Events by Master Todd
We have a very busy year planned for Taekwon-Do.  I understand that you may not be able to attend every event.  I would suggest you use the following guide when deciding what you can attend.  First, any event that is hosted by our school should be considered a priority.  Our events are only successful with your support.  We host events to allow our students to grow in Taekwon-Do and to save you the time and financial issues of travel.  Second, plan to attend events that you must attend to become certified or recertify, for example instructor and referee courses.  If you need the qualification to be promoted then the course will be more important to you than a course that you may not need.  However, if you are certified and it's been a couple of years since you attended a course then a refresher is probably needed.  Also remember you need to attend at least one tournament per year.  We do host our annual tournament so your requirement can be met, but travel is also an important part of Taekwon-Do.  Finally with camps, tournaments and courses outside our area it gives students the opportunity to train with other instructors and share the art with other students.  All events provide opportunity for growth; there are no bad courses or events.  Simply put the more you can attend the better you will be at Taekwon-Do.  I will always strongly suggest you attend all that you can.  I became a Master Instructor and attained what I have learned by attending numerous events wherever I could except when my military schedule prevented me from attending.  I spent my vacation time, leave and money in the pursuit of Taekwon-Do.  I have never regretted any of it.  While you may not be able to follow this path, I invite you to try to attend as much as you can. 

Testing
We will have promotion testing this year in January, April, June, and October.  Mr. Bushor has tried to clarify who will test and when.  All students are considered during these promotion times.  Your attendance is typically the first step.  If the attendance requirements are not met then we usually defer your testing to the next time frame.  Then we consider your physicals skills, attitude and if you are up to date on all fees.  If you are not ready physically or your attitude isn’t ready then we will not test you.  We want you to be proud and deserve your new rank.  We are not a belt mill that promotes simply by students attending and paying for their lessons.  Finally fees must be up to date including your membership fees and tuition.  We do ask a lot of our students, but we will train you in all areas of Taekwon-Do and you will be deserving of every rank earned.

Referee & Judging
We attended the USTF Referee Course in Kirksville, Missouri on January 15th.  Master Steadman from USTF Headquarters taught the course.  He suggested that all students that work at a tournament as a referee, judge, timekeeper, and scorekeeper or in any official capacity record their hours.  He suggested student have a small book in their bag and record the date of the event, and in which capacity they worked the tournament and the number of rounds.   Example, Axe TKD tournament, May 2011, corner judge 30 rounds.  This information will be required when a student attempts to take the USTF Class B or A referee test.  From experience we can tell you it's far easier to record it at the time experienced instead of trying to remember your past performance.

Instructors Course
March 26th & 27th Axe Taekwon-Do will host the USTF Class C Instructors course.  The course was designed and is taught by Grand Master Winegar, the USTF Director of Technique.  Unlike other martial arts simply being promoted to black belt does not make you an instructor or allow you to teach.  To be considered an instructor in the USTF you must be certified.  This course will be Saturday & Sunday and will last approximately 12 hours each day with a written test at the end of the course.  We have more information online.  It is open to color belts also.  While optional for color belts, this is a mandatory course for all students at Axe Taekwon-Do that are Red Belt Black Stripe and above.  Please see Master Todd or Mr. Bushor if you have questions.

2011 USTF Maintenance Fees: 
It is time to renew your USTF memberships.  For all current members (Green Stripes and above are required to be members) that received a USTF Membership card last year, your 2011 USTF Maintenance Fee is $50.00 (same as last year).  The USTF is offering a family discount again this year:  $50.00 for the first student, $35.00 for the second, $25.00 for the third, and all other family members are FREE.  The fees are due to the USTF Headquarters by the end of March, so we are establishing February 24th as the cutoff date so all the appropriate paperwork can be completed and turned in on time.  Make your checks payable to AXE TKD.  Mr. Bushor will send one check for all memberships.

