Hair preservation motivated Adam Guy's interest in martial arts.
"I wanted to be in the military after high school but I didn't want to cut my hair," he said. "The closest thing to fighting was taking martial arts."
Guy's curly brown tresses weren't the only reason he was attracted to the sport.
The physical aspects of karate drew Guy into the combat discipline four months ago, but the mental aspect has kept him there, he said.
The North Augusta High School sophomore is certainly a thinker, said his instructor, Johnny Hughes.
"He's a sponge for material," Hughes said. "Everything I dish out he sucks in."
Guy played basketball at Stonebridge Private School in Chesapeake, Va., in the sixth grade, but after he moved to North Augusta before starting seventh grade, he didn't make the team. It was then he chose to take up karate.
"I wanted something to do, to be a part of something," he said. "You have to earn (this) sport."
Guy is learning kindai no karate, which means modern karate in Japanese. He's eager to learn.
"I love speaking different languages," Guy said. "(And) I love the aggressiveness of the style."
While attending Stonebridge he took classes in French and Latin. His favorite languages are French and German, the latter of which he found easiest to pronounce and sing.
"I listen to a lot of German music," he said, adding that he doesn't necessarily understand what it means.
Guy would rather be at the mall than the beach. At his former home in Chesapeake, the beach was 45 minutes away. But he was surrounded by malls.
"I wasn't a beach fan," he said.
He's been to the beach only four times, he said.
"I don't like getting dirty," he said. "I love shopping. I'm (probably) the only guy that loves that."
When he moved to North Augusta he started attending public school and was surprised by the quality of the education he received.
"I learned a lot more coming to a public school from a private school," he said.
Public schools do a better job of teaching math, science and history, he said.
Guy hasn't decided yet where he will go to college, but he's narrowed his career choices to either medicine or advertising. Whichever he decides to pursue, he said he will either use a lot of math, which he loves, or he will be able to draw, which he also enjoys.
Guy is diligent about his studies, earning mostly As and Bs.
"The only time he's missed my class is when he's doing homework, which I approve of," Hughes said.
Reach Lisa Kaylor at lisa.kaylor@northaugustatoday.com.
