Strickland's Taekwondo

Friday, October 23, 2015

Why do I want to be a Black Belt? Karunyah Nimallan

Why do I want to be a Black Belt?
My name is Karunyah Nimallan and I am 10 years old.
I am excited to get my promotional black belt and having a lot of thoughts in my mind on the path that I came all the way here and the reasons why it lead me to the next level.
Looking a few years back, I was three years old when my parents gave me different choices to explore my strength. I started off with Ballet dancing at the beginning for a few weeks but gladly I ended up in Taekwondo that I love to follow. Well, it is all started with the friendly environment provided by Mr Strickland and Mr Drew. The Taekwondo forms prepared my brain to remember the steps and execute in sequence. It was difficult at the beginning but with time, I got used to do this as routine. As an accomplishment, I never repeated a belt.The exercises that were given to me made me a stronger person. I could be able to break one-inch board when I was nine. Sparring sessions were really helped me to build my confident to the next level. I feel I can protect myself from others who may intend to hurt me physically. Of course the above mentioned facts show how my self-confident level is that I gained throughout this journey.
Then the disciplines come to my mind. The key words of curtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit influence me largely.
With all these experience that I gain, still the slogan “Discover the champion within” really motivates me to explore my strengths and beyond. As Taekwondo has become a significant part of my life, I wanted to achieve several goals. I am sure they will lead me to be a good citizen with excellent morale.
I learnt to be humble and show respect to elders and others. I would like to continue be very helpful to my parents appreciating the effort they are making to build a good future for myself. Showing greater respect continually for them and other elders towards learning through their experiences.
I will continue to focus on this to be a leader and a good example for my little sister to follow me as a model character. She got interested in Taekwondo following my foot-steps. I feel I have more responsibility to guide and make her successful in her life.
I leant to be honest and to live with moral principles. I will continue this in my life believing that it will give me good friends around me. This will also make me a better person who is trustworthy. I see how my little sister builds her trust on me when I be honest.
I leant to deal with difficulties with perseverance without giving up. I couldn’t break the boards recently during the practice even after several tries. I tried and tried but later my dad figured out that perhaps the board got harden for some reasons. I was confident and tried the new boards where I managed to break them in one shot. This lessons is a good example on how I am committed to be a person with perseverance and to try harder and harder until I reach my goals.

I am learning to control myself without getting emotional. This is one hard thing for a small girl like me but I want to be really better at this with time.
Another area that I really wanted to focus as commitment to my back belt is speed. Not only in executing the form and sparring, but also in my daily activities I wanted to do things faster and with consistence performance.
I also take this opportunity to thank Mr. Strickland, Mr. Drew and other instructors who really helped and motivated me to sail thorough this exciting journey with a lot of fun. Of course my gratitude goes to my parents and my little sister for their continued support.
Yes, I want to be a black belt that I dreamed about. It is not just a belt but I believe it is a part of my life emphasizing my priorities to reach in the future. I am certain that one of the success factors for me to be a good citizen would be my black belt in Taekwondo.

Why I Want To Be A Black Belt: By Victor Mitranca

Why I Want To Be A Black Belt

I am testing for my First Degree Black Belt. This is how my story began. I was seven years old when I wanted to do a sport. I watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and told myself I wanted to be just like them. I told my Mom and Dad I wanted to start taking karate or taekwondo. We began to look for a place where classes were offered. One day, my Dad was taking my sister to her dance class, and a building caught his eyes. The name on the building was Strickland's Taekwondo! My Dad talked to my Mom, and they agreed to let me take classes. At my first class, I felt a little nervous, but when it started I said, "This is the place for me!" When I first started taekwondo, there were many ups and downs. I took classes twice a week, Monday and Wednesday.

