Rick Ross has been practicing karate for 25 years, first getting involved in Kyokushin karate (an Okinawa form) as a young lawyer in his home state of New York. There he worked with a Japanese master and through hard work and practice achieved a brown belt. When he moved to Minneapolis, Rick had to start over again, but in a relatively short period of time he obtained his black belt and then his second-degree black belt in Shorei-Ryu karate (also an Okinawa form).
While studying and competing in karate in Minnesota, Rick connected with Suzanne Wancket-Yue, an eight-time world champion and founder of Wancket’s Art of Karate. During the ‘90s, Suzanne started a karate program for kids with ADHD and other learning disabilities, which further inspired Rick. Eventually, Rick became an instructor working with kids at the karate school, which he found to be very personally rewarding.
A litigator by profession, Rick enjoys the competitive aspects of karate and competed in local and national forms competitions. He sees many similarities between karate and litigation. Says Rick: “You have to have focus, think quickly and respond to unforeseen events. Teaching karate has helped me to become a good listener, which is an under-rated attribute for an attorney, but is very helpful in negotiations and litigation. When teaching, you really have to pay attention to give the students proper coaching. By closely working with the kids in Suzanne’s program, I’ve learned to be a better listener and more perceptive. Training in karate also helps focus on specifics, while keeping an eye on the big picture. Most importantly, it’s taught me to always respect and never underestimate my adversary.”