Summer:  You may have noticed the size of the classes has become smaller this month.  With school out and summer officially here everyone has new things to do, and some of these things may conflict with your Taekwon-Do training.  Summer school, vacations, sports, and camps are all competing for your Taekwon-Do time.  Participating in summer sports is a great way to keep in shape and expand your horizons.  Taekwon-Do improves your balance, endurance and confidence, and we encourage you to participate in other sports during the summer, but we don’t want you to stop your TKD training.  Even if you can’t be in class you can still practice at home.  Remember that we expect you need to attend 85% of the available classes to be eligible to test, but we may make exceptions to this rule on a case-by-case basis if it is evident that you have been training outside of class.  Enjoy your free time this summer, because school will start before you know it.

Breaking Tournament:  We will hold a breaking tournament at the Offutt Youth Center on Saturday, June 25th, 2005 from 12 (noon) to 3pm.  This tournament will feature USTF modified breaking rules and consist of students from our class only.  There is no cost for this tournament and we will award medals for the winners in power hand and power foot categories in four divisions:  Color Belt Peewee 10 and under (may be adjusted), Color Belt Junior 11-14 (may be adjusted), Color Belt Adult 15 and above, and All Black Belts.  The rules have been sent out in a separate email and are available on the school’s web site.  Remember that starting at 9th Gup, Yellow Stripe, tournament competition is optional and starting at 7th Gup, Green Stripe, tournament competition is required.  First Dans are also required to officiate in tournaments as part of their requirements for promotion.  These school tournaments are organized and run using official USTF rules and can be used to meet these requirements.

“A Weekend with Region 6” Camp:  For the 5th year the camp will be held in Mexico, Missouri.  The camp is scheduled for August 5th, 6th and 7th (Friday night through Sunday).  Mr. Todd and Bushor are planning on attending and will to take as many students who are interested in attending with us.  We will leave the Youth Center parking lot on Friday around 12 (noon) and drive to the camp.  This camp is held on the campus of the Missouri Military Academy.  The Academy students are away for summer break so we have the entire Academy to just the Taekwon-Do students.  We train both inside and outside depending on the weather.  There is also a swimming pool and they serve very good food during every meal.  All students are housed in the dormitories and the boy’s and girl’s rooms are on different floors.  All events are supervised by adult black belt instructors.  The cost is $95 for the first student and a family rate of $75 for each additional family member.  This includes training, food, T-shirt, and a place to sleep.  Parents who wish to attend can get a room in the dormitories.  The cost is $65 per person which would cover your room and food for the weekend.  You will be required to complete a registration form and select a T-shirt, but on the registration form please note that you are attending camp with you child and not planning on attending the classes.  There is a $45 deposit required, so please fill out the registration form (which is available on the school web site) and give it to one of the instructors not later than June 28th.

Study Guides:  We have updated the Student Study Guides to include more information.  The information contained in study guide and any other literature that we pass out to you comes from the USTF publications, the Condensed Encyclopedia, or the 15 volume Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do.  The Student Study Guide is not a replacement for any of these references or for the knowledge of your instructors.  We highly recommend every family eventually purchase a copy of the Gup Testing Syllabus (White Book), the Patterns (Blue Book), the Step Sparring (Yellow Book), and for Black Belts the Dan Testing Syllabus (Black Book) for their own.

Taekwon-Do and Mental Effect:  Taekwon-Do is an art that implies a way of thinking and life, and particularly in instilling moral civilization and generating the power for justice. Taekwon-Do is also known as one of the best means of developing and enhancing the emotional, perceptual and psychological characteristics that enable the younger generation, regardless of age, social status or sex, to effectively learn and participate in the social demands of his peers.

Every movement of Taekwon-Do is scientifically designed with specific purpose and a skillful instructor may, therefore, develop in the student a belief that success is possible for anyone.

Constant repetition teaches patience and the resolve to overcome any difficulty. The tremendous power generated from one's body develops the self-confidence to meet any opponent, at any place, and in any situation. Sparring teaches humility, courage, alertness and accuracy, adaptability as well as self-control.

Pattern teaches flexibility, grace, balance and coordination, while the fundamental exercises develop precision and teaches the method, principle, imagination and purpose. Eventually, this training permeates every conscious and subconscious action of the student.

From The Condensed Encyclopedia."Taekwon-Do" (The Korean Art of Self Defense)

Fifth Edition 1999, All rights reserved
Copyright 1988, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1999 General Choi, Hong Hi.