Three Earn Black Belts

More than 65 students of Stevens Taekwondo Academy earned new belts, including three black belts, in the promotion testing held recently at the Stevens Point YMCA.

Matt Moore earned a second degree black belt with demonstrations of kick combinations, sparring and the keumgang form. Moore powered through a two-inch board with a jump spin side kick.

Ryan Franckowiak moved up to first degree black belt following his testing which included advance kick combinations, performance of koryo and four taegeuk forms, sparring, and a lengthy oral examination on the tenets and history of taekwondo. Franckowiak split a board with a back spinning hook kick.

Thomas Lisack entered the black belt ranks as a deputy after his performance of five taegeuk forms, kick combinations and sparring. Lisack smashed through his board on the first try with a working step back spinning side kick.

New high red belts Bryant Hedrington and Sam Smith took home the trophies for excellence in the testing

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens judged the testing, assisted by Masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich. Masters Eric Eberhardy and Shawn Strunsee, from the Milwaukee Southwest YMCA participated.

Black Belt Christmas Party

Information about the annual party will be coming to all on the active black belt list soon. Meantime, plan on December 13 in Stevens Point and please send any ideas about gifts or contributions for them to Master Karen Johnson or Master Hilde Henkel.

Black Belt News

Third dan black belt Donelle Ostrowski captured the grand championship of forms, and a four-foot-tall trophy, for a record-setting fourth year running at the Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships in Wisconsin Rapids. The event is hosted by the Park Institute and Master John Chrystal.

Masters John Henkel and Andrew Williams participated in, and survived, an ambitious six-hour taekwondo workout in Madison Wisconsin recently.

Robert Konopacky, the father of black belts Kevin Konopacky and Jill Reed, and grandfather of black belts Bethany Reed, Krysti, Kolby and Kahner Konopacky, died recently. The entire family has the sympathy of the black belt family.

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.