One of the obstacles I faced was my first class. Learning my form was difficult because I would confuse my rights and lefts. Eventually, I was ready for my first testing, but I was so nervous that I forgot my form. This made me very scared, but my family and instructors boosted my confidence. I passed my first testing and received my Yellow Belt! It was a smoothjourney. Starting with Orange Belt I had to begin sparring. Right away, I was very frightened! Back then, I was not as strong. At first, I was kicked in the head a couple of times. Testing for my Senior Orange Belt was different. The testing involved sparring.
Once I became a Brown Belt, it was time to break plastic boards. The breaking technique was an elbow strike and a side kick. I broke the plastic boards and before I knew it, I had tested for my Senior Red Belt. The time finally came when I became a Probationary Black Belt.
During this testing, I had to break wooden boards. I stood up in front of the board nervously; I picked up my foot and broke the board in half. SMASH! I had just broken my first wooden board as a Probationary Black Belt. Next came Recommended Black Belt. Although I did my form and sparring excellently, I was unable to break my boards. It took me four attempts to gain the right motivation and strength I needed to earn my First Degree Black Belt. Not being able to pass my testing has taught me perseverance and the importance of never giving up. It made me a stronger person and gave me a good life lesson.
Through   Taekwondo,   I was able to learn 5 words that have changed my attitude. Courtesy, to me, means to respect myself and the others around me. Integrity means to be loyal to the people who sacrifice so much for me. Perseverance,   to me, means to never stop trying no matter how bard it might get. Self-control   means   to have discipline   and take control   of my actions. Indomitable   spirit, to me, means to have faith in myself along with all of the above.

During   these past years,   I have learned that Taekwondo   is for self• defense only. Taekwondo   has taught me self-discipline and what it means to have an indomitable   spirit. There have been fin games and activities   added in order to teach technique.

Throughout   this journey,   my family has been supporting me, each and every   step of the way.   They have taught   me that   in order to achieve   my dream I need to go out and strive to be the best. My instructors   have also played an important role in this journey   for me. Mr. Strickland and Mr. Cain have taught me valuable lessons that I can use for the rest of my life. They have taught   me everything   I needed   to know   from kicks   and combos   to sparring    and    breaking    boards.    I   will    always    remember    my   time    at Strickland's   Taekwondo   as an important part of my life.

Why I want to be a Black Belt - By: Ethan Contreras

Why I want to be a Black Belt

I want to be a black belt so I can get a good job. Participating in taekwondo will help me get a good job because it shows I can stick to a program and finish it. Taekwondo will help me get into a good college so I will have a good education and give me a wider selection of choices of my job. Also, I can defend myself and others if they are getting hurt so I won't come home with a black eye or a broken collarbone. Taekwondo also helps me stay in good shape because

Work out 2 times a week. I can use what I have learned to teach my brother the black belt form when he becomes a black belt. By learning the forms, he can defend himself so he won't get hurt. Taekwondo also I can use what I learned lets me get my energy out so I won't be hyper when I get home and my parents won't yell at me. My dad says you never forget the moves so it could help me a lot in the future plus I can teach my son how to defend himself and others. I could also teach Nick because he wants to learn the forms and more so he could protect

Himself and others. As well tell my family and relatives about it I can use my form to entertain them and show them the moves I learned. My family likes to hear about my sparring and tournaments. I don't want to fight with my friend but if he joins then I could spar against him and see who wins then I could finally stop arguing with him and move on past that. Jack and I spar at home sometimes when we don’t go to taekwondo class. I could eventually do the weapons class when my schedule isn't so crowded with soccer and track. If I decide to work at a dangerous job, like a repo man, my taekwondo skills will get me out of tough times. I might consider being a security guard; if the robbers are trying to steal a sixty inch TV I could knock them out. Working hard at taekwondo helps me with my technique and makes my kicks and punches more powerful to help me break through a board. I sort of want to become an instructor so I can make a living off of it. It seems fun teaching kids to teach their form and watch them test for free. Hopefully I can keep doing this for a long time. I am excited to

Continue with my taekwondo experience and to learn new things along the way especially good

Manners because you want us to say the tenants of taekwondo like courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. For all these reasons and even more this is why I want to be a black belt. Thank you Mr. Strickland, Mr. Drew and all of the other instructors.

