As usual, this time of year has been full of Kuk Sool Won events and travel for us.
On the last weekend in April, Rachel Jo Kyo Nim and I traveled to St. Louis, MO for the World Kuk Sool Association Midwest Tournament. As instructors often do at tournaments, we participated in an official capacity. I judged several divisions, and Rachel Jo Kyo Nim worked as a scorekeeper/timekeeper.
The day before the Midwest tournament, Rachel Jo Kyo Nim and I were both testing in St. Louis as well. Rachel is just starting her testing for Kyo Sa Nim (2nd degree black belt) and I’m nearing the end of my testing process for Sa Bum Nim (4th degree black belt).
In June, we traveled to Kuk Sool Won of St. Paul for several days of training, another black belt test, and this year’s summer seminar. Our friends Sa Bum Nim Steffen Kellog and Kyo Sa Nim Nicole Jones who run the St. Paul, MN school usually invite some of their fellow instructors to visit for a few days before the annual testing and seminar visit by Kuk Sa Nim and other masters. This is a nice chance for instructors to work on their skills with other instructors, which is something we don’t get to do often enough.
The seminar was, as always, a valuable learning experience. This year’s seminar topics included special self defense techniques taught by Suhn Im Kwahn Jahng Nim (8th degree black belt) Sung Jin Suh as well as Mohk Guhm Dae Ryuhn (wooden sword sparring) taught by Su Suhk Kwahn Jahng Nim (9th degree black belt) Barry Harmon. There was also a special additional three-hour seminar just for black belts where Suhn Im Kwahn Jahng Nim Suh helped us refine out forms.
Finally at the beginning of July we traveled to upstate New York near Rochester for the testing and seminar event for Kuk Sool Won of Greater Rochester. (This is part of the same seminar tour and is of course closer than St. Paul, making it easier for our students to attend.) I’m very pleased to announce that three of our students (Ben, Joe, and Rebecca) passed their test in Rochester and were promoted to Jo Kyo Nim (1st degree black belt):
You can find their names in the official WKSA list of black belt promotions for 2012. Two of our other students (Matt and Sylvester) began their testing process this year, and we look forward to their promotion to black belt.
That’s all the travel for Kuk Sool Won events I have planned until the World Championship tournament in Houston, TX on Saturday, October 6.
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