April 2014 Testing and Activities.

Amanda Salm, Gabe Hurrish and Zach Ulrich

More than seventy taekwondo students from Stevens Taekwondo Academy and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program tested successfully for higher belts recently at the Stevens Point YMCA.  Nine martial artists reached new black belt ranks.

Benjamin Goodberlet earned a third degree black belt with crisp demonstrations of the taebek form, advanced sparring skills and kick combinations.  He easily snapped his board  using a back spinning side kick for his speed break.

Shelby Finnessy and John Paul Bunn reached second degree black belt following their performance of the keumgang form, sparring and kick combinations.  Finnessy cracked her two-inch board with her first attempt, using a back spinning side kick.  Bunn broke two boards with a back spinning side kick.

Brian Burns, Tammy Weiss, Jake Kujawa, and ten-year-old Shruti Subramanian achieved full, first degree black belt ranking with their performances of koryo and 4 taegeuk forms, advanced sparring and kick combinations and passing an oral examination on the history, terminology, forms and creeds of taekwondo.  Burns used a back spinning side kick to break his board and Weiss broke with a butterfly kick.  Kujawa smashed his board with a back jumping side kick and Subramanian snapped her board with a crisp back spinning side kick.

Moving into black belt ranks as deputy black belts, Tanner Rogers, Smantha Brunner and Andrew Bowling demonstrated sparring, kicks and five taegeuk forms.  Rogers jumped over two chairs in a flying side kick to break his board, Brunner used an autobahn to break her board and Bowling snapped his board using a working crescent kick to back spinning side kick.

Three of the more than sixty color belt students received trophies for excellence in testing. Green belt Zach Ulrich won first place, blue belt Gabe Hurrish earned second place and yellow belt Amanda Salm took home the third place trophy.  The testing was judged by Grandmaster Dwight Stevens, assisted by  senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.
Two special training events occurred in April.  Senor masters Hilde Henkel and Karen Johnson taught a free introduction to self defense for forty UW-Stevens Point students, sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center.  Grandmaster Dwight Stevens and senior master Mark Henkel  gave a free seminar on board breaking at the Five Rings Taekwondo School in Wausau.


Scheduling reminder:

The YMCA classes resume with a new session on April 22.
The next testing date if June 15, 2014.

Senior Master Mark Henkel teaching breaking

February Testing and Winter Activities

New black belts and their instructors

Michael Detert, Chris Cleworth, Breeann Hartle

Becky Peterson holds for  student, Sr. Master Henkel demonstrates

 Sharply executed board breaking, crisp form demonstrations and family shared training highlighted the taekwondo testing at the Stevens Point YMCA recently.  Fifty students from Stevens Taekwondo Academy, the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program and Waupaca Taekwondo earned new ranks during the event.

Caleb Siewert earned his second degree black belt with an excellent demonstration of the Keumgang form and advanced sparring skills.  He smashed two boards on first execution of a jump spinning side kick.

Cally Baroni, Kirsten Peterson and Alex Dremel achieved full first degree black belt testing in extensive testing which included advanced kick combinations, sparring and demonstration of koryo and five taegeuk forms.  The trio successfully answered oral examination on the history of taekwondo, tenets and terms, specifics of forms and the meaning of symbols.  Baroni, sponsored by Mark Regnitz, broke her board with a flying side kick.  Peterson, sponsored by her mother and instructor Becky Peterson, snapped her board with a head high switching front kick. Dremel, sponsored by instructor Dar Peterson, used a switching high front kick for his board break.

Family-shared training was also evident in those testing successfully for deputy black belt.  Lydia Miller and her mother Jill Miller, Mitchell Starry and his mother Donna Starry, Austin Skalecki and Mike Molden demonstrated sparring, kick combination and five taegeuk forms.  Lydia and Jill Miller both used working step back spinning side kicks to easily snap their boards.  Donna Starry broke her board with a working step back spinning side kick and Mitchell Starry cracked his board on his first execution of a jump spinning side kick.  Molden used a jump spinning side kick for his quick, clean board break and Skalecki smashed his board into three pieces with a jump spinning side kick.

Three martial arts students earned trophies for excellence in testing.  Blue belt Michael Detert won first place, green belt Christopher Cleworth earned second place and young Breeann Hartle, high yellow belt, took home the third place trophy.

