Seisansister here with a new topic for the kombat kids of uechi-ryu. 
Are you ever afraid to spar a student that's older than you or has a higher rank? Are you ever afraid to tell your sensei that you really do not want to spar?
I used to do judo and I remember that one class- a scary black belt from another country was coming to do class for a month. I was really afraid to spar with her but I didn't tell my sensei because I was nervous she would be mean. 
I endedd up going and I didn't do my best because I was so scared of her! 
The next week, we showed up and she was there again- 
I didn't want to seem like a wimp so I went anyway. 
I kept putting up with this nervousness I had and I ended up conquering my fear. In my opinion, i think you shouldn't be afraid to tell your sensei when your scared or hurt but you also want to have fun. So get out there and go for it! Remeber: just b/c a person has a higher belt than you, they may not be better at sparring! 
You can never judge a person by their belt. 
Even if Shinjo didn't have his high rank belt on- everybody would know he's fantastic at karate when he fights. A belt is simply a tool that teachers use for tournaments and classes. A belt doesn't proove whether or not you love karate and are amazing at it or not. Any one can buy a black belt.. but what is it worth if you don't have heart or skills?
Seisansister 