The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

HE was like The Bahamas’ own Karate Kid back in the day. Brian Beckford earned a brown belt at age 15 and by age 17, he was a blackbelt champion. Today, he is a 7th degree blackbelt Shihan who has sown seeds of positivity and personal power with those who will carry the torch and take karate to the next level in The Bahamas.

Brian was 11 years old when this journey began. He was attending SC McPherson at the time. He saw some adults entering the gymnasium with karate uniforms on. Intrigued, the young student followed them. But, they told him that unless he was going to join them, he couldn’t stay and watch. He went home that day and asked his father. Brian was granted permission to explore an after school activity that would end up becoming a way of life.

Prior to this, Brian was interested in wrestling. Like many young boys back then, he would practice his moves as he watched television and imagined himself as the champion in the ring. Rick Flair was one of his favourite wrestlers - “he was flashy, inspired, motivating, and confident”.

Brian’s father took him to the Nassau Stadium on Fowler Street to see a live wrestling match. He wanted to find out if Brian would still love the sport so much after that. The Nassau Stadium, in its heyday, was home to incredible wrestling matches and a lively crowd. Brian’s dad took his eager-eyed boy to see his first live wrestling match.

“When the first blow landed, my eyes opened in amazement as the sound echoed back to Kemp Road,” he said.

“But I was discouraged after seeing sworn enemies in the ring, having drinks out front at Charlie Major Senior’s place after the match. So I said, ‘It’s fake’. I didn’t want to be a part of anything fake or rehearsed. My dad and his brothers, to this day, swear that wrestling is not fake.”

So, Brian joined karate with high hopes that this was something he could believe in. “I wanted to do Kung Fu, which was my first love,” he said.

“There was nothing fancy or pretty about karate. But I joined anyway. I thought the stage to get to all the good stuff was fast... it took forever!”

Brian’s karate teacher was a police officer and a strict disciplinarian. Brian had to sit and watch the class in the beginning, although he was eager to jump in and start practising.

“That was a lesson in itself,” Brian said.

“It taught me patience. It also taught me to study one’s moves and learn from them. You learn more out of the ring than inside it.”

The Sensei would drill Brian in the basics, the foundation of karate. “He told me that a roof cannot be pitched before the walls and the walls cannot be erected without the foundation,” Brian recalled.

“The better the foundation, the better the martial artist.”

Karate classes were four days a week for at least three hours. On Sundays, the team would meet at South Beach canal or Fort Charlotte for “gruesome training”.

“I was the only child in the class,” he said, “But that didn’t matter.

“I was seen just like any other student - they weren’t considering my age, or weight, or height. Every instruction or exercise that was given, had to be done.”

“I reached an hour before class and an hour after class, destined to keep up or surpass those I met practising martial arts before me. Once you line up, anyone standing to your right is your senior. I had a very long way to go, because there were about 35 people to my right.”

Brian began to move up the ranks as his adult classmates began dropping out because of the hard work or because of their jobs. Some missed examinations and slowly but surely, the young Brian became their senior.

“My mind was set to the top, being the youngest and furthest from the right,” he said. “Years passed and I was still consistent. I was ploughing harder than ever before. I moved up that line until there were only a few people ahead of me. I said to myself, ‘I can’t quit now’. Failure was not an option, nor was quitting. At this time, I was making a name for myself in the ring, competing against other schools.”

Brian’s path to being a karate teacher also started from the beginning: “I was always being prepared to teach. I was always given the beginners to teach them the basics.”

By the time Brian reached the level of purple belt, as a young teenager, almost all his siblings were also in the class, and they were all making a name for themselves on the circuit.

“At one point, after I attained the rank of black belt,” he said, “I became obsessed, because my next rank would be black belt.”

“That exam would be the hardest challenge in my life. I still was not an adult. But, I am going all in, getting mentally and physically prepared. I was training all day, every day. The adults had to go to work. But I was able to train at will. Sometimes I would go out in the yard and hit the boxing bag at 3 o’clock in the morning.”

Once Brian got the blackbelt, he took his training to a whole new level. He was determined to be the best blackbelt martial artist in The Bahamas. He competed in all divisions that were available at the time: Kata, weapons and fighting. He would compete in matches at the Wulff Road Theatre, the Golden Gates Theatre, and the Sunshine Twin Theatre, which was like his home base.

Brian “Da Prowler” Beckford was also making a name for himself on the international circuit. The first time he became an international blackbelt champion, he was awarded by the Florida Black Belt Association. He went on to become Florida State Champion several times.

“Back home I was most feared with not many fighters wanting to fight me and tarnish their record,” he said.

By 1987, Brian’s karate career really took off, as he gained international exposure. He was travelling three times a month, representing the Bahamas at various competitions. He was footing his own bill; he did not have a sponsor. As he succeeded on the international circuit, Brian got offers from American schools to come and teach children karate. He was offered a green card, housing, and a good salary. He was even offered a position - twice - on the USA national karate team after defeating all of their fighters in his division at the 1994 Pan Am Games.

“I taught for a while in Florida; the pay was very good,” Brian shared.

“But I quickly returned home, because my girlfriend at the time had just given birth to my second child. I told them that I missed home. So, they flew in my girlfriend and children. I stayed an extra week, then I left. I wanted to come back home to my kids and family. I also wanted to represent my country and put it on the map as a powerhouse when it comes to martial arts. I was never interested in living anywhere other than home.”

Brian cherishes his Bahamian heritage. He was born in Nassau, and he grew up between Oakes Field and Golden Gates. He spent time with family on Long Island, Andros and Exuma. No matter which Family Island he visited, church was always a big part of life. Both of his parents are educators and pastors, and so there was “always a lesson being taught” in the home. There, he grew up with his four sisters and two brothers. Brian comes from a musical family, and his mother, a Leadon before marriage, was a member of the Dixie Hummingbirds, a popular Gospel group in the late 1950s, early 1960s.

He attended Oakes Field Primary, SC McPherson, and AF Adderley Sr High. While in high school, Brian attended the Industrial Training College as a mechanic. He completed this course even before he graduated high school. He also attended the College of the Bahamas’ one year Executive Protection course while in high school, and graduated from both high school and the College course at the same time.

He first worked as a mechanic’s helper, then he moved on to Butler & Sands. He eventually went to Pompano Beach, Florida to teach for a while, before returning home. He started his own company, which offers bodyguard services, and has been contracted to provide services for some of the biggest concerts in Nassau.

Brian continued to compete internationally, winning titles in Jamaica, Trinidad, Canada and across the United States. He also continued to teach karate, and served as President of the Bahamas Martial Arts Federation for more than 20 years.

“Winning became the norm,” Brian said.

“I got bored fighting, with not many fighters elevating. The game is the same - body language or motion. Once you know how to read it, then everything should fall into place. I cannot remember how many times I have won. But, to give you some idea, at home, the front room and dining area could not accommodate all the trophies. We were storing them in the hallways, or giving some away to family members. Then I started giving away trophies that I won to kids at events or adoring fans.”

When asked about the current state of karate in the country, Brian said that there are “lots of multi-talented individuals in the discipline with much to offer” - kids and adults alike. The issue, he said, is that the sport, if you will, is underfunded.

“We had Coca-Cola from the states that sponsored us, but we were turned down by Coca-Cola here,” he said.

“There is a growing interest from the public. We are constantly being asked to compete. Internationaal fighters ask about attending events here. We need the support of the government and private institutions to assist with funding and take us to the next level.”

In the meantime, this father of five will continue pouring his love into his children, and his passion into karate, ensuring that the next generation understands the discipline, the skill, and the drive it takes to be the best at whatever they set out to do.