SOUTHWEST HARBOR — After 30 years of hard work and practice, Mike McEnroe has achieved ninth degree black belt. That’s one away from the highest rank possible in Tracy’s Karate, an organization founded in 1971 that incorporates aspects of karate, judo, jujitsu and savate (a French form of foot fighting).
When he was 27 years old, McEnroe began taking martial arts with his stepson. The child’s school had recommended it to help with an attention deficit disorder diagnosis.
“He made it two years and I’ve made it 30,” McEnroe said. “I liked the de-stress it did in me. I liked the physical contact. I didn’t have any plans on how long I was going to do it.”