Fifty dedicated taekwondo students earned new belt levels in testing Sunday at the Stevens Point YMCA. Five students of Stevens Taekwondo Academy achieved black belt levels at the testing.
Mother-daughter duo
Julie and Macey Shutter reached full first degree black belt level performing koryo and four taegeuk forms together, demonstrating sparring and kick combinations and knowledge of taekwondo tenets and meanings in an oral exam.
Julie Shutter smashed her board on first attempt with a inside crescent back spinning hook kick. Nine-year-old
Macey broke a board with a jumping back spinning side kick.
Three martial artist entered black belt ranks at the deputy or bo-dan level.
Denise Drechsler, Max Malek and Cody Olski demonstrated five taegeuk forms, kick combinations and sparring skills and each broke a board.
Drechsler used a working step back spinning side kick for her board break, ten-year-old
Olski snapped his board with a round, turnaround round back spinning hook kick and
Malek conquered his board with a working step back spinning side kick.
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| Daniel Perez, Jonathan Carroll, Moon-woo Nam |
Grandmaster Dwight Stevens awarded three trophies for testing excellence among the 45 color belts. New green belt
Daniel Perez won first place, green belt
Jonathan Carroll took second place and high green belt
Moon-woo Nam earned third place.
Stevens was assisted in judging by senior masters Mark and Hilde Henkel.
