January 2015 Tiger Tracks

8TH Degree Master George Strickland December 13th Testing Demonstration Highlights!!

Santa's Food & Toy Drive!!

December 13th, 2014 Testing Demonstration Highlights Video!!!

Discover the Champion Within!!

My Journey In TaeKwonDo By: Natalie Campbell

My Journey In TaeKwonDo

    The first Campbell's to go to TaeKwonDo at Mr. Strickland's is my dad and oldest sister, Rachel. I was probably about 1 years old when I started watching them, so when they went, I went. I watched them do their forms, spar and my favorite part was when they did that little noise in their forms, a kiya, and I liked it so much I would do it out in the lobby and all the other parents would laugh and smile. Ever since then, I guess you could say TaeKwonDo was in my blood.

       One day I told Mr. Strickland that I wanted to start TaeKwonDo and he asked how old I was, I word for word said, "4 years old, sir!" I added the 'sir' at the end because in TaeKwonDo since it is Martial Art you have to be respectful to your instructors and seniors. Mr. Strickland said that I had to usually be 5 years old, but since my dad and Mr. Strickland were so close he let me join early. 

I was so excited to get into class the day after that to learn my new form, play games, and make new friends. This is when I met Drew Cain. He had bushy tanish brown hair, braces, and was as cookoo as a cookoo-clock. At first he scared me for a little bit, then I got used to how crazy he was and his wild hair. When I got into class that day I was really nervous of how people were going to see me, either as scared or shy. I was the only new kid there so I thought to myself, "Ok Natalie, you can do this. Don't get scared, just go out their with a smiling face and show them how tough you really are." I did exactly what my mind told me to do, I walked in there with my head held up high and showed everyone how focused I was. The result of that got me a black stripe that meant that I did really well, and was really focused.

On testing day, I was really nervous, but then my dad told me he did this about a million times. He got nervous, but once he went out there he got over his fear and did his form perfectly and passed. I was relieved because I knew that if my dad could do it, I could do it, and I could look cute while doing it! 

    No matter how nervous I got at testings, I knew that I could and always will be able to pass.

           Then I got to brown belt when I started breaking boards, and when my dad was testing with me. So now all the pressures on me to make my dad proud and show him

how tough his little baby girl is.

There was an incident when my dad

was breaking his boards. He went 

to kick the board and his 

hamstring got pulled. He wanted

to keep trying, to pass, but Mr. Strickland yelled at him and told him to go have a seat in the back. Still my dad refused. Mr. Strickland told my dad to come up to the judging table and was quite furious with my dad and again yelled at him to go sit down. My dad then finally said, "Yes sir." I was then determined to break my boards, but not because I wanted to, but because I wanted to make my dad proud of me. Once my name was called I answered really loud, my sister, Ciara, bowed me in. 'BAM!' I smashed my front kick, 'BAM' I smashed my elbow strike. I was so proud of myself I started crying (forgot to bow) and ran over to my daddy and gave him a gigantic hug. Then I heard the words, "I'm  so proud of you, Natalie," come out of my dad's mouth. No one really knew how proud I was to hear my dad say that.

    A couple weeks after that testing, I met my absolute best friend in TaeKwonDo, Jacquelyn Anderson. I couldn't have asked for a better best friend who I have so much in common with and we both have the same hobby, going to TaeKwonDo almost everyday. As time went on we got to know each other better and better. Then, I was soon proud to call her my best friend (Jacquelyn if your reading this I love you!).

     Then soon after that, the time came for my black belt testing. I was fully prepared, dressed in my newly-ironed dobok and white testing pants, and my hair braided (for good luck, its a Campbell girl family tradition). When Mr. Strickland called my name to do my form I did it the first time with lots of power. We sparred, nearly dominated almost everyone I sparred. Then came board breaking, Mr. Strickland called my name to get my boards. I gave my boards to my board holders, my dad, Drew Cain, and two other men; I set both boards up for a side kick with both legs. 

My sister, Ciara, then again bowed me in saying, "Natalie Campbell, first attempt, sir!" I went over to my right leg first, 'BAM' smashed it. Now my left leg, (no noise) I didn't get it. Ciara bowed me in again saying "Natalie Campbell, second attempt, sir!" I took a deep breathe in and out, 'BAM' I was so relieved to hear that noise. I had passed my Probationary Black Belt testing! I am now a certified black belt! The 4th person there to hug me was my best friend, Jacquelyn Anderson. I was shocked on the 5th person I hugged, it was Drew. He said, "Good job baby sis," then I said, "Ok...thank you?" After that he said welcome and no surprise he put me in yet again another wrist lock, like he always does.

