USTF Headquarters National Tournament: Senior Grand Master Sereff hosted the USTF National Championships.  We sent a large team and everyone performed well.  Our Black Belt Team of April Bowing, James Bushor, Debbie Ragone, Sean Toppi, and Daniel James won the silver medal.  April Bowing won a gold medal in Power Breaking and in Sparring.  James Bushor won a bronze medal in Patterns.  Debbie Ragone won a gold medal in Power Breaking and Sparring, and a bronze medal in Patterns.  Sean Toppi won a gold medal in Power Breaking and a silver medal in Sparring.  Luke Carter won a bronze medal in Patterns.  Dawsen Ragone won a bronze medal in Sparring.  Michael Navratil won a gold medal in Power Breaking and a silver medal in Sparring.  Ashleigh Ragone wone a bronze medal in Sparring and Patterns.  Daniel James won a silver medal in Patterns and bronze medal in Power Breaking.  Jadyn Turnipseed won a gold medal in Patterns and a silver medal in Sparring.  Robert Cardoza won a gold medal in Patterns and a bronze medal in Sparring.  Staci Chamberlin won a gold medal in Patterns and a bronze medal in Sparring.  Daniel Cook won a bronze medal in Sparring.

Congratulations to everone who competed.  It was a great trip and we hope everyone had a good time.  Thanks to our parents for driving and helping out during the trip.

3rd Annual Axe TKD Bike Ride: On Saturday, July 13^th, starting at 10:00 a.m. we will have our 3rd Annual Bike Ride.  Like last year, we will start and end at the trail head near Capehart Road and Highway 75.  We will ride north along the trail about 6 miles to the turnaround point.  There will be drinks, fruit, and some food at the half way/turn around point.  Everyone, to include your family members, is invited to ride along as long as you have a bike that will make the trip (about 6 miles each way).  Master Todd volunteered to stay back with the slow group last year and may be convinced to do it again this year!  It was a great time last year and should be again this year.  We will talk about moving it to a different day if the weather is too bad (rain, temperature, etc.).

It’s Summertime: Summer is in full swing with temperatures reaching well into the hundreds!  We hope that everyone is enjoying their family vacations and summer activities.  While we understand that this can be a busy time of the year, if you are anticipating missing class, it is a courtesy and a requirement to notify Master Todd, Mr. Bushor, or Miss Bowing that you will miss class.  This can be done by e-mail, phone call, text, or by posting a comment on the Axe TKD Facebook page.  Those who fail to do this may enjoy some push-ups during class when they return.

Tournaments: We will be sending home a separate notice this coming week explaining the opportunities remaining for this year with tournaments and travel.  We are requesting after reading this notice that you select which tournaments if any you will be participating in for this year.  This will allow us to plan for travel and with booking arrangements.

Wyoming Tournament:  Sept 14^th (Saturday) Wyoming is hosting their annual tournament in Casper, WY.  We will leave Friday the 13^th and return Sunday the 15^th.  We plan to stay two nights in a hotel due to the distance for travelling.  This is becoming a popular tournament and this school also supports our annual tournament here.  Axe TKD will reserve rooms, but if you wish, you may make your own reservations.  Everyone rank 10^th gup to 4^th dan are able to participate. If you do not want to participate, and are referee certified, you may go and help and still enjoy the tournament!

Battle of the Belts:  Sept 28^th (Saturday) Missouri is hosting their annual tournament in Kirksville. We will leave Friday the 27^th, typically around 3pm and return after the tournament Saturday evening. We plan to stay one night in a hotel. Axe TKD will reserve rooms, but if you wish, you may make your own reservations. We have always had a large group attend this tournament and would like to keep it up! Everyone rank 10^th gup to 4^th dan are able to participate. If you do not want to participate, and are referee certified, you may go and help and still enjoy the tournament!

Sereff TKD Tournament:  Oct 20th (Sunday) Colorado is hosting their annual tournament in Broomfield. We will leave Saturday the 19^th return after the tournament Monday, the 21st. We plan to stay two nights in a hotel due to the distance. Axe TKD will reserve rooms, but if you wish, you may make your own reservations. Everyone rank 10^th gup to 4^th dan are able to participate. If you do not want to participate, and are referee certified, you may go and help and still enjoy the tournament!

Again we will have a separate notice go out concerning tournaments.  You are welcome to attend any or all!

