Monday, December 22, 2008















Outstanding Black Belt of 2008

Ben Nummelin, second degree black belt, was honored by the Stevens Taekwondo YMCA Academy as the Outstanding Black Belt of 2008 recently. Nummelin, who had wanted martial arts training for a long time, has trained at the academy since September 2004, following the recommendation of his friend Master Kevin Klapoetke.

Nummelin was nominated for the award by fellow black belts who cited his contributions in teaching and his excellence in demonstration of forms and sparring. Nummelin is a geotechnical engineer for Nummelin Testing.

The award, a memorial to black belt M. J. Attoe, who died in a 1994 car accident, was presented by Joyce Kavalauskas, Attoe’s mother.


Taekwondo students test

Four martial artists earned new or higher black belts in promotion testings at the YMCA recently.

Ten-year-old Rosabella Wolosek became the fourth member of her family to earn the rank of second-degree black belt, joining sisters Stephanie, Morgan and Elisabeth . Rosabella performed the keumgang form, demonstrated advanced sparring and kick combinations and then cleanly snapped one board with a back spinning sidekick and another with an axe kick.

Leopoldo Soria and Whitney Lotzer achieved full black belt status in extensive testing which included advanced kick combinations and sparring, performing koryo and four taegeuk forms and a lengthy oral grilling on the history, symbols and rules of taekwondo. Soria broke his board with a back spinning sidekick. Lotzer combined an inside crescent with a back spinning hook for her board break.

Entering the black belt ranks as a deputy black belt, Kimberly Verburgt sparred, demonstrated five taegeuk forms and snapped her board with a 360-back spinning sidekick.

Three of the more than sixty students testing for color belts were awarded trophies for excellence. High blue belt Russell Winkel won first place, high yellow belt Alexandria Ludwig earned second place and new yellow belt Alyssa Abel took home third place honors.










Grandmaster Dwight Stevens was assisted in judging the testing by senior master Mark Henkel and master Bill Dragolovich.










2008 Black Belt Christmas Party

This year’s Christmas party was held at the Boston School Forest lodge in Plover. The outdoor paths were lit with luminaries and the wildlife displays interested adults and children, bringing about some very interesting conversations about wolverines, fishers and wolves.

The food was again delicious and abundant. Everyone enjoyed the crackling fire and time to relax and talk.

Dr. Stevens
was surprised and pleased by the digital frame, pre-loaded with nearly 100 photos of black belts, trophy winners and other taekwondo shots, contributed by Luanna Held, Carol Landrath, Kim and Justin Buehler and Hilde Henkel. Other gifts included a entry mat with “The family that kicks together, sticks together” and a sharp U S Army insignia cap.

The piƱatas provided quite a challenge this year but indomitable spirit finished them off.

Other black belt news news:

Master Chelsea Lovejoy
missed the black belt party in favor of graduation ceremonies.

Master Kim Buehler
was perhaps the most pregnant black belt to run testing in December as she demonstrated perfect form and balance. The second daughter of masters Kim and Justin is due mid-January.