       

TaeKwonDo will  and always will be forever in my blood.

    This is just the first part of my TaeKwonDo journey. I have many more memories at Mr. Strickland's TaeKwonDo school. I love everything about the school, but my favorite is the relationships you make like to make a best friend or you can make another sibling like mine is with Drew (just make sure they don't put you in wrist locks just for fun). 

      By:Natalie Campbell

DAAB Was an Incredible Success!

STRICKLAND'S TAEKWONDO
THE LEADER IN WOMEN'S SELF DEFENSE TRAINING!!

To sign up for our next class just contact the school

See our Web Site For More Information!!

http://www.stricklandstkd.com/Site/DAAB.html

Strickland's Taekwondo December Information

Juniors 

Don't forget to get your Academic forms turned in before the awards ceremony Wednesday 12/17/14 for belt stars!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FORMS>> (link is top right of the page)

http://www.stricklandstkd.com/Site/Student_Info.html

Testing Week Schedule of Events

Toys For Tots

Christmas SALE!!

New Student Christmas Holiday Special available on our Web site!!
Click here for More information 

www.StricklandsTKD.com

My tournament review: By Jacquelyn Anderson

When I first heard there was going to be a regional TaeKwonDo tournament, I actually wanted to go this time.  There hasn't been a regional tournament or even a national tournament here in Texas for a really long time, since 2010.  I thought that with it being in Tyler, it’s not that far away, and I thought it would be fun to compete with people from the same region because sometimes I think it can be fun to compete with people from your own studio then complete strangers you've never met or talked to before.

I don’t talk about it but I don’t enjoy tournaments much because they can be scary.  In class, everyone is nice and no one tries to purposely hurt you.  But in tournaments sometimes kids really want to win and get real aggressive.  And their parents really push them to want to win and they yell a lot.  I've done a lot of tournaments since I was 6 and I've gotten a lot of spirit medals.  I've gone to tournaments where I got hurt and had black eyes and bruises and no one apologies or helps pick you up when you fall.  And I haven’t really understood tournament sparing or why I always was ranked last out of the first 3 in doing my form at the beginning.  But I have placed in four tournaments over the years and those times I am very proud.  I have all my medals hanging up on my wall at home where they look really cool.   

However I heard they were not going to give out medals for placing at this tournament.  I heard they were only going to give out trophies.  What?  I had never gotten a trophy for TaeKwonDo before.  I had only gotten medals.  Medals are cool.  You get to wear them around your neck and they make a neat clinking sound when you walk around the tournament floor afterward letting everyone know you won.  But a trophy?  What are you supposed to do with that?  I don’t have a place for a trophy.  My mom and grandma laughed at me and said that if I won they would tie a string around it so I could wear it around my neck.  Yeah okay. 

So I was happy to get to go to a regional tournament with all my Texas friends.  But it was a long drive to Tyler from Flower Mound sitting in the car with no internet connection.  I don’t get to travel very much so this was a neat vacation.  I liked the hotel and I got a king sized bed. 

That Friday night we went to an awesome clinic for Master Killen and Master Wadkins Weeping Style Jujutsu Seminar.  We learned how to fall correctly and how to make someone else weep if they were to grab you.  This means they feel pain which causes them to let go when you force them to bend in pain.  The class was mainly adults but there were some kids.  It was really fun.  There were a lot of people from Strickland’s there. 

I got to the tournament before 8am and got to help set up and see the trophies.  They were really neat because I had never really seen any trophies for TaeKwonDo other than what Mr. Strickland has in his office.  I got to help stick the stickers on the trophies and line them up.  Helping out is my favorite part of the tournament.  I got to sit in on the judge’s meeting and they went over the rules, like there can only be time-stops when someone gets hurt, their gear comes off, or the judges tell the time-keeper to stop time (I like that I sometimes get to be the time-keeper).  I was time-keeper with Mr. Vickory and Mr. Holland (they are some of my favorite teachers).  Mr. Strickland kept asking me to help him judge his ring which made me feel good! 

At 10 am I competed with 4 other people from Strickland’s and 2 other girls, one from New Orleans and one from Tyler who I hadn't met before.  Everyone was between 12-16, there was 4 colored belts, two 1^st Degrees, and I was the only 3^rd Degree.  I got to be the last one to do my form this time which was good and so I didn't feel so scared this time.  