Community Service (by Mr. Bushor)

Public Service (Sahwe Bongsa) is one of the Five Disciplines of Taekwon-Do Moral Culture Training.  General Choi says in the Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do that “by contributing labor to the community, especially to the poor or disabled, the student learns charity, humility, comradeship, tolerance, and a sense of generosity.”  The USTF has laid out Community Service requirements for each Black Belt rank, but you should not only be doing Community Service because it is a requirement for promotion.  I know that we have a number of students who are continuously volunteering through their church, scouts, or on their own.  Everyone should be looking to help out those who need help, whether it is shoveling snow from the driveway of an elderly neighbor, helping paint the house of a needy member of the community, or collecting food for the poor.  These are all worthy endeavors and will make you feel better about yourself.

There may be plenty of opportunities to help out our community.  Help out where you can, help as often as you can, and more importantly, ask for help if you need it.  Axe Taekwon-Do is a family, and our family is part of a larger community.  Our family and our community may need your help, so please help if you can.

Testing Board (by Master Todd)

Do you know what it takes to be on a testing board?  At Axe TKD our test board will be comprised of 4^th degree black belts and above that are actively training.  To be actively training according to USTF guidelines: “active training is considered participating in an average of 7 formal classes per month.  This shouldn’t be a problem at Axe TKD since we offer 24 classes per month.  The color belt standard to be considered for testing at Axe TKD is “Students must attend 85% of classes”.  I believe we need to hold all black belts on the testing board to the same standard. 

Also those on the test board must be senior to all that are testing.  For example, if a student came in and I tested them to 5^th degree, only Mr. Bushor and I would be on that test board.  It doesn’t occur often but I have tested people many times in my TKD career that were not from my school.  Typically we take turns grading color belt students, but I grade all black belt tests. 

              Testing boards are different at other locations, especially during black belt testing.  But one thing in common is that no matter how many people are sitting on the testing board typically only the senior person is actually grading those testing for black belt.  Sometimes the senior will allow the juniors to grade but the senior makes the final call. 

              At Axe TKD you really test twice for black belt ranks.  Mr. Bushor will conduct a pre-test that is free of charge.  After he grades you he will turn his results and recommendation into me for a final determination.  He may inform a student at the pre-test if he is recommending them to me or not.  That is his decision.  Do not be upset if I make a different determination.  Typically I agree with his decision, but I may have information on why a student should or should not test that have nothing to do with the physical pre-test.  I will discuss this personally with anyone in this situation. 

              The other position on a testing board is the testing director.  They have different titles at different schools.  This is the person that will stand to the side of the testing board and issue commands for bowing, etc.  They will also demonstrate techniques for those testing if asked either by the board or the person testing.  There has been confusion on this in the past.  The test director does not have to be senior to those testing; they only need to be an active black belt.  I will choose the testing director for every test.  I typically choose those that attend more than the minimum number of classes and those that can perform the techniques quickly and with minimal instruction. 

              Finally dress code, we have decided that every testing where someone is testing for a black belt rank that the test board and all black belts will dress in the USTF official referee outfit.  If a black belt is physically assisting in the test they will wear their dobok.  All black belts are expected to be at every promotion test.  Testing boards and promotion tests are a time honored tradition we have in Taekwon-Do.  We invite all family and friends to attend and to see what you have spent hours practicing. 

Class Times (by Master Todd)

              Just a reminder that our class times were established for different ranks so we can offer training that focuses on specific ranks at a specific time.  The 5:30-6:30 class is intended for white belt through yellow belt green stripe.  The 6:30-7:30 class is intended for green belt through blue belt red stripe and the 7:30-8:30 class is for red belt and above. I understand that work, life, school, etc., may dictate that a class outside of your belt rank is better for you, and that is okay, just be aware that while we try to work with all belt ranks these posted times are really the time that we try to focus on individual ranks. 

Also, while some black belts only attend one class per night, understand that is the bare minimum.  I really believe you need to attend 3-4 classes per week as a black belt to progress through the ranks.  If you only attend two classes (2 hours of training per week) you probably will not be ready for promotion to the next black belt rank at the minimum time.  Remember you must train for 6 months from black stripe to 1^st dan as a minimum.  Those that train 3-4 classes per week are usually ready at the 6 month mark.  The below chart lists the minimum time training for black belt progression.  Color belts are considered after 3 months of training.

1^st degree – 2^nd degree: 18 months

2^nd degree – 3^rd degree: 24 months

3^rd degree – 4^th degree: 36 months

4^th degree – 5^th degree: 48 months

5^th degree – 6^th degree: 60 months

6^th degree – 7^th degree: 72 months

There are many other requirements for testing and this short article is focusing on training/class time.