Four black belts from Stevens Taekwondo Academy competed very successfully at a local tournament sponsored by Master Kwa Van Vu in November.
Max Held won first place in board breaking with a spinning hook and roundhouse, plus placed third in both sparring and forms for his division.
Riely Held competed in both sparring and forms, taking third place trophies.
Second dan Mickey Held, father of Max and Riely, took seond in sparring, and third in both breaking and forms.
Stephen Decker, second dan, won first place in sparring, second in breaking and third in forms.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Large December Testing
Seventeen martial artists earned new or higher black belts in promotion testing at the Stevens Point YMCA December 9.
Husband-wife duo Justin and Kimberly Buehler, Karrie Lane, and Andrew Williams performed the pyongwon form exceptionally as they earned their fourth degree black belts and the title of Master. Justin Buehler smashed three boards with a powerful 360 spinning sidekick before he gave a presentation on the history of the black belt and the skills and attitude represented. Kimberly Buehler cleanly snapped three boards using a front, round and side kick without putting her foot down.
Her speech emphasized the importance of courtesy, respect and etiquette in the martial arts. Lane, who is Kimberly’s twin sister and pregnant, spoke about the importance of continuing to work out despite the physical limitations of pregnancy. Williams used a spinning hook speed break on his board and then talked of the value of weight training to the taekwondo student.
Five students advanced to second degree black belt after demonstrating advanced kick combinations, sparring, the keumgang form and power breaks. John Vann and Kyle Mealy broke two-inch boards with back spinning sidekicks. Eleven-year-old Soumik Biswas, Ashley Bloch and Michelle Ormond broke two one-inch boards with back spinning sidekicks.
Matthew Moore, Erin Sextonson, Matt Straub and nine-year-olds Kahner Konopacky and Rosabella Wolosek earned full first degree black belt status in extensive testing which included performing koryo and four taegeuk forms, advanced kick combinations, sparring and a thorough oral examination on the history, tenets and rules of taekwondo. Moore used a rebounding sidekick off the gym wall to break his board. Straub shattered two boards with a back spinning sidekick, while Sextonson snapped her board with a back spinning speed hook kick. Wolosek, Konopacky and Zorn broke with back spinning sidekicks.
Leopoldo Soria and Andrew Blanker achieved black belt rank as deputy black belts following their demonstration of five taegeuk forms, kick combinations, sparring and breaking with back spinning side kicks.
Eight-year-old red belt Abigail Stevens, granddaughter of master instructor Dwight Stevens and daughter of Master Robert Stevens from Denver, showed the skills of the third Stevens generation in taekwondo. She quickly snapped one board with a ridge hand and another with a round house kick.
Trophies for excellence were awarded to three students from the 60 color belts from the Stevens Taekwondo Academy, UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program and the Medical College of Wisconsin taekwondo club who were tested. Green belt Lesley Chase won first place, high red belt Kim Sherwin took second place and high green belt Jennifer Dedolph placed third.
Grandmaster Dwight Stevens was assisted in judging the testing by senior masters Robert Stevens, Denver, Mark Henkel and Henk Boese, Eau Claire, and master Bill Dragolovich.
Husband-wife duo Justin and Kimberly Buehler, Karrie Lane, and Andrew Williams performed the pyongwon form exceptionally as they earned their fourth degree black belts and the title of Master. Justin Buehler smashed three boards with a powerful 360 spinning sidekick before he gave a presentation on the history of the black belt and the skills and attitude represented. Kimberly Buehler cleanly snapped three boards using a front, round and side kick without putting her foot down.
Her speech emphasized the importance of courtesy, respect and etiquette in the martial arts. Lane, who is Kimberly’s twin sister and pregnant, spoke about the importance of continuing to work out despite the physical limitations of pregnancy. Williams used a spinning hook speed break on his board and then talked of the value of weight training to the taekwondo student.Five students advanced to second degree black belt after demonstrating advanced kick combinations, sparring, the keumgang form and power breaks. John Vann and Kyle Mealy broke two-inch boards with back spinning sidekicks. Eleven-year-old Soumik Biswas, Ashley Bloch and Michelle Ormond broke two one-inch boards with back spinning sidekicks.