After that we put our gear on and I was paired with the girl from New Orleans.  She kept trying to body slam me and it scared me.  So I didn't let her do that again and I showed her that that wasn't right and I wasn't scared of her.  Then my next round was with all my friends; Bella Dick from Strickland’s and I beat her but she was really good.  Then I sparred Ariana Siegel and it was really kinda close because she’s so good too.  And then I sparred Clara Dick for 1st and 2nd place – that was a very close round because she was really good and neither of us didn't score any points until the last 30 seconds so it could have gone either way. 

I never really do well in sparing, especially at tournaments.  However, my friends at Strickland’s keep pushing me to get me better.  Drew, Mr. Vickory, Mr. Strickland.  Mr. Vickory gives me pointers like, “Keep your hands up unless you are sparing me!” Not quite sure what that means, but now I do it anyway.  He also tells me to, “Wait for them to make the first move so you have an opening for that.”  Mr. Strickland always tells me to stay sideways and I’m trying to.      

So when I found out I won this time it made me really happy because I've never got higher than 3^rd in sparring before.  Ever.  I was just really happy.  My friends did really well too so I liked this tournament.  Maybe they are getting easier to compete in.       

When I got home I took lots of pictures of my trophies to show my friends and family.  I thought getting a trophy would be different from getting a medal.  But it wasn't.  I can’t hang them up on my wall but it’s just the same as all my other award and spirit medals.  All it shows is that I've been there and done something.  But it doesn't show who I am, just that I completed something I was scared of doing.  So it’s going to be nice to look at these new trophies and my old medals. But really the only neat thing about a trophy or a medal is that you can only just look at them and see something you once did not who you are.   

To be honest I like my tournament t-shirts the most because I get to wear them all the time.  In class and sometimes I even wear them outside of class.  They show everyone who wears one that they are a winner even if they didn't get a trophy or a medal.  Because it doesn't matter who really wins.  All that matters is getting the courage to be there. 

Why I Want to Be a Black Belt - By Isabelle Knight

        WHY I WANT TO BE A BLACK BELT 

                          By Isabelle Knight 

    When I was in 2nd grade my parents told me I needed to do an activity after school. My friends were all doing lots of activities such as cheer, horseback riding, softball, track, and dance. I tried gymnastics and drawing but those did not work out because I did not enjoy them. But after beginning Taekwondo and becoming involved in it, I began to enjoy other activities I now do: dance, choir, and robotics.  

    The first reason why I want to be a black belt is so I can teach at Strickland’s Taekwondo.  I believe Taekwondo is very good for the mind and the body. I would recommend Taekwondo to anyone big, small, young, or old. Also, when you teach something you learn a lot more than if 

you are being taught by someone else. I would be honored to be a part of something like that.   

    One other reason I want to be a black belt is so that I can achieve more belts after black. I do not want to stop at black belt. I want to have 1st degree, 2nd degree, and 3rd degree black belt.  
I feel more athletic, more strong, more tough, and healthier when I am taking Taekwondo. I get a lot more physical and mental exercise. Also, after class, I am always sweaty and out of breath which makes me feel good. 

I have already become smarter from studying Taekwondo. I know because my grades went up after starting Taekwondo. Also, I got into the gifted and talented program at school. My parents say I am more focused since I started taking Taekwondo.  

    I want to achieve something I have worked so long for. I started Taekwondo on January 12, 2012 and I am still involved in it. That’s about 3 years from when I started. I love that I still am involved in Taekwondo for this long.   Another reason that I want to be a black belt is so I can defend myself. If a bully is trying to 

physically hurt me,  I know what to do. Also, if someone pushes me and I trip I can fall without hurting myself.  

    One other reason I want to be a black belt is so that I can encourage other children and adults to start taking Taekwondo classes because like I said earlier, Taekwondo is great for the mind and body. It would be a wonderful thing to be a role model like that.       My last reason that I want to be a black belt is so that people can be proud of me. Today, 

friends and family will be proud of me. But in the future, my kids and grandkids will also be 

proud of me.  

    I hope to always be successful in life such as getting a a doctor’s degree and starting my own business. But I will always remember the day I got my black belt. When I do get it, I will be so happy and proud of how far I have come in only three wonderful years! It also means I will have accomplished a life goal before the age of 11.