WEEKLY UPDATE – April 7
NO CLASSES THIS WEEK – TESTING TAKES PLACE MONDAY – WEDNESDAY
Testing Week is here! Remember, we HAVE NO CLASSES THIS WEEK due to testing.
Testing Days and Times are listed below. You’ll be receiving a push notification every day with the testing schedule.
Please remember that you need to attend the testing for your CURRENT belt rank:
Monday, April 8
5:30 p.m. – taekwondo white, yellow, orange, senior orange and green belt testing
6:30 p.m. taekwondo senior green, purple, senior purple, blue, senior blue, brown, senior brown and red belts
Tuesday, April 9
6:00 p.m. – taekwondo senior red and all black belts
Wednesday, April 10
5:30 p.m. – Basic Skillz students, all belt ranks
6:15 p.m. – Make Up Testing
How Does Testing Work?
Taekwondo students are testing on their form. White through senior orange belts are also tested on their one-steps. All colored belts receive 3 attempts to do their form and one-steps at testing. Students will be asked to re-do their form if they leave a move out, add a move in, mix up the order of the moves, or do not look appropriate for their rank. Black belt students receive 2 attempts to do their form.
Green belts and higher ranks are also tested on their sparring. Students must demonstrate rank-appropriate techniques to avoid being hit including blocking, movement, and effective combinations. In addition, students are expected to maintain appropriate contact for their sparring partner, which includes the level of contact in addition to making contact primarily to legal target areas (between the shoulders and belt on the front side and anywhere on the helmet).
Brown belts and higher ranks must also break wood boards within 3 attempts in accordance with Taekwondo America standards.
Throughout testing, students and all spectators are expected to be exhibit the tenets of TaeKwonDo during testing. While we don’t ask for complete silence during testing, we do ask that you show courtesy to everyone and make sure you and any little ones are not being loud. We strongly suggest for you to find someone to watch your child at home if you have a little one who will have trouble sitting quietly at testing. It’s not only disruptive, but it can be very dangerous if a small child suddenly runs onto the floor while students are sparring.
Students and spectators who fail to exhibit the tenets of taekwondo will be removed from the premises. Students who arrive late, who are not in complete uniform, or who do not have their sparring gear forfeit their right to test.
Students who pass testing will not receive their new belt at testing. We award new belts to students at our belt award ceremony. For more info on the ceremony, please be sure to read below.
BELT AWARD CEREMONY/ANNIVERSARY PICNIC THURSDAY, APRIL 11
We celebrate our 9-year anniversary on April 1! Wow! We always celebrate this milestone at our April belt award ceremony, and this year is no exception!
Please join us in our celebration:
Thursday, April 11
5:30 – 8 p.m.
George Bush Park, Pavilion 1 – located on Barker-Cypress Road between FM 1093 and Westheimer Parkway
This is open to all students whether or not you test.
This event is a pitch-in picnic. We supply barbecue and paper products and ask you to bring sides, desserts, and drinks. To sign up for an item, please go here: https://www.PerfectPotluck.com/FOBB6221
There’s space for 140 people on the Pavilion’s picnic benches. Feel free to bring lawn chairs if you prefer those.
Map of George Bush Park Pavilion #1:
HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED OUR MOBILE APP? IT’S HOW WE’RE COMMUNICATING NOW
We’ve completely transitioned to using push notifications via our app for important reminders and announcements. Be sure to download our app and allow notifications so you can be kept up to date on everything going on!
SPARRING WORKOUT SUNDAY, APRIL 14 @ 1PM
Our next sparring workout for senior orange belts and higher ranks takes place Sunday, April 14 at 1 p.m. We’ll spar for about 40 to 45 minutes. Students can come in regular workout gear and can spar as much or as little as they’d like. These workouts are a great way to get sparring practice in and are a LOT of fun! We hope to see you there!
WHY WE DON’T MAKE EXCEPTIONS TO OUR RULES
Recently, we’ve had a lot of members get very upset with us when we don’t make an exception to our rules regarding being on time or dressing in uniform for classes. We don’t make exceptions for two reasons: in order to have integrity in all that we do, and to teach a lifestyle of discipline.
Our third tenet is Integrity. Having integrity means holding true to your values – your “rules”. It literally means having “wholeness” of character. That means, in order to be fair to all of our members, we have to hold true to our policies, too, and not allow students in who are late or not in the correct uniform for any reason (and the reasons are many).
The most overriding reason students join our school is to learn discipline. Most often, when I ask what they see as discipline, parents tell me they want their children to have good habits, like being a first-time listener. What many don’t realize, though, is that in order for you to have one or two great habits, you really have to have discipline in every aspect of your life – in other words, it must be a lifestyle. So, it’s our goal for each and every student to have a lifestyle of discipline. That’s what takes them from being ordinary to extraordinary. And its why we make sure that every aspect of the school teaches this – including upholding our policies without exception.
If you’re not sure of our rules, we have a handout that we give to each new student at their orientation that we can provide to you. They’re also online right here. (https://fortbendtkd.com/fort-bend-taekwondo-policies/)
2019 TESTING DATES
(Dates are subject to change)
April 8 – 10
June 3 -5
August 5-7
October 7-9
December 9-11