Life's A Kick :
Passmore's Self Defense Teaches Karate with a Message

by Samuel & Kim Torres

Living in Robinson, we have the luxury of a low crime rate, so self-defense isn’t something that’s on the top of the list for most people. But it may be something to consider since 90% of our working population commutes to jobs outside of Robinson. Aside from that, we also shop, dine, and entertain outside of our city. I’ve even run across Robinson folk in Dallas, and have seen the “RR” sticker all over I-35 and Waco. We get around. That might be a strong argument to drive down to the Passmore’s Self Defense studio on the corner of Chado and Hwy 77 and pick up a few moves.

The studio teaches all ages and is taught in a Christian environment. You’ll find a range of students from the most experienced black belt to the novice, so fitting in isn’t a problem. Owner and instructor Danny Passmore knows a thing or two about self-defense. It has been part of his life since he was an eager Waco teenager wanting to be like martial arts legend, Bruce Lee. “I remember watching the Chinese Connection at the Joy Drive-In, and I really liked the idea of the underdog coming out on top,” says Danny. Now at 53, he has over 37 years of experience. He is an eighth-degree black belt and a grandmaster instructor in American Street Karate. Danny is also a publisher, founder of several non-profits, father, husband, and a Christian. The last of which, he gives credit to for changing and saving his life.

It was the late 70s and Danny found himself at a very low point in his life. He was fresh out of the military and having trouble keeping a job. He was drifting, trying to get help from the Veterans Administration for injuries he sustained from years as a NATO bodyguard for U.S. and British diplomats. “Your body can only take so much physical abuse before it starts giving out,” says Danny. Just sitting for an extended period of time was painful, so he would eventually be unable to do most jobs. The physical abuse he placed on his body over the years soon turned to another form of abuse. He began relying on drugs and alcohol to help alleviate the pain of his injuries. “I am not proud of that, but it is my story, and how I got to the place I am now.” It was during this time that Danny sought a higher power’s guidance to help him. “I asked God for help, and I turned my life over to him,” says Danny. It was that act that started the change in his life.

He started teaching karate to deaf students at TSTC. One day a friend of Danny’s approached him about an individual who wanted to learn self defense. He feared being deported back to his home country of Nicaragua where a civil war was taking place. Danny agreed to teach him. He cleared out his kitchen to make space and so it began. Through word of mouth, other individuals began to hear about Danny. Soon he had a kitchen full of students. Some of the deaf students Danny taught during the day also began to join in. The kitchen became too small to accommodate everyone, so he opened a studio in Bellmead. The move would evolve to three locations in the Waco area. Eventually, the cost of keeping three studios open became expensive, and Danny began looking for one permanent location where he could focus his efforts. In 1992, he moved Passmore’s Self Defense to it’s current location—and that’s how the Robinson community got into the martial arts business.

Life seemed to be going in the right direction for Danny. His business was picking up and he met a romantic interest, Karen, at a Church singles group. “I think she started falling for me when she saw me working with children,” Danny recalls. The two began dating, then married in 2000. That was the year he became a full-time Robinson resident. A year into their marriage, Danny’s life took a major detour that found him fighting for his life. He was diagnosed with Lymphomic Cancer and the doctors did not expect him to survive. He began a radical cancer treatment, and continued his faith. “I recall lying in the hospital and thinking of the proverb-He has a heart for children I will heal him on his sick bed,” says Danny. It was that faith that Danny believes got him through those dark days and why he is teaching today. “I believe this is where God wants me to be,” he says. It is the reason he continues to be successful.

You might wonder why the Almighty would want someone to teach people how to fight, and therein lies the greatest misconception of martial arts. Don’t get me wrong—you can use martial arts to hurt someone—however, its main intent is to avoid confrontation. If confrontation is unavoidable, then martial arts training teaches you how to escape the situation. When you combine that with teaching self-respect, respect for others, discipline, and humility, you have some great life lessons. Danny feels that these life lessons can help combat society’s message of finding self-worth through material possession or through artificial means. The self-confidence students learn helps them from bowing to negative peer pressure. Danny calls it “emotional self-defense.” A beginning student usually spends the first six months learning escape moves, and how to respect others and keep a positive attitude.

This time is also a way of weeding out bullies or individuals looking to use martial arts for something other then self-defense. “Most people that are looking to use it in a negative way usually won’t last that long,” says Danny. Testing to advance into the next belt instills this philosophy. The student must first know what they have been taught, must be performing well in school and at home. Danny asks for parental input on the latter. In the end, the child advances physically, as well as emotionally. The greatest reward Danny gets is seeing his pupils excel and become productive citizens.

One of those pupils is Justin Attaway. Justin, or the “chosen one” as he jokingly referred to himself, is a second-degree Black Belt and Robinson High School senior. He was six years old when he strolled into the studio with his parents. “We wanted him to be able to protect himself against bullies and give him a little discipline,” says Justin’s father, William. He learned a lot more then what they anticipated. “Martial arts taught me to concentrate, which has helped me in school, and it’s given me self-confidence,” says Justin. It’s also been a bonding experience for father and son. William began taking lessons as a way to get in shape and be around his son. He is now a black belt himself. Another parent who sings the praise of Danny is Dinah Shaw, whose son recently started taking classes. “I came here for a birthday party, and was really impressed by the Christian emphasis and the one-on-one attention given to the children,” says Dinah. It has really made a difference with her son, Hunter, who is diagnosed with ADD-Attention Deficit Disorder, and is slightly Dyslexic. “It has helped him concentrate in school, and helps with his self-esteem,” she says.

Danny enjoys the adulation, but is quick to point out that he's not perfect. "We all need grace from God and from each other. I've been blessed with the gift of giving youth the tools they need for a successful and happy adult life."

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