The testing was judged by Grand Master Dwight Stevens, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.

Other Taekwondo Activities

Senior Master Mark Henkel, introduced by Grandmaster Stevens, taught a seminar on “Breaking Successfully” recently at Waupaca Taekwondo, hosted by Becky and Dar Peterson.

Henkel discussed the correct application of force and technique to permit breaking of boards and other objects, and demonstrated how it is done successfully. Participants practiced the techniques and experienced the result of incorrect technique intentionally done for demonstration purposes, with the correct techniques demonstrated and practiced for various breaks.

2014 Class and Testing Schedule

2014 Stevens Taekwondo YMCA Schedule

Regular Stevens Taekwondo Academy classes run in six-week sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7 and 8 p.m.  The following is the tentative schedule for the entire year.  Be sure to check back for any changes later in the year and check with the YMCA in case of inclement weather, as they do cancel classes occasionally if schools are closed.

Winter I session:  first class January 7, last class February 13

****Belt Promotion Testing:  February 9, 12:30 to 4:30 pm.

Winter II session:  first class February 25, last class April 3

*** Belt Promotion Testing  (tentative)  April 6, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

>>>>>>>>(note that there is a two-week break in April)

Spring session:  first class April 22, last class May 29

Summer session I:  first class June 10, last class July 17

****Belt Promotion Testing (tentative) June 15, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. 

Summer session II:  first class July 29, last class September 4

****Belt Promotion Testing (tentative) August 10, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Fall session I :  first class September 16, last class October 23

****Belt Promotion Testing (tentative) October 12  12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Fall Session II:  first class November 4, last class December 11

****Belt Promotion Testing (tentative) December 7  12:30 – 4:30 pm

December 2013

Dr. Stevens, Konopacky, Shave, Baroni, Blaser, Misiewicz, Kujawa

Cabrini Brandl, Matt Kleine, Arthus Muschkat

 Despite frigid temperatures outside,  more than 50 martial artists warmed up the Stevens Point YMCA recently with sizzling demonstrations of kicks, forms and sparring.  Six advanced students achieved new or higher black belt levels in the Stevens Taekwondo Academy testing,

Two local men excelled as they achieved fourth degree black belt and earned the title of master.  Kevin Konopacky and Peter Shave performed the challenging, linear pyongwon form, advanced kick combinations and sparring.

Konopacky demonstrated a four-corner defense with his multiple board breaks, using a knife hand and two palm heels to break three boards before a spinning side kick through two boards.  His presentation centered on the basic teaching for beginning students, including the proper way to warm up, showing respect, blocks, kicks, and stances.  Konopacky joins his sister Jill at the master rank, and has three children and a niece who are also black belts.

Shave snapped one board with a switching high front kick and another with a spinning roundhouse kick.  Shave, assisted by Lydia Miller, demonstrated special techniques used in sport sparring, including blocking, checking and trapping in close in situations.   Shave heard his title used for the first time as the entire room wished him  “Happy birthday, Master Shave.”

Kathryn Blaser, Cally Baroni, Jacob Kujawa and Nicholas Misiewicz earned deputy black belt rank with  their demonstration of advanced kicks, sparring and five taegeuk forms.  Blaser snapped her board with a roundhouse, turn around roundhouse kick, Baroni used a jump back spinning side kick, Kujawa executed a flying sidekick and eleven-year-old Misiewicz broke with a butterfly kick.

Three trophies were also awarded for excellence in testing.  High green belt Arthur Muschkat won first place, high yellow belt Matthew Kleine placed second and high green belt Cabrini Brandl took home third place.

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens judged the testing, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.  The students tested train at the Stevens YMCA Taekwondo Academy, at Stevens Taekwondo:  A New Way of Life and at the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program.

Ready to test in brilliant winter sunshine

     

SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR DECEMBER TESTING

The December testing will take place on December 7 SATURDAY beginning promptly at NOON. 
The YMCA had a scheduling conflict for the previous scheduled date.

Two Tournaments & Many Trophies

Sparring grand champion Stephon Williams

 Stevens Taekwondo Academy students fared well at two area tournaments recently, grabbing trophies and a grand championship.

At the annual Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships held at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids, high red belt Stephon Freeman competed in the men’s black belt division, winning first place in sparring and then going on to win the grand championship in sparring.  Freeman also grabbed the third place trophy for breaking in that division, snapping boards with a jump back spinning side kick and an inside crescent back spinning side kick.

