October Testing and News

Dr. Dwight Stevens, Stephen Decker, Ashley Bloch, Thomas Lima, Aaron Zehner, Jim Lowe, Katie Lima                         New bo dan John Paul Bunn was not available for the photo.

More than 80 taekwondo students tested for new ranks at the YMCA recently as friends and family watched intently.  Seven martial artists achieved black belt level or advanced as black belts.  James Lowe earned the rank of sixth degree black belt after demonstrating ji-tae and breaking 6 boards, two with speed hook kicks, two with speed punches and dedicated the final two breaks, an elbow strike and a pursuing speed side kick one of his young students, who died recently.  Lowe also spoke about and demonstrated effective self-defense moves, the topic of the paper which will be submitted to the Kukkiwon in Seoul, South Korea.  Sixth dan black belts are addressed as senior master.

Stephen Decker, instructor for the Stevens Taekwondo schools at the South Wood County and Wausau YMCAs advanced to fourth degree black belt in his testing.  He demonstrated advanced kick and sparring techniques, the pyongwon form and then broke four concrete slabs with a palm heel strike.  Decker also spoke about and demonstrated the proper techniques for falling   His promotion entitles him to be called master.

Ashley Bloch  moved up to third degree black belt with her performance of the taebek form, and demonstration of advanced kick combinations and sparring.  Bloch snapped her board with a spinning hook speed break.

Attaining second degree black belt level,  Aaron Zehner and Thomas Lima demonstrated the keumgang form plus advanced skills in sparring and kick combinations.  Lima smashed his two-inch board with a back spinning side kick, while Zehner broke three boards in succession using a tornado roundhouse, an elbow strike and a back spinning side kick.

Katie Lima and John Paul Bunn joined the black belt ranks as deputy black belts following their performance of kick combinations, sparring and five taegeuk forms.  Lima broke her board with a 360spinning sidekick.  Ten-year-old Bunn snapped his board with a spinning side kick. 

Two students were recognized for excellence in the color belt testing.  New blue belt Antony Van Tiem won a first  place trophy and high green belt Tanner Rogers took second place.  (Photo posted separately)

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens, director and founder of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy network of schools, judged the students, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich and visiting master James Lowe of Oak Creek. 


UP-COMING EVENTS

October 27:  Waupaca Taekwondo Championships, in Waupaca.  Information at www.waupacataekwondo.com

November 3:  Central Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships, at Pacelli High School in Stevens Point.  Information from WisconsinTKD@gmail.com

Etiquette note:  Remember that students should get permission from their instructor before participating in any event or seminar outside their school.

December 8:  Black Belt Christmas Party at Boston School Forest, Stevens Point.  Contact Master Hilde at henkelfm@wctc.net for information.

NEWS

Senior masters Mark, Hilde and John Henkel were invited to assist Grandmaster Jerry Kidd judging at a black belt testing at J. P. Wood Martial Art America in Palatine IL.  The range of skills was impressive and the self-defense portion very interesting.

Martial artists of all belt levels attended a free sparring seminar in  Waupaca recently.  Forty five students, including several from the Stevens Taekwondo Academy schools and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program worked on agility training, combinations, partner drills and sparring rules.  The seminar was taught by  Rebecca and Dar Peterson of Waupaca Taekwondo Academy and Stephen Decker, taekwondo instructor at both South Wood County YMCA and Wausau YMCA.

Senior Master James Henkel, his wife Kayme and new big sister Rhiannon welcomed Rowan Emilie Henkel to their family early in October.  All are sleep-deprived but doing fine.New bo dan black belt John Paul Bunn not available for photo