Matthew Moore, Erin Sextonson, Matt Straub and nine-year-olds Kahner Konopacky and Rosabella Wolosek earned full first degree black belt status in extensive testing which included performing koryo and four taegeuk forms, advanced kick combinations, sparring and a thorough oral examination on the history, tenets and rules of taekwondo. Moore used a rebounding sidekick off the gym wall to break his board. Straub shattered two boards with a back spinning sidekick, while Sextonson snapped her board with a back spinning speed hook kick. Wolosek, Konopacky and Zorn broke with back spinning sidekicks.
Leopoldo Soria and Andrew Blanker achieved black belt rank as deputy black belts following their demonstration of five taegeuk forms, kick combinations, sparring and breaking with back spinning side kicks.
Eight-year-old red belt Abigail Stevens, granddaughter of master instructor Dwight Stevens and daughter of Master Robert Stevens from Denver, showed the skills of the third Stevens generation in taekwondo. She quickly snapped one board with a ridge hand and another with a round house kick.Trophies for excellence were awarded to three students from the 60 color belts from the Stevens Taekwondo Academy, UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program and the Medical College of Wisconsin taekwondo club who were tested. Green belt Lesley Chase won first place, high red belt Kim Sherwin took second place and high green belt Jennifer Dedolph placed third.
Grandmaster Dwight Stevens was assisted in judging the testing by senior masters Robert Stevens, Denver, Mark Henkel and Henk Boese, Eau Claire, and master Bill Dragolovich.
Black Belt of the Year
Dan Zierke, third degree black belt, was honored by the Stevens Taekwondo YMCA Academy as the Outstanding Black Belt of 2007 at the December testing. Zierke, of Olsens Crop Service, has trained at the academy since January 2001.
Zierke was nominated for the award by fellow black belts who cited his contributions in teaching and noted his many areas of community and youth sports as a coach for Portage County Youth Soccer, as coach at YMCA flag football and indoor soccer, and as assistant scoutmaster.
The annual award, a memorial to black belt M. J. Attoe, who died in a 1994 car accident, was presented by Joyce Kavalauskas, Attoe’s mother.
Zierke was nominated for the award by fellow black belts who cited his contributions in teaching and noted his many areas of community and youth sports as a coach for Portage County Youth Soccer, as coach at YMCA flag football and indoor soccer, and as assistant scoutmaster.
The annual award, a memorial to black belt M. J. Attoe, who died in a 1994 car accident, was presented by Joyce Kavalauskas, Attoe’s mother.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
October Testing of 18 Black Belts
Kicks snapped out and boards were demolished as a record 18 martial artists earned new or higher black belts in testing at the YMCA recently.
Father-daughter pair Vern and Chelsea Lovejoy advanced to the fifth degree black belt rank as they performed the sipjin form and advanced kick combinations. Vern Lovejoy spoke about creating a shock wave when breaking concrete and then wowed the crowd with a palm heel break through five concrete bricks. Chelsea Lovejoy talked about the importance of the family element and the quality time spent working out with her father and sisters. She then broke a succession of three boards with a roundhouse, a 360 roundhouse and a spinning hook kick.
Eric Eberhardy, Michael Nepper and Shawn Strunsee
earned fourth degree black belts and the title of “master” as they each shattered 4 concrete bricks with a palm heel strike. in testing which included advanced kicks demonstrations, the pyongwon form and oral presentations.
Edward Baringer moved up to third degree black belt following his demonstration of the taebek form, advanced kick and block combinations, and a switching axe kick board break.
Four students moved up to second degree black belt in impressive testing which included advanced kick combinations, sparring and the keumgang form. Stephen Decker, Mickey Held and Ben Nummelin used spinning sidekicks to smash two-inch boards, while Trisha Nepper broke a board with a skipping sidekick.
Elizabeth Lovejoy, Dan Majewski and Mark Stenerson joined the ranks of first degree black belts with their skills demonstrations in board breaking, sparring and performance of four taegeuk and the koryo forms. They also passed an oral examination by the high ranking black belts on the tenets, techniques and history of taekwondo.
Siblings Riley and Max Held, Jonathan DeGroot, Justin Sorenson and Ross Wieloch earned their deputy black belts with impressive board breaking, sharp kick and sparring demos and performance of five taegeuk forms.
