Kung Fu students once said: “I don’t believe in luck”. She was referring to the fact that it wasn’t luck that helped her earn her black belt. We don’t succeed by chance alone. It takes action, and good timing and good instincts gleaned from experience.
Certainly, there are things that were lucky for me. I was born in a certain place at a certain time. Without the support of my teachers, my colleagues, and our Kung Fu family, our school would not have come this far. Luck is a small part of it.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1 Mill Valley Road Hadley Ma 01035
- Website: Kungfuofhadley.com
- Phone: 413-364-7734
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kungfuofhadley/
Image Credit:
Reiko Sono, Alise Wells
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