October Belt Promotion Testing

A record 35 white belts were among 74 testing successfully for taekwondo belt promotion Sunday at the YMCA.

Stephen Decker earned the rank of third degree black belt with his performance of the taebek form, advanced kick combinations and sparring. He snapped a board with a spinning hook speed break. Decker is the instructor for Stevens Taekwondo Academy at the South Wood County YMCA in Port Edwards.

Mother-son duo Kim Regnitz and ten-year-old Dylan Regnitz achieved full black belt status together, successfully demonstrating koryo and four taegeuk forms, advance kicking and sparring and setting a new standard for excellence in their oral examination on the history and tenets of taekwondo. Kim broke her board with a 360 sidekick, and Dylan snapped his board with a jump spin sidekick.

Katelyn Faulks joined the black belt ranks as a deputy black belt (bo dan)with her performance of five taegeuk forms, kick combinations and sparring. Faulks cleanly broke her board on the first try with a back-spinning sidekick.

Max Pfeiffer, red belt, won first place for excellence in the color belt testing. High red belt Jody Hopp earned the second place trophy with Caleb Woods, blue belt testing for the first time with Stevens Taekwondo Academy, took home the third place trophy.

Martial artists participating in the testing train at Stevens Taekwondo Academy, Stevens Taekwondo YMCA Academy, the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program, the UW-Stevens Point Taekwondo Club and the Stevens Taekwondo Academy at South Wood County YMCA. Testing masters were grandmaster Dwight Stevens and senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.

BLACK BELT NEWS

A few spots are still open in the pressure points seminar October 24. Contact Dr. Stevens for details. Morning session is for junior black belts and adult color belts; afternoon is for adult black belts and law enforcement personnel.

Steve Decker, third dan black belt, is teaching taekwondo through the South Wood County YMCA in Port Edwards. Classes are Tuesday and Thursday with beginners at 6 p.m. and advanced classes at 7 p.m., so if you or friends or family live over in that direction, contact the Y and start back to training. Second dan Mark Rustad did and watched with pride as his wife Kristi tested successfully for her high white belt.

Jill Reed was surprised by a birthday gathering at Jordon Park on October 3, arranged by her daughters Stephanie and third dan Bethany. Black belts attending included Dr. Stevens, Mark and Hilde Henkel, Kim and Justin Buehler, Karrie and Jeff Lane, Kolby and Kevin Konopacky, Bethany, Stephen Decker, Tom Lisack and Haley Sankey.

Hilde Henkel taught a self defense mini-class for the YMCA’s military family support group on October 1, ably assisted by Mark Henkel.