SKILL STRIPES OF THE WEEK
REVIEW WEEK – This week, we’ll be reviewing to prepare for testing and catching up on any missed stripes. We can review two stripes per class per day. We can attempt to review more, but cannot guarantee this as its very difficult to accomplish in one class. Students are strongly encouraged to be on time for class as the stripes we review are determined during each class warm up.
Students need to know the following forms for testing next week:
Basic Skillz – Chon-Ji
Beginners (White and Yellow Belts) – Ki-Bon
Intermediates (Orange – Sr. Purple Belts) – Won-Hyo
Advanced (Blue to Sr. Red Belts) – Hwa-Rang
Black belts are assigned forms according to their ranks:
1st degree Probationary and Recommended Black Belts: Gwan-Gae
1st degree Decided Black Belts: Po-Eun
1st degree Senior Black Belts: Gae-Baek
2nd degree Black Belts: Choon-Jang
2nd degree Decided Black Belts: Yu-Shin
2nd degree Senior Black Belts: Ul-Ji
All forms can be found on our student website, fortbendtaekwondo.com/videos. White, Yellow and Orange belts can also find videos of their one-steps here as well. Remember that these videos are meant to supplement in-class learning, not take the place of it.
CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 30
We will be closed for Good Friday, March 30 – so no classes this day. This is a change on the original calendar. Sorry for any inconvenience.
TESTING APRIL 9, 10, AND 11
Testing days and times are set up by classes and/or CURRENT belt ranks (not the rank they are testing for).
Students are strongly encouraged to test on their testing time and date. However, we do offer a make-up testing on Wednesdays for any student NOT testing for the rank of black belt (kids, teens and adults). Students testing for black belts MUST test on their specific day and time.
Early Skillz (4 year olds) – Monday, April 9, 5:30 p.m.
Basic Skillz (5 & 6 year olds) — Wednesday, April 11, 5:30 p.m.
Kids, Teens, Adults — White, Yellow, Orange, Sr. Orange, Green, Sr. Green, Purple, Sr. Purple Belts — Monday, April 9, 6:30 p.m.
Kids, Teens, Adults — Blue, Sr. Blue, Brown, Sr. Brown, Red, Sr. Red Belts — Tuesday, April 10, 5:30 p.m
Kids, Teens, Adults — Black Belts — Tuesday, April 10, 6:30 p.m.
Make Up Testing – Wednesday, April 11, 6:30 p.m.
How Does Testing Work?
Glad you asked! Here’s a quick summary:
For Early Skillz and Basic Skillz students:
Testing consists of taking each student through all 6 skills they’ve worked on throughout classes. As they perform each skill, these students are given a score between 0 and 5 points. A perfect testing yields 30 points (6 skills x 5 points). A student must have 15 points to pass.
For taekwondo students:
All students must perform their form correctly and appropriately for their belt rank level. What that means is we don’t expect white belts to perform like black belts, and vice versa. Age and physical ability is also taken into consideration for forms. Students who leave a move out, add a move in, mix up the order of the moves, or don’t perform to their rank expectations will be asked to perform their form again. White through Sr. Red Belts have 3 attempts to pass on their form. Black Belts have 2 attempts.
White through Sr. Orange Belts will also perform their one-steps to the same requirements as the form. They also have 3 attempts at these as well.
Sr. Orange Belts and higher ranks spar at testing. Sr. Orange belts spar one round, Green through Red belts spar 2 rounds, Sr. Red Belts spar 3 rounds, and all Black Belts spar 4 rounds. Second degree decided students spar an additional 5th round, which is a 2-on-1 sparring round. Students are expected to use their knowledge of taekwondo to not get hit. This includes defensive and offensive moves.
Brown belts and higher ranks must also break wood boards at testing. The techniques required/allowed are outlined by Taekwondo America national standards. Students have 3 attempts at each board breaking station. Failure to break their wood at any one station means students receive a “no-change” (they don’t change rank; i.e., don’t pass). After testing is completed, we have all students who don’t break their boards take the time to break them so they can be coached through the process. This does not negate the testing results – but it provides encouragement that they can break their boards.
BELT AWARD CEREMONY AND ANNIVERSARY PARTY APRIL 12
It’s our 8-year anniversary! Woohoo! We’ll be celebrating on Thursday, April 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at George Bush Park, Pavilion Number 3. We celebrate pitch-in picnic style – we supply the barbecue, and students and their families pitch in and provide the following by program or belt rank:
Early and Basic Skillz – Side Dishes
White and Yellow Belts – Desserts
Orange through Sr. Purple Belts – Drinks (we’d also appreciate you bringing them in coolers)
Blue to Sr. Red Belts – Side Dishes or Desserts
Black Belts – Drinks
We’ll be sending out a Google Form for you to complete to let us know how many people you’ll be bringing and what item you’ll bring – this way, we don’t end up with 50 bags of potato chips and nothing else. 🙂
The pavilion provides picnic-table seating, so if you’d like something a little more comfortable, please bring your own!
The belt award ceremony will begin at 6 p.m.
Our rain location will be at the school.
We hope that everybody can join us!
BOARD BREAKING CLINIC FOR BLUE BELTS AND HIGHER RANKS APRIL 6
Our next board breaking clinic takes place Friday, April 6 at 7 p.m. This clinic is for kids and teens who are blue belts and higher ranks and replaces the advanced and black belt classes for that evening.
Students do need to register, and can do so at the front desk or online here:
https://uplevelpages.io/?i=d5&c={CONTACT-ID}
The clinic costs $20 per student. NextLevel students receive the clinic at no charge.
SCHEDULE CHANGE BEGINNING APRIL 16
Our class schedule on Fridays will be changing effective the week of April 16! Please note the changes, which are in bold:
Basic Skillz: 4:30 to 5 p.m.
All Kids and Teen Beginners: 5 to 5:30 p.m.
STORM Team: 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
All kid and teen Intermediates AND Advanced Belts: 6 to 6:45 p.m.
Black Belts: 6:45 to 7:30 p.m.
2018 TESTING DATES
April 9 – 11
June 4 – 6
August 6 – 8
October 8 – 10
December 3 – 5
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 5 – Parent’s Night Out
May 19 – Texas Taekwondo America Spring Regional Tournament, Lewisville, TX – more info out this week!
May 25 – 28 – Taekwondo America Black Belt Conference, Jacksonville, FL
July 20 -22 – Texas Taekwondo America Regional Summer Camp, Navarro College, Coriscana, TX – for orange belts & higher ranks 9 and older (8 year olds may attend with parent chaperone and permission from Mrs. Chapman)
September 21 – 22 – Taekwondo America Fall National Tournament – Plano, TX – You DON’T want to miss this one – details available in May!