Rhett Kolipano and his karate master, Jeff Bateman, journeyed to Japan 10 years ago and Kolipano bought a custom-made black belt.

Kolipano wasn’t a black belt yet, even though he started training in karate 15 years before then.

On the first day Bateman opened his karate school in August 1984, Kolipano was there, literally as Bateman’s first student.

For a decade after buying the black belt in Japan, Kolipano still wasn’t able to wear it and, as is custom, Bateman kept the belt in safe keeping. Bateman brought Kolipano with him on two trips to Okinawa as well. Bateman is a master in Okinawan Karate, the oldest, original form of karate.