Martial artists ranging from beginning white belts to master level black belts tested at the YMCA recently. More than fifty students from Stevens Taekwondo Academy schools at the YMCA, Stevens Point and Sun Prairie and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo classes earned new ranks.
Dr. Ron Locascio earned fifth degree black belt ranking. Locascio performed the advanced sipjin form and then captured the attention of every student, black belt and spectator as he gave his oral presentation. Locascio spoke of how the taekwondo training his family had gained at the school had recently allowed his son to react and survive a life-threatening situation.
Advancing to third degree black belt, Kevin Konopacky performed advanced kick combinations and the taebek form before snapping a free-standing board with a blind back spinning knife hand.
Eight-year-old Arrington Polman earned his first degree black belt, demonstrating both skill and poise. He performed koryo and four taegeuk forms and then sparred and answered an extensive oral examination on taekwondo training, history and tenets. Arrington broke his board with a working step 360-degree side kick.
Joining her brother in the black belt ranks, Annika Polman achieved deputy black belt level. She performed rigorous kick combinations and five taegeuk forms, sparred and broke her board with a back spinning side kick.
Three of the color belt students received trophies for excellence at the testing. High green belt Thomas Lima won the first place trophy, high green belt Allison McLeod took second place and high red belt Ginny Neufeld was awarded third place.
Students attending had trained at YMCA, Stevens Point and Sun Prairie school of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program. They were judged by Grandmaster Dwight Stevens and masters Mark Henkel, Peter Chan of Milwaukee, Bill Dragolovich and Vern Lovejoy
Dr. Ron Locascio earned fifth degree black belt ranking. Locascio performed the advanced sipjin form and then captured the attention of every student, black belt and spectator as he gave his oral presentation. Locascio spoke of how the taekwondo training his family had gained at the school had recently allowed his son to react and survive a life-threatening situation.
Advancing to third degree black belt, Kevin Konopacky performed advanced kick combinations and the taebek form before snapping a free-standing board with a blind back spinning knife hand.
Eight-year-old Arrington Polman earned his first degree black belt, demonstrating both skill and poise. He performed koryo and four taegeuk forms and then sparred and answered an extensive oral examination on taekwondo training, history and tenets. Arrington broke his board with a working step 360-degree side kick.
Joining her brother in the black belt ranks, Annika Polman achieved deputy black belt level. She performed rigorous kick combinations and five taegeuk forms, sparred and broke her board with a back spinning side kick.
Three of the color belt students received trophies for excellence at the testing. High green belt Thomas Lima won the first place trophy, high green belt Allison McLeod took second place and high red belt Ginny Neufeld was awarded third place.Students attending had trained at YMCA, Stevens Point and Sun Prairie school of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program. They were judged by Grandmaster Dwight Stevens and masters Mark Henkel, Peter Chan of Milwaukee, Bill Dragolovich and Vern Lovejoy
