2011 (by Master Todd)

We have experienced a busy year together:  tournaments, testings, and courses.  We are wrapping this year up, and we will try to provide you with many exciting events for next year.  At a minimum, we will have the Axe TKD tournament, a tournament in Kirksville and one in Denver.  We will probably travel to an instructor’s course, a referee course, and may host a self-defense course.  We had an increase in tuition by the Youth Center and hopefully our costs are now leveled to the cost they desire.  Additionally, Mr. Bushor was promoted to 6th degree black belt by Grand Master Sereff.  I was lucky to inherit Mr. Bushor from my first instructor, Sr. Master Meek.  He is a valuable instructor for our school, and I was proud to have him tested by Grand Master Sereff.  I was also proud of the students that travelled to Kirksville, Missouri to support him.  That meant a lot to Mr. Bushor and to me.  Now his long wait and training time kicks in.  In 6 years, I will have him tested for master.  Think of that--our color belts wait 3 months; the times between black belt promotions are much longer.  Typically whatever black belt degree they are currently wearing is the number of years a black belt must train before being considered for promotion.  For example, a 2nd degree waits 2 years before they are eligible to test.

We have written many articles on what a student must do to be considered for promotion.  The biggest and most important thing one can do is train actively in class.  While training on your own is good to maintain what you have been taught, it does not count for active training time.  If a student is of a high enough rank, they can open their own school and that is considered active training time.  If not, the training time has to be under a qualified instructor.  This has been an issue for some students here and across the U.S.  I allow and encourage all students to come to as many classes as they can each week, and when traveling I will assist any student find a local school to train in.

USTF Election

Currently, we are in the middle of the election process to elect a new president of the USTF.  Sr. Grand Master Sereff has been the president since 1979.  That is longer than some of you have been alive!  This election will replace a living legend in position only.  We can never truly replace Sr. Grand Master Sereff, but he has earned his right to retire from the politics of running the USTF as he has requested.  As a result, I have been selected to run against Sr. Master Martin from Wyoming.  We will know the election results in December.   Only Grand Masters, Sr. Masters, Masters, Regional & State Directors are allowed to vote.  

The USTF was formed in 1974 at the direction of the founder of Taekwon-Do, Gen. Choi Hong Hi.  Sr. Grand Master Sereff went from the instructor of a small gym with six students to the President of 15,000 plus student organization.  Our numbers are down now and that is one of the hurdles facing the next president.  If I am elected, it will not change my status with running Axe Taekwon-Do.  More information will be provided once the election has been held.

Testing

On Saturday, we had an excellent promotion testing to end the year!  I will send in an article to the official USTF newsletter, The TKD Flash.  Look for it next month.  The testings for 2012 will be February, May, August and November.  We try to provide you with as much advance notice as possible.  All students testing for any black belt rank will first be pre-tested by Mr. Bushor.  He will then provide those test results to Master Todd and students are then informed if they are ready for testing.  Pre-testing will only be conducted for those that have the time, attendance and other requirements to be considered ready for promotion.  For those that are not ready, they will be evaluated again in three months.

Holiday Party

We will have our annual holiday party in class on Thursday 12/22.  All students will attend in regular clothes, no Taekwon-Do uniforms.  The party will run from 6pm-830pm.  Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Buckley will have more information soon for all students.  Typically, it is a potluck type of affair with some games for the students.

Gifts

If you (parents) are looking for holiday gift ideas for your kids, please contact Mr. Bushor.  We have a commercial account with Century Martial Arts.  There are plenty of ideas for gifts.  Please look at http://www.centurymartialarts.com/  The prices listed may not be the actual prices as we receive specials all the time.  Please contact Mr. Bushor for more information.

Website

Remember we do have a website for the class at http://www.axetkd.com  Remember this is our class website.  If you have suggestions or questions please email Master Todd at ustfneb@cox.net.

Facebook

You may notice we are posting more pictures on Facebook instead of the axetkd website.  The facebook site has several administrators in the class so we can upload pictures much faster.  If you are a member of Facebook please check us out.  If not maybe consider it.  I only joined Facebook for Taekwon-Do.  Just search for AXE Taekwon-Do.  We monitor this page constantly and there will not be any inappropriate material or conduct on that site.  In our constant desire to produce quality black belts and upstanding members of the community, we do monitor all black belts on facebook to ensure they are always gentlemen and ladies both inside and outside Taekwon-Do.  Also, Facebook is free and easier for us to maintain than the website. Please visit our page for our most recent pictures.

Black Belt Responsibilities (by Master Todd)

You will see me constantly dealing with the black belts or those about to become black belts.  All students are equally important to us, but the black belt rank is a serious commitment to both Taekwon-Do and to me as their instructor.  When I tie that black belt around a student’s waist, it is a bond between them and me.  I am always there for them throughout their life.  They can always return to train with me, or contact me for help.  I have lost contact with some of the students I have trained in years past.  However, whenever we make contact again, it is still Master Todd and Mr. or Mrs.  That bond never goes away.  So I do monitor what they are doing both inside and outside of the class.  I do not want someone informing us one of our black belts is misbehaving in school or in the community.  That will be dealt with quickly.  The bond goes both ways, I will continue to teach them and make them better students and hopefully well mannered adults.  They will without a doubt leave me one day and be able to defend themselves and have a good sense of self respect, discipline and confidence.  It’s a big step to attain black belt, and I take every promotion seriously.  If you are promoted by me, you have earned it. 

Calendar

December 22 – Axe Holiday Party

December 26-Jan 2 Class closed for holidays (no class 12/27 or 12/29)

January 3 – Classes resume

February – Axe TKD testing

May – Axe TKD testing

June 24-29, 2012 – Sereff World Camp, Estes Park, CO

August – Axe TKD testing

November – Axe TKD testing

6th Dan Test (by Mr. Bushor)

As you all know by now I successfully tested to 6th Dan in front of Grand Master Sereff in Kirksville Missouri.  It was over 5 years since my last testing and I will tell you now that I was ready but was also very nervous at the start of the testing.  This was the first time I tested in front of any Grand Master, and there was as much pressure on me not to mess up in front of Grand Master Sereff as there was for me not to mess up in front of the Axe TKD students and instructors.  I thought I had it all under control until the testing director called out that first pattern, and then I felt like a white belt at my first testing!  So for all of you who get nervous at testing, it happens to everyone.  For those of you who no longer get nervous at testing, there will come a time when it will creep back up on you and you will feel it again.

Thanks to our Head Instructor Master Todd for taking the time to make sure I was ready to test, and thanks to all of the students and instructors who came to Missouri to watch the testing.  It was an honor to have you all there supporting me and our school.  Finally, thanks to our friends and family in Missouri for allowing me to test with them.  It is a big deal to bring in a Grand Master for testing (as some of you remember from Master Todd’s testing), and the Region 6 folks did a great job.  For those of you who attended, I hope you saw just how good Taekwon-Do can be done if you put in the effort.  Mr. Kyle Graham had some awesome kicking on display, and the Region 6 folks all demonstrated outstanding Step Sparring.  They set the bar high, and I hope you all strive to reach and surpass their examples.  Taekwon-Do is not easy, if it was everyone would be a Grand Master.  But for those of you who put in the time and effort to become a Black Belt, there is not a better feeling than when you accomplish that goal.  I have now set a new goal for myself that is at least 6 years away.  I will be almost 60 years old by then, but teaching and practicing keeps me young at heart, and I will look forward to all of you closing the gap between where you are now and where I am.  I expect some of you to eventually pass this old man by, but I will be working hard to keep up with all of you.