Father-daughter pair Vern and Chelsea Lovejoy advanced to the fifth degree black belt rank as they performed the sipjin form and advanced kick combinations. Vern Lovejoy spoke about creating a shock wave when breaking concrete and then wowed the crowd with a palm heel break through five concrete bricks. Chelsea Lovejoy talked about the importance of the family element and the quality time spent working out with her father and sisters. She then broke a succession of three boards with a roundhouse, a 360 roundhouse and a spinning hook kick.
Eric Eberhardy, Michael Nepper and Shawn Strunsee
earned fourth degree black belts and the title of “master” as they each shattered 4 concrete bricks with a palm heel strike. in testing which included advanced kicks demonstrations, the pyongwon form and oral presentations.Edward Baringer moved up to third degree black belt following his demonstration of the taebek form, advanced kick and block combinations, and a switching axe kick board break.
Four students moved up to second degree black belt in impressive testing which included advanced kick combinations, sparring and the keumgang form. Stephen Decker, Mickey Held and Ben Nummelin used spinning sidekicks to smash two-inch boards, while Trisha Nepper broke a board with a skipping sidekick.
Elizabeth Lovejoy, Dan Majewski and Mark Stenerson joined the ranks of first degree black belts with their skills demonstrations in board breaking, sparring and performance of four taegeuk and the koryo forms. They also passed an oral examination by the high ranking black belts on the tenets, techniques and history of taekwondo.
Siblings Riley and Max Held, Jonathan DeGroot, Justin Sorenson and Ross Wieloch earned their deputy black belts with impressive board breaking, sharp kick and sparring demos and performance of five taegeuk forms.
The new black belts and masters
More than sixty other students tested successfully in the color belt promotion. New blue belt Charles Elliott Schofield won the first place trophy, high green belt Arrington Polnan the second place and blue belt Chase Anderson took home third. 
The Stevens Taekwondo Academy testing was judged by Grandmaster Dwight Stevens, Senior Master Mark Henkel and Master Bill Dragolovich.
>>>>>>>>>>>BLACK BELT NEWS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Details of the annual black belt Christmas party are being worked on and invitations will be mailed soon. The date is December 8, so plan to be in Stevens Point for that evening. The December testing is the following day.
Third dan Donelle Ostrowski is teaching taekwondo Monday and Wednesday at the Sun Prairie Athletic Club. Be sure to stop by or recommend her classes to any friends or relatives in the Madison area.
No YMCA taekwondo classes will be held on October 30, November 1, or December 18 through the end of the year. 2008 classes appear to begin Jan 3.
Tournament News October 07
For the third year in a row, a local black belt took the grand champion trophy home.
Third degree black belt Donelle Ostrowski won the four foot high trophy as grand champion in forms at the Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships in Wisconsin Rapids. Ostrowski also placed second in women’s black belt sparring and board breaking, where she smashed three board in succession, ending with a palm heel break as she went into the splits.
In the men’s color belt division, blue belt Ryan Franckowiak won first place in both sparring and board breaking, with a second place trophy for forms. He snapped two boards with a 360 spinning sidekick going immediately to a 360 spinning roundhouse.
Red belt Andrew Blanker grabbed first place trophies in the micro peewee sparring and breaking. Blanker broke a series of three boards using a skipping sidekick, a switching axe kick and a back spinning sidekick. He also placed second in the forms competition.
In the green belt division for micro peewees, Arrington Polman earned first place in breaking with a double break combo of a butterfly and back spinning side kicks. Polman took second place for forms and sparring in his division.
Blue belt Sam Smith won first place in his micro peewee division for breaking with a flying side kick.
The 27th annual event, hosted by Park Institute and Master John Chrystal, drew 140 competitors and many on-lookers to the Mid-State Technical College October 6.
Third degree black belt Donelle Ostrowski won the four foot high trophy as grand champion in forms at the Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships in Wisconsin Rapids. Ostrowski also placed second in women’s black belt sparring and board breaking, where she smashed three board in succession, ending with a palm heel break as she went into the splits.
In the men’s color belt division, blue belt Ryan Franckowiak won first place in both sparring and board breaking, with a second place trophy for forms. He snapped two boards with a 360 spinning sidekick going immediately to a 360 spinning roundhouse.