By: Ethan Contreras

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Why I Want to be a Black Belt and What it Means to Me By:Mahi Athota

Why I Want to be a Black Belt and What it Means to Me

By:Mahi Athota

October 2015

We all have that one sport that makes us happy.On the worst days it brightens your world.Some days you feel like no one can beat you.I have tried many sports when I was younger but finally I knew I found the one. Taekwondo! Before Stricklands Taekwondo I went to another dojo.There something was not right but when I changed to Stricklands Taekwondo I knew this is were I wanted to get my black belt.I've been going to Stricklands for about two years.It never gets boring here there is always something new to learn in every class.I have also made great friends there.

You may say anyone can get a black belt. That is not true only those who truly love taekwondo reach their black belt.Many people drop out before getting there.A black belt is not just a thing you put on your waist.It is a symbol of what you have learned and mastered.It also shows you are not only physically but mentally strong.Most people doing taekwondo have had a no change while getting their black belt.If you made it to black belt it shows you are passionate about taekwondo and you never gave up.It may take a couple of years but once you get it you know you earned it.A black belt is not something you buy,it is something that shows the challenges you have faced and overcame.You are also carrying history with you because all the forms you know have been passed down generation to generation.You are continuing that tradition.

I have learned many things in taekwondo. Whether it is how to defend myself or be a good person.I want a black belt to know that I have proven myself in taekwondo. With a black belt I know for sure I can defend myself and others.It will prove all my years of hard work were worth it.After I get my black belt I’m not going to stop but continue.To me first degree and after show I have completed the bacics and other levels of diffculties. With my black belt I can learn how to teach others.With a black belt I will have even more confidence in my self.I will know I succeeded a hard goal.When I get my black belt it will show I’m not the scared little girl I was when I started.

There is no way to describe how bad I want a black belt. Sure many people may say they want to get a black belt.The difference is I will get a black belt.A black belt means many things to me.Mainly to me it is a symbol of accomplishment and success. a symbol of what you have accomplished and how far you have came.I’m never going to forget how hard it is to get one.I cannot wait for the moment I get my black belt at the belt ceremony.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Why I want to be a Black Belt – Megan Chionh

I started Tae Kwon Do about 2 years ago because I watched my brother Cooper Chionh since he was five and a half, and it looked pretty cool. I didn’t stay in very long because my parents pulled me out of Tae Kwon Do shortly after I started, because they felt that I wasn’t mature enough to take it seriously. I couldn’t stop bugging my brother when we were in the same class, which was almost always.

I kept doing gymnastics, and other activities. About six month later, they let me start again and this time, I stayed in. It’s an important detail though, that I still bug my brother because it’s too much fun not too.

There were times that I did complain too. Like school days when I would tell my Dad I didn’t want to go, or I was too tired for Tae Kwon Do. As soon as I got there, I had fun, and forgot how tired I was. Cooper and I even joined the Demo Team last year, and we got to compete in Greensboro, and go to the beach after.

I want to be a black belt because I want to move up the ranks to be an instructor trainee like my brother Cooper. I have a passion for teaching kids. Make that “younger” kids. I’ve been waiting for this moment since I started Tae Kwon Do all those years ago.

I’ve met so many friends on my journey, and there are just too many of you so I’m NOT GOING TO NAME ANY NAMES (Noah Kent, Natalie Campbell, Maddx, Roy, the Seastroms, and all the rest of you, I’m sure you all know who you are…). You all made it so fun.

I believe it’s important for everyone to know martial arts or self-defense, especially for women. It’s a nice feeling to know that even when I’m alone out there, that if there’s anyone there that tries to hurt me, I CAN KICK THEIR STTUB! (Parent Note here: She had me spell it backwards so it would be younger kid friendly. Her idea totally.)

Training to be a black belt helped me have confidence in myself, and to know that I can do anything. Nowadays, when I watch movies and I see the actors perform martial arts, it reminds me that I can do that one day too!

Tae Kwon Do helps keep my body healthy and