Also at the Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships,  fourth degree black belt Ryan Zorn won first place in the men’s breaking division, smashing three boards with a back spinning side kick and taking second in the mens sparring division. 

In the mini peewee division, high blue belt Andrew Bowling showed a wide range of skills, grabbing first place in forms and sparring com[petition and second in breaking, cracking boards using a butterfly kick and a back spinning side kick.

The Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships were sponsored by Park Institute—The Family Club

Five local students did very well at the Central Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships held at Waupaca Middle School, and sponsored by the Waupaca Taekwondo Academy.

Second degree black belt Isaac Williams dominated the 10-11 year-old division winning first place in forms and sparring co

One of Isaac Williams five breaks

mpetition and breaking eight boards with five different techniques to take second place in board breaking.

High red belt Jill Miller won first place in the over 40 division for forms, while daughter Lydia, also a high red belt, grabbed second place in both forms and sparring for 10-11 year-olds.

Mike Molden, red belt, earned a second place in sparring and third place in forms for 18 to 22 year-olds and Abi Glaum, red belt, took home two trophies also, a second in forms and third in sparring for the 12 to 14-year-olds.

Both tournaments were well attended with more than 100 competitors and enthusiastic audiences.

October 2013

Back row:  Dr. Stevens, Misiewicz, Lloyd, Carroll, H. Lovejoy, E. Lovejoy, Meronek, B. Weigand Front row: McChrystal, Williams, Malek, E. Weigand, R. Weigand, McCausland

Tammy Groshek and Jake Kujawa

Testing Judges and black belts question 1st dan candidates

 More than a dozen Stevens Taekwondo Academy martial artists earned new or advanced black belts in a large belt promotion testing at the Stevens Point YMCA recently.  More than 40 other students successfully advanced in the color belt ranks also.

Allen Lloyd and sisters Hannah and Elizabeth Lovejoy clearly demonstrated high-level skills in earning 4th degree black belts and the title of taekwondo masters.  The trio performed the pyongwon form, advanced kicks and techniques before an exciting display of board breaking.  Lloyd broke three boards, using a spinning hook speed kick, a speed knife hand and a front punch, before his demonstration of the han soo form.  Hannah Lovejoy smashed two boards with a 360 roundhouse and then used a back spinning hook on another board.  Hannah spoke of her 14 year journey as a martial artist, the fun of family participation and the joy of teaching the sport to others.  Elizabeth Lovejoy used a back spinning outside crescent and a back spinning side kick to cleaned snap her boards.  Her presentation focused on her enjoyment of helping younger students and implementing taekwondo characteristics of courtesy, integrity and perseverance, setting an example with her return to the sport after injury and surgery.  Elizabeth and Hannah’s father, Vern, and sisters Rebecca and Chelsea are also high ranking black belts, adding up to five Lovejoy black belts.

Twelve-year-old Isaac Williams achieved second degree black belt with his very sharp demonstration of the keumgang form, advanced sparring and kick techniques, sparring and then smashing through two boards with a back spinning side kick.

Max Malek and Ben Weigand advanced to full black belt rank with their successful test.  The duo performed advanced kick combinations, sparring,  koryo and four taegeuk forms and answered an oral exam which included the terminology, characteristics of taekwondo, forms and history.  Malek broke his board with a working step back spinning side kick, and Weigand used a back spinning side kick.

Jonathan Carroll, Thomas Meronek, Erald Weigand, Benjamin Misiewicz, Rommel Weigand, Connor McCausland and Luke McChrystal achieved deputy black belt rank with  their performance of advanced sparring skills, kick combinations and five taegeuk forms.  Carroll and Meronek used a back spinning side kick for their board breaks,  while Erald Weigand halved his board with a jump turning axe kick. Misiewicz broke a board with a working step back spinning side kick, and Rommel Weigand snapped his board with a switching front kick.  McCausland and McChrystal broke using back spinning side kicks.

Two trophies were awarded for excellence in testing.  High red belt Jake Kujawa won first place and yellow belt Tammy Groshek earned second.  The testing was judged by Grand master Dwight Stevens, assisted by father-son duo senior masters Mark and Jim Henkel.

Tournament news will be posted later...so check back for updates.