Red belt Andrew Blanker grabbed first place trophies in the micro peewee sparring and breaking. Blanker broke a series of three boards using a skipping sidekick, a switching axe kick and a back spinning sidekick. He also placed second in the forms competition.
In the green belt division for micro peewees, Arrington Polman earned first place in breaking with a double break combo of a butterfly and back spinning side kicks. Polman took second place for forms and sparring in his division.
Blue belt Sam Smith won first place in his micro peewee division for breaking with a flying side kick.
The 27th annual event, hosted by Park Institute and Master John Chrystal, drew 140 competitors and many on-lookers to the Mid-State Technical College October 6.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
August Taekwondo Testing
Three taekwondo students from Stevens Taekwondo Academy earned trophies for excellence during testing at the YMCA Sunday.
Green belt Birgette Morey won the first place , blue belt John Byykkonen earned second place and the third place trophy went to high yellow belt Joan Koloclziez.
More than twenty martial arts students were promoted in this testing, which was judged by Master Instructor Dwight Stevens, assisted by Dr. Matthew Ford, visiting from Cincinnati, Bill Dragolovich and Mark Henkel.
Green belt Birgette Morey won the first place , blue belt John Byykkonen earned second place and the third place trophy went to high yellow belt Joan Koloclziez.
More than twenty martial arts students were promoted in this testing, which was judged by Master Instructor Dwight Stevens, assisted by Dr. Matthew Ford, visiting from Cincinnati, Bill Dragolovich and Mark Henkel.
Black Belt News
The past two months have brought the full range of life changes for some of our black belts.
First, Alva Stevens, the 95-year-old mother of Dr. Stevens, died July 1,2007, in Altoona WI. Dr. Stevens was with her when she died.
Second, black belts Karen Klapoetke Poirier and Mark Poirier became the parents of Samara Irene Poirier on July 3.
Third, MasterNettie Daczyk's 27 year-old son Aaron died without warning , in his sleep July 4.
Fourth, Master Kevin Klapietke married Brianna Gilogly on July 7, with a large number of black belts in attendance.
Finally, black belt Dr. George Davidson married Mary Gropp on August 11. For some reason, he didn't appear at the testing the next day!
Stevens Taekwondo Academyblack belts are encouraged to send news of their activities, changes in address or jobs, or other significant events to Master Hilde Henkel.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
June 2007 Testing
Spectacular breaks and sharp forms work highlighted taekwondo testing with 14 black belts promoted at the YMCA Sunday.
Mark Henkel, Karen Johnson and Jim Henkel earned
Mark Henkel, Karen Johnson and Jim Henkel earned
their sixth degree black belts after performing the jitae form and submitting ten-page papers, and then summarizing their papers in speeches. Mark Henkel spoke on “Teaching Breaking”; Johnson on “Taekwondo: A Way of Life” and Jim Henkel on “Spirit of Eight Manners as a Leadership Guide.” Mark Henkel broke three boards in a spinning side kick. Jim Henkel used a front kick and a roundhouse kick in an aerial crossing technique to easily snap two boards.
Carol Landrath and Peter Chan achieved fifth degree black belt level with their performance of advanced kicks and combinations, the sipjin form and oral presentations on taekwondo. Landrath easily sliced through a board with a spinning side kick. Chan, of Milwaukee’s Southwest YMCA, wowed the crowd with an axe kick through four concrete slabs.
Jerry Hajewski advanced to fourth degree black belt following his demonstration of the pyongwon form and advanced kicks and combinations. Hajewski smashed two cement slabs with a knife hand.
Teri Jenkins, Meghan LaPoint and Chun Yee Wong moved up to third degree black belt level when they demonstrated advanced kicks and sparring and the taebek form. Jenkins used a working roundhouse to a back spinning hook for her speed break. LaPoint smashed two boards with a back spinning sidekick and Wong got airborne in a flying side kick, through two boards..
Fourteen-year-old Bridget Williams earned full black belt status in her successful testing. She demonstrated koryo and four taegeuk forms with great precision, sparred and broke a board with a back spinning side kick, before excelling in a lengthy oral exam with questions from more than twenty black belts.
