Kim Regnitz and her eleven-year-old son Dylan Regnitz earned second-degree black belts following their demonstration of advanced kick combinations, sparring and the keumgang form. Kim smashed through a two-inch board with a back spinning sidekick, while Dylan used a working step back spinning sidekick for his standard board.
Lauren Shimulunas moved up to full first degree black belt with her successful back spinning hook speed break, sparring and kicks. Shimulunas also performed koryo and four taegeuk forms and answered all questions in an oral exam on taekwondo history, tenets and creeds.
Pamela Lake and her son Leland Lake, Max Pfeiffer, Chong Chang and twelve-year-old Ginny Neufeld joined black belt ranks as deputy black belts. this group demonstrated five taegeuk forms, sparring and kick combination skills. Pamela Lake broke her board with a butterfly kick, Leland Lake with a working step back spinning sidekick and Pfeiffer used a jumping back spinning sidekick. Chang snapped his board with a back spinning hook kick and Neufeld used a working step back spinning sidekick.
More than 80 students tested for higher color belts, with three earning trophies for excellence. New high yellow belt Norman Chandler won first place, Judah Ford earned his high green belt and second place and high yellow belt Stephon Freeman took home the third place trophy.
Black belts Jill Reed, Ben Nummelin, Elizabeth Lovejoy and Hannah Lovejoy demonstrated a sharp compass-point koryo for the 200 people present for the testing. Grandmaster Dwight Stevens judged the event, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.
Black Belt News
MASTERS SEMINAR coming June 12! Mark your calendars and check back for more information soon. Grandmaster Robert Stevens will be teaching a half-day seminar for taekwondo masters (and those who anticipate testing for fourth dan during 2010). This will be the Saturday before the June belt promotion testing. Time, cost, location and topics will be posted when available.
Bri Tarpey tested successfully for her second dan black belt, prior to the April testing, due to scheduled knee surgery. congratulations and best wishes for a rapid recovery!
Master Kevin Klapoetke has been collecting data for his doctoral thesis at CERN, the super-collider under the mountains in Switzerland, for the past several weeks, during the historic and successful efforts in April. Note that none of the fears of black holes destroying the Earth proved to be valid.
Tournament News
Three STA students participated in the 33rd Annual Pan-American Open Taekwondo Championship, held in Rochester Minnesota April 10.
2nd dan black belt Ryan Franckowiak grabbed first place for men's black belt board breaking with his flying sidekick over a table and through three boards. He also place third in sparring. Bo dan black belt Greg Hakomaki place second in sparring. Green belt Kim Richardson won first place in forms, performing taegeuk sah jang and first in sparring, adding a second place in breaking , using a combination of a back spinning hook kick speed break, a self-held punch, and a spinning sidekick through two boards.
YMCA Taekwondo Schedule
NO CLASSES April 13 & 15
April 20 First class of spring session
May 27 Last class of spring session
NO CLASSES June 1 & 3
June 8 First class of summer session I
June 12 Masters Seminar Grandmaster Robert Stevens
June 13 Belt Promotion Testing 1 p.m. All Purpose Room
July 15 Last class of summer session I
NO CLASSES July 20 & 22
July 27 First class of summer session II
August 15 Belt Promotion Testing 1 p.m. All Purpose Room
Sept. 2 Last class of summer session II
NO CLASSES September 7 & 9
Sept. 14 First class fall session I
October 10 Belt Promotion Testing 1 p.m. Gym
October 21 Last class of fall session I
NO CLASSES October 26 & 28
Nov. 2 First class of fall session II
December 9 Last class of fall session II
December 11 Black Belt Christmas party
December 12 Belt Promotion Testing 1 p.m. Gym
