Zenjael, I will totally cop to asserting that age does come into play here but not for quite the reasons you think.
The way your school is run, the way you have learned and trained, the way you teach ... is all you know. It is what you have known for many years and what you have grown up on. You've learned and trained to respect your elders, your teachers, you've been taught to believe in all you know, all you learn. You've been humbled and celebrated in very particular ways.
You are still, in essence, "living at home."
I believe you do lack a maturity - maturity in technique and in understanding. Even after 15 years in my current art and many years on the sidelines in Kenpo, I can learn a new technique, memorize it and probably even share it with others; that said, my understanding of that technique would be deeper if I had the curriculum and fundamental knowledge of the source style on board and it will deepen still over the course of time and with much repeated practice.
There is no reason to take offense at such a statement - even though you have all these years of experience behind you, many of them are years of childhood spent. Surely even you can't believe the average high school soccer player who has played since age 3 is on par with an adult player who has played soccer even 10 years.
Take some time with this and sit back and reflect, friend.
The way your school is run, the way you have learned and trained, the way you teach ... is all you know. It is what you have known for many years and what you have grown up on. You've learned and trained to respect your elders, your teachers, you've been taught to believe in all you know, all you learn. You've been humbled and celebrated in very particular ways.
You are still, in essence, "living at home."
I believe you do lack a maturity - maturity in technique and in understanding. Even after 15 years in my current art and many years on the sidelines in Kenpo, I can learn a new technique, memorize it and probably even share it with others; that said, my understanding of that technique would be deeper if I had the curriculum and fundamental knowledge of the source style on board and it will deepen still over the course of time and with much repeated practice.
There is no reason to take offense at such a statement - even though you have all these years of experience behind you, many of them are years of childhood spent. Surely even you can't believe the average high school soccer player who has played since age 3 is on par with an adult player who has played soccer even 10 years.
Take some time with this and sit back and reflect, friend.