Blind teen aims for karate black belt

BURTON (WJRT) -- (11/26/09) -- A black belt would be a big accomplishment for any karate student, and being blind hasn't stopped one Flint student from making that his goal.

Wesley Green is a 15-year-old sophomore at Flint Southwestern Academy and is training for his black belt. Wesley says he can see shadows, but nothing past that.

His instructor says that may actually help him excel in this sport.

Three nights a week you'll find Green in Burton at the Double Dragon Tang Soo Do. He's been practicing a Korean karate called Tang Soo Do for seven months.

"You just have to know what you're doing (and) memorize the techniques," said Green.

And that's exactly what he has done, having never actually seen what's he's doing on a recent Thursday night when he and his class were practicing one-step sparring.

Instructor Jeff Wheeler is also a Flint police officer working in the juvenile bureau. He met Green at Southwestern Academy.

"Where he excels even above sighted students is because of his memorization and attention to detail, said Wheeler. "So it's really easy to teach him."

Green is -- appropriately -- a green belt right now. Once he gets his black belt, he wants to be an instructor.

Green says he got into karate because he wanted to compete in a sport. His other love is music and he plays the drums in his high school band.

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