jjustinmeehan
10-02-2009, 12:05 PM
Jason Meehan – A Poster Child of Taichi
www.examiner.com/x-16087-St-Louis-Tai-Chi-Examiner
Jason Meehan – A Poster Child of Taichi
September 24, 8:41 AMSt. Louis Tai Chi ExaminerViolet Li
Jason with (photo) Master Justin (center) and brother John (right)Jason Meehan is a linebacker for the Webster Groves High School Football Team. At 6’3”, he is strong and fast. Currently, the Webster Groves team is ranked first in Missouri. According to Sports Power, he had 78 tackles last year before Thanksgiving. Not content with just keeping the other team from scoring, Jason helped his own team, scoring a touchdown when his team played against Eureka High School on on Sept 11, 2009. KMOV TV in St. Louis reported this event and you see the highlight via this link.
This handsome 17-years old junior is also on the Varsity basketball team which won the State Champion last year. Even more impressive, he has won the national championship in the Taichi Push Hands tournament in 2008 and 2009.
Born to a bi-racial family, Jason is unique. He was nurtured in Taichi (Tai Chi, Taiji) when he was in his mom’s womb before he was born. Master Justin Meehan fully appreciates the health benefit that Taichi has and persuaded his wife to practice Taichi during pregnancy.
Jason on Varsity Basketball team (photo)Jason’s home is like a Chinese museum decorated with Chinese artifacts, books, and martial arts gear but set in an urban setting. Many Taichi Grandmasters have visited and even stayed at his home (including Chen Xiao Wang). By the age of three, Jason had already practiced a Chen Style short form. He continues to learn Taichi and excels. Jason’s interests for martial arts are diverse. He has studied hard style arts, including Capoeira Regional, a Brazilian martial art created and practiced by Afro-Brazilians. Jason is appreciative of his parents’ support of his sport interests. He went to San Francisco to learn from Master Zhang Xue-Xin. Two years ago, he and Justin attended a HunYuan Taichi Conference (2007) and workshop in Beijing, China. He learned directly from Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang.
When Jason was only 15, he competed the in the 10th Annual International Chinese Martial Arts Championship held in Orlando, Florida. He was fearless and defeated the defending champion who was twice his age. This year, he again competed in the adult heavyweight push-hands category again and threw his opponents out of the ring. Then, he faced his older brother John for the championship. Neither the Meehan brothers wanted to gain advantage over the other so they just kept pushing hands in a non-competitive manner. After a warning from the judges that threatened to disqualify them, John pretended to be pushed, before Jason had a chance to respond. Jason was once again crowned the champion. Even more importantly, both brothers won the respect of the judges and tournament participants for their Chinese martial (wu de) art values.
Jason is # 49 (see photo) According to Jason, the techniques he learns from Taichi help him with Football, for example how to push others with one’s Dan Tian instead of legs and arms -- see photos of the attached slide show for pushing demo. Also, playing football and lifting weights put a lot stress on his body. Taichi helps to relax and rejuvenate his body.
Many teenagers tend to conform to what their peers do and are wary of venturing into something too different. Jason is different and independent. During the sixth grade, he traveled to Brazil by himself to Bahia Brazil to learn the Brazilian martial art Capoeira with Mestre Borracha (Wellington Porto) and Professor Eusebio Lobo da Silva, Phd. When asked whether he is concerned about what his peers may think about him practicing Taichi, Jason just shrugged it off and said that he doesn’t think they know the difference between Taichi and other martial arts. He is cool being called Karate Kid by one of his coaches.
Not only does Jason have a set of impressive athletic accolades, he is no academic slouch either. With a GPA of 3.7 he has been honored at his school every year as a Scholar Athlete and a Student Leader. Jason wants to study business in college. With his stellar athletic records and good grades, he has been contacted by many universities.
