December 2019: New Black Belts and 2020 Schedule

Martial artists from two local schools tested successfully recently, earning new belt ranks, including seven for black belt levels.  The event was greatly enhanced by the presence of Dr. Dwight Stevens, the founder and long-time instructor of Stevens Taekwondo Academy.

Carolyn Doerr, Kaleb Bicknase, Corinne Milovanovic and Isaac Bacon all earned their first degree black belts in rigorous testing, including the performance of advanced kick combinations, koryo and four taegeuk forms and advanced sparring skills.  The four then answered wide-ranging questions from head instructor Mark Henkel on the history, tenets and practice of taekwondo.  They each broke their boards with working step back spinning side kicks and were awarded their new belts on the spot.

Jeffrey Ross, Marcus Studinski and Joseph Tomaszewski earned the rank of deputy black belt (also known as bo dan) as they demonstrated advanced kicking  and sparring skills and five taegeuk forms.  Ross used an inside crescent, back spinning side kick to smash his board.  Studinski and Tomaszewski broke with back spinning side kicks.

From the color belts, Jennifer Hanlon won the trophy for testing excellence in her first testing as she slashed through her board on the first try.  The students train at Stevens Taekwondo Academy YMCA and Stevens Taekwondo A New Way of Life.  Master Mark Henkel headed the testing panel, assisted by masters Hilde Henkel, Karen Johnson and Carol Landrath.

2020 YMCA Class Schedule

 

October Taekwondo News

Local martial artists earned new belt ranks and trophies in a recent tournament and rank testings.

Second dan black belt Joanna Gebeau took home two trophies from the 39^th  Annual Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships  held in Wisconsin Rapids.  Gebeau, in her first tournament competition, placed second in the cadet black belt division for forms, performing the difficult keumgang form.  Gebeau also took second in sparring for the division, fighting hard against a very experienced opponent.  The tournament, presented by the Park Institute and Master John Chrystal, drew more than 250 competitors and spectators.

Carolyn Doerr earned her deputy black belt in a special testing held at the YMCA.  She performed five taegeuk forms and demonstrated advanced kick combinations and sparring before smashing a board with a very precise spinning side kick.

New high green belt Genevieve Hinker won the trophy for excellence in the color belt testing, which masters Mark Henkel, Hilde Henkel and Karen Johnson judged. Eight student earned higher rank belts there.

Congratulations to all the students who tested successfully--nice job!

Scheduling Note 

Please note the slightly different class schedule below for the fall II session.  The holiday break is a bit longer this year also, due to how the dates fell, but classes resume January 7 2020.

August Taekwondo News

Testing Results

Taekwondo students persevering in summer training led to belt promotion and two new black belts in testing held recently at the YMCA and Stevens Taekwondo A New Way of Life.

Zach Ulrich and Samara Poirier earned first degree black belts demonstrated multiple kick combinations and advanced sparring skills during their testing.  Both performed four taegeuk and the koryo forms and then answered questions from Master Mark Henkel on the tenets and history of taekwondo.  Ulrich shattered a board with a flying sidekick over a yard high obstacle and Poirier broke her board with a back spinning side kick.  Poirier is the third generation black belt in the Stevens Taekwondo program: her grandfather Richard Klapoetke, uncle Kevin Klapoetke, mother karen Poirier and father Mark Poirier all earned advanced black belt ranks.

From the color belts tested, Hannah Quisler earned both a yellow belt and the trophy for excellence.  The testings were judged by Master Mark Henkel assisted by masters Karen Johnson and Hilde Henkel.  The Henkel couple runs the YMCA program and Johnson the Stevens Taekwondo a New Way of Life.

Other News

The YMCA classes will be temporarily relocating for the last two weeks of this session.  Classes August 20, 22, 27 and 29th will be held in the gym while the All Purpose Room floor is completely refinished. 

The Fall I session will begin September 10 back in the APR.  Invite a friend:  the first night is always open for people to try it out before enrolling.

June 2019

Masters Mark & HIlde Henkel with black belt Malek Alksrawi

More than a dozen students of Stevens Taekwondo Academy YMCA earned promotion to higher belt ranks after a recent testing, and one student achieved a life-time ambition of a black belt.

Malec Alkasrawi attained full first dan black belt status after vigorous testing, which included sparring and advanced kick combinations, an oral exam on the history and practice of taekwondo and demonstration of  koryo and four taegeuk forms.  Alkasrawi also broke a board with a working step back spinning side kick.  He stated that it has
been

 his goal since he was 10 years old to earn a black belt.

Corinne Milovanovic earned her bo dan, deputy black belt, last night, as she returned from an injury and completed her testing, which included advanced sparring and kick combinations and performance of five taegeuk forms.  She smashed her board on the first attempt with a working step spinning side kick. 

New green belt Munir Bahar, seven years old, was awarded the trophy for excellence in testing.

The testing was judged by head instructors Mark and Hilde Henkel and Master Karen Johnson head instructor for Stevens Taekwondo:  A New Way of Life.

Other News 

This testing also marked the first time for the third

generation of the Henkel family to test as six-year-old Rowan and eight-year-old Rhiannon Henkel earned their yellow stripe as high white belts.   They happily announced they were trained by Master Dr. James Henkel.  His son, four-year-old Caleb, worked out with the white belts two nights also.