As mentioned earlier, all students Green Stripes and above must join the USTF to be able to test or participate in any USTF sponsored event (tournaments, instructor / referee / ho-sin-sul courses, etc.).  All students Green Stripes and above that are not currently members must join immediately.  The cost is $50.00 per student.  Sorry, there are no family discounts for new memberships.  If you are joining for the first time, you do not have to pay the maintenance fee until next January.

Please talk to Master Todd, Mr. Bushor, or Miss Bowing if you have any question about either the USTF Maintenance Fee or joining the USTF for the first time.

Notes from the USTF:

To:      USTF Officials and Instructors

From: USTF Headquarters

Re:      USTF Membership/Maintenance

We want to thank you for renewing your USTF Membership via the Maintenance fees 2011.  All events within the USTF will require this card to be presented including USTF Tournaments, Seminars, Workshops and Camps.  Some of the instructors have their students send in direct and some collect the fees and submit one check.  This is up to you. 

With the USTF International Championship in June, it is very important to make sure you get the 2011 USTF Maintenance fee in by March 15th because the office will be very busy in preparation for the large event. This will give us time to make sure you have your cards by June! It is going to be an exciting year for the USTF and we are happy you are a part of it!   Thank you so much.  

Calendar
January 22nd – Promotion Testing, Axe TKD 12pm
Feb 5th & 6th – USTF Class B Instructors Course – Broomfield CO
March 26th & 27th – USTF Class C Instructors Course – Axe TKD, 8am-8pm each day
April – Promotion Testing, Axe TKD
May 14th -   Axe TKD Tournament
June 25th & 26th – USTF Nationals – Broomfield, CO
July – Promotion Testing, Axe TKD
July – Camp Taekwon-Do, Mexico, MO, Missouri Military Academy
Sept – Battle of the Belts, Kirksville, MO
Nov – Testing in Missouri (Mr. Bushor for 6th degree)
Dec – Holiday Party – Axe TKD

Final Thoughts by Master Todd
First we are dedicated to providing you quality Taekwon-Do instruction.  I think in my experience Taekwon-Do is the best martial art.  If you are open to our training we will train you in the original style of Taekwon-Do.  As you plan your year, month or sometimes week I ask you to keep in mind that you will get as much out of Taekwon-Do as you put into it.  It really depends on your goals.  However as I warn the junior black belts as you take time off for other sports or activities your class mates continue to train.  When you return you will be welcomed back but your class mates will have passed you.  I have experienced many students take time off for other pursuits but few return.  Those that do take time off struggle with the fact they are passed by their class mates.  While Taekwon-Do is an individual art this does bother some students.  Most of our black belts attend 4 classes per week.  If they drop to 2 classes per week while they won’t be as proficient as those that train 4 classes per week, this isn’t really what I am talking about.  I am talking about students that take off for a season of basketball for example.

I think 2010 was a great year for our school and 2011 will even be better.  Some students and people outside Taekwon-Do think that I eat, live and breathe Taekwon-Do.  I really don’t.  I do put a lot of time into it, but I still find time for playing hockey, reading, gaming, watching football, TV and other pursuits.  I still taught Taekwon-Do and attended all events while my children were younger.  I still found time to participate in all their activities, school events, take family vacations and everything else.  At one school where I taught Taekwon-Do about half of my students were taking classes for free telling me they couldn’t afford to pay for classes or attend events.  I mentioned this to my instructor and he told me this was ridiculous and those students we taking advantage of me.  I was shocked thinking I was spreading the art of Taekwon-Do as desired by the founder, Gen. Choi.  This master told me no, students will find a way to pay for classes, attend events, etc., if they are really interested.  I looked at this master who had several hundred students (and still does).  I deferred to his experience and changed my thoughts about this and he was right.  Please understand I totally understand when people struggle financially or to juggle their schedules.  However I do know I somehow found a way to do it all.  It can be done.  Look at it as a challenge and join us in learning and spreading the art of Taekwon-Do.  Taekwon!