Jason is very close with his father. He attends Master Meehan’s Taichi and Chi Gong (Qigong) classes on Monday and Sunday. He also helps out at Justin’s law firm. He will continue to practice Taichi even after he goes away for college. He said that it is not just because Taichi provides great health benefits but because that every time he practices Taichi, he feels close to his dad.
see also page 64 of latest (Nov - Dec 2009) Kung fu Tai Chi Magazine
www.examiner.com/x-16087-St-Louis-Tai-Chi-Examiner
Jason Meehan – A Poster Child of Taichi
September 24, 8:41 AMSt. Louis Tai Chi ExaminerViolet Li
Jason with (photo) Master Justin (center) and brother John (right)Jason Meehan is a linebacker for the Webster Groves High School Football Team. At 6’3”, he is strong and fast. Currently, the Webster Groves team is ranked first in Missouri. According to Sports Power, he had 78 tackles last year before Thanksgiving. Not content with just keeping the other team from scoring, Jason helped his own team, scoring a touchdown when his team played against Eureka High School on on Sept 11, 2009. KMOV TV in St. Louis reported this event and you see the highlight via this link.
This handsome 17-years old junior is also on the Varsity basketball team which won the State Champion last year. Even more impressive, he has won the national championship in the Taichi Push Hands tournament in 2008 and 2009.
Born to a bi-racial family, Jason is unique. He was nurtured in Taichi (Tai Chi, Taiji) when he was in his mom’s womb before he was born. Master Justin Meehan fully appreciates the health benefit that Taichi has and persuaded his wife to practice Taichi during pregnancy.
Jason on Varsity Basketball team (photo)Jason’s home is like a Chinese museum decorated with Chinese artifacts, books, and martial arts gear but set in an urban setting. Many Taichi Grandmasters have visited and even stayed at his home (including Chen Xiao Wang). By the age of three, Jason had already practiced a Chen Style short form. He continues to learn Taichi and excels. Jason’s interests for martial arts are diverse. He has studied hard style arts, including Capoeira Regional, a Brazilian martial art created and practiced by Afro-Brazilians. Jason is appreciative of his parents’ support of his sport interests. He went to San Francisco to learn from Master Zhang Xue-Xin. Two years ago, he and Justin attended a HunYuan Taichi Conference (2007) and workshop in Beijing, China. He learned directly from Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang.
When Jason was only 15, he competed the in the 10th Annual International Chinese Martial Arts Championship held in Orlando, Florida. He was fearless and defeated the defending champion who was twice his age. This year, he again competed in the adult heavyweight push-hands category again and threw his opponents out of the ring. Then, he faced his older brother John for the championship. Neither the Meehan brothers wanted to gain advantage over the other so they just kept pushing hands in a non-competitive manner. After a warning from the judges that threatened to disqualify them, John pretended to be pushed, before Jason had a chance to respond. Jason was once again crowned the champion. Even more importantly, both brothers won the respect of the judges and tournament participants for their Chinese martial (wu de) art values.
Jason is # 49 (see photo) According to Jason, the techniques he learns from Taichi help him with Football, for example how to push others with one’s Dan Tian instead of legs and arms -- see photos of the attached slide show for pushing demo. Also, playing football and lifting weights put a lot stress on his body. Taichi helps to relax and rejuvenate his body.
Many teenagers tend to conform to what their peers do and are wary of venturing into something too different. Jason is different and independent. During the sixth grade, he traveled to Brazil by himself to Bahia Brazil to learn the Brazilian martial art Capoeira with Mestre Borracha (Wellington Porto) and Professor Eusebio Lobo da Silva, Phd. When asked whether he is concerned about what his peers may think about him practicing Taichi, Jason just shrugged it off and said that he doesn’t think they know the difference between Taichi and other martial arts. He is cool being called Karate Kid by one of his coaches.
Not only does Jason have a set of impressive athletic accolades, he is no academic slouch either. With a GPA of 3.7 he has been honored at his school every year as a Scholar Athlete and a Student Leader. Jason wants to study business in college. With his stellar athletic records and good grades, he has been contacted by many universities.
Jason is very close with his father. He attends Master Meehan’s Taichi and Chi Gong (Qigong) classes on Monday and Sunday. He also helps out at Justin’s law firm. He will continue to practice Taichi even after he goes away for college. He said that it is not just because Taichi provides great health benefits but because that every time he practices Taichi, he feels close to his dad.
see also page 64 of latest (Nov - Dec 2009) Kung fu Tai Chi Magazine