STA August 21017

In a sizzling summer finale, six martial artists earned new black belts in testings held at the YMCA and Stevens Taekwondo Academy: A New Way of Life recently.

Benjamin Goodberlet earned a fourth degree black belt and the title of master in his testing which included a duo of impressive jumping 360 side kicks breaking one and two boards, and a presentation contrasting the techniques of tai chi and taekwondo.  Goodberlet also performed advanced combinations, sparring and the pyungwon form.

Jeremy Kunst, Andrew Bowling and Isaac Witt achieved third degree black belt with their demonstration of  the taebek form, advanced sparring and advanced kick combinations.   The three also succeeded in a speed board break, using a spinning hook kick.

Alicia Rucker advanced to full black belt status after a rigorous testing which included                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         her demonstration of koryo and four taegeuk forms, advanced kick combinations and sparring and then an oral exam on the tenets and history of taekwondo.  She also snapped a board with a sharp spinning side kick.

Joining the ranks of black belt as a deputy black belt, Johanna Gebeau  broke her board with a spinning side kick, performed five taegeuk forms, and also demonstrated advanced kicks, and sparring skills.

A dozen color belts also were promoted, all demonstrating that their summer of training had improved skills and borne fruit.

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens judged the testings,  assisted senior masters Mark Henkel, Bill Dragolovich and Karen Johnson.

Scheduling note for YMCA classes:  Classes for August 29 & 31 will be held in the All Purpose Room (due to refinishing of gym floor)

Tell Your Friends:  "Try Taekwondo Free" will be run for the first two nights of the next session starting September 12 & 14.  If you have friends or relatives interested, this is their chance to try it out!

 Black Belt News

Senior masters Mark and Hilde Henkel led mini-intro classes at three different YMCA summer camps, where the children were very enthusiastic.

Master Dan Zierke appeared in the summer 2017 Provision Partner's Connection, with an article about soil testing benefits.

 

June 2017 Testing, Schedule Change and other News

Ethan Cowart with instructors Karen Johnson and Dwight Stevens

 Kicking off Summer

Eleven-year-old Ethan Cowart started his summer by earning his deputy black belt in testing recently at the Stevens Point YMCA.  Cowart demonstrated 5 taegeuk forms, advanced kick combinations and his sparring skills.  He also broke a board with a back spinning sidekick.

Other taekwondo students from Stevens Taekwondo Academy also tested successfully for color belt promotion.  Elizabeth Murray won the first place trophy and high yellow belt Kaleb Bicknase earned second place .  The trophies are awarded for excellence in the testing.

Kaleb Bicknase and Elizabeth Murray

Grand master Dwight Stevens was assisted in the judging by senior masters Mark Henkel and Karen Johnson.  She is the owner and master instructor of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy:  a New Way of Life on Isadore Street.

 

Changes in Schedule

Dr. Stevens has announced two changes to the year's schedule:

The August promotion testing will be conducted on August 10, starting at 7:30 p.m.

There will be a two week break after the last class, on October 19, of the first fall session: the second fall session will begin on November 7, and end December 14. 

Black Belt News

Former assistant instructor senior master James Henkel visited in June and brought his young children to class.  The third generation of Henkels is learning kicks.

Any visiting black belts are welcome to stop by evening workouts, or send news of their training, jobs or family to Master Hilde Henkel, henkelfm@wctc.net

Scheduling Change, please note

This fall, due to Halloween falling on a Tuesday, the break between Fall Session 1 and 2 will be TWO WEEKS.  This means that the Fall Session 2 will begin on November 7 and run until December 14, not as previously published.  Please let folks know about this change!

April 2017 Testing and News

Twenty- five martial artists earned higher rank in the April  promotion testing at the Stevens Point YMCA, with four taekwondo students achieving black belt levels.

Luke McChrystal earned his third degree black belt with a sharp performance of the taebek form and demonstrating advanced kicks and sparring skills.  McChrystal snapped a board easily on the first try with a speed break using a back spinning hook kick.

Jessica Tomaszewski and mother-son duo Carrie and Gavin Murray achieved deputy black belt level with their demonstration of kicks, five taebek forms and advanced sparring.  Tomaszewski persisted in her efforts even after an injury delay and broke a board with a back spinning side kick.  Carrie Murray used an inside crescent, back spinning side kick to shatter her board on the first attempt.  Gavin Murray chose a challenging jumping back spinning hook kick for his board break, held by his father, third degree black belt Dan Murray Jr..

Michael Buchkowski, owner and master instructor at North Star Taekwondo Academy in Wausau, wowed the audience with his demonstration of a palm heel break of six concrete patio blocks.

Three taekwondo students took home trophies for excellence in testing.  Father-son duo Bill and Nathan Gerbode, both new yellow belts, won the first and second place trophies respectively.  High yellow belt Owen Yach earned third place.

Master instructor Dwight Stevens, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Ron Locascio, judged the students from the YMCA Stevens Taekwondo Academy and Stevens Taekwondo Academy A New Way of Life.  Visiting masters Jerry Hajewski and Shawn Strunsee of the Milwaukee area also assisted.

Black Belt News

Third dan black belt John Paul Bunn was honored as the Volunteer of the Year by the Stevens Point YMCA recently.  Bunn clocked more than 160 hours of volunteer work in 2016.

Senior masters Mark and Hilde Henkel distributed information about the Stevens Taekwondo Academy taekwondo program at the YMCA Community Family Fair recently and are available for similar activities to publicize the program.  Many of the visitors at the table did not know that the YMCA had taekwondo classes, but a few of the parents mentioned attending when they were students---and were invited to return. 

February 2017

Cabrini Brandl, Dan Murray, Dr. Stevens

Skill, focus and effort led to success at Stevens Point YMCA recently when taekwondo students tested for new belt ranks.

Two martial artists achieved new black belt rankings.  Dan Murray Jr. earned his third degree black belt with  his demonstration of advanced kicks, sparring and the taebek form.  He broke a board with a back spinning hook speed break. 

Killean McGuire, Landon Bicknase, Caden Yetka, Dr. Stevens

Cabrini Brandl joined the black belt ranks as a deputy black belt with her performance of  five taegeuk forms, advanced sparring and kicks.  She used a working step back spinning side kick for her board break.

Three of the color belt candidates were awarded trophies for excellence in testing.  Green belt Caden Yetka won first place, yellow belt Landon Bicknase earned second place and yellow belt Killean McGuire took home the third place trophy.

Dwight Stevens, grandmaster of Stevens Taekwondo Academy, judged the testing, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel, Bill Dragolovich and Ron Locascio.

Schedule Reminder for YMCA classes:  

Winter Session II began February 21.  There is a spring break scheduled so NO classes on March 21 and 23.  The session ends April 6 with belt promotion testing on April 9 beginning at 12:30 pm.

No classes April 11 and 13

Spring Session begins April 18 and ends May 25.