Carol Landrath and Peter Chan achieved fifth degree black belt level with their performance of advanced kicks and combinations, the sipjin form and oral presentations on taekwondo. Landrath easily sliced through a board with a spinning side kick. Chan, of Milwaukee’s Southwest YMCA, wowed the crowd with an axe kick through four concrete slabs.
Jerry Hajewski advanced to fourth degree black belt following his demonstration of the pyongwon form and advanced kicks and combinations. Hajewski smashed two cement slabs with a knife hand.
Teri Jenkins, Meghan LaPoint and Chun Yee Wong moved up to third degree black belt level when they demonstrated advanced kicks and sparring and the taebek form. Jenkins used a working roundhouse to a back spinning hook for her speed break. LaPoint smashed two boards with a back spinning sidekick and Wong got airborne in a flying side kick, through two boards..
Fourteen-year-old Bridget Williams earned full black belt status in her successful testing. She demonstrated koryo and four taegeuk forms with great precision, sparred and broke a board with a back spinning side kick, before excelling in a lengthy oral exam with questions from more than twenty black belts.
Entering the ranks as deputy (bo dan) black belts, Matt Moore, Matthew Straub, Cavan Jones and eight-year-old Rosabella Wolosek sparred and performed five taegeuk forms. Moore broke two boards with a jumping back spinning side kic. Straub snapped a board with a knife hand and then another with a back spinning side kick. Wolosek and Jones each used a back spinning side kick to slice through their boards. 
From the color belts testing on Sunday, blue belt Christopher Clark won first place, high green belt Jocelyn Donahue took second and high red belt Leopoldo Soria placed third.
Grandmaster Dr. Dwight Stevens judged the testing, assisted by Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.
Testing Together Important
Training together and encouraging each other helped three local martial artists achieve very advanced black belt levels.
Karen Johnson and father- son duo Mark and Jim Henkel earned their sixth degree black belts Sunday after 19 years of study and practice of taekwondo at the Stevens Taekwondo Academy, instructed by Grandmaster Dwight Stevens..
Few black belts reach such a level, so having three achieve what is considered senior master level is unusual. Stevens, an eighth degree black belt, says he is “extremely proud of these successful students.”
“I don’t know of any taekwondo school where three have been promoted to sixth dan (degree) from the same school at the same testing,” says Stevens.
“My high ranking black belts are all teaching for the right reasons,” says Stevens. “It’s not about street fighting, but to make our students the best they can be.”
Over nearly two decades, the trio has traveled through many life stages, medical challenges, employment changes and educational challenges. When they all began training under Grandmaster Stevens, Jim Henkel was in fourth grade. He is now married and working on a PhD in microbiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he started a taekwondo club. Mark Henkel, an attorney with First Law Group, is now the assistant instructor for the school at the YMCA, and has sometimes struggled to fit regular workouts in with his out-of-town work. Johnson opened her own taekwondo school on Isadore Street in December 1996 and has instructed in taekwondo for UW-Stevens Point since January 2002. She has trained more than 70 black belts during that time.
Johnson says the partnership and friendship between the three over the years has been what kept them active and advancing in the sport.
Kicking Together: Mark Henkel, Karen Johnson, Jim Henkel
A continuing commitment to fitness has been a major component in the year-round training, according to Mark Henkel.
“Exercise is something we need to take care of our bodies,” says Henkel. “It’s tough to keep doing it sometimes, but it’s easier when we encourage each other to continue.”
Wearing the senior master belt doesn’t mean this three will now sit back or slow down. All were at workouts this week, continuing the journey. Jim Henkel was thinking of the future when he mused, “I’d like to be a grandmaster and have my own school, someday.”
Black Belt News
Master John Henkel, having graduated with his MS in electrical engineering from UW-Madison, has moved to Palatine IL and begun his work in research & development at Motorola.
Master Kevin Klapoetke enjoyed a bachelor paintball party in Rudolph the day before the June testing. Kevin marries Brianna Gillogly on July 7.
Second Dan Adam Berryman, who had been in charge of the UW-Platteville TKD Club, will marry Allison Dobbe June 23. The newlyweds willl move to Vermont, where Adam hopes to continue teaching and training in taekwondo.
Black Belt couple Justin and Kimberly Buehler rejoiced in the birth of their daughter, Katherine Marie on March 29. When child care works out, Kimberly has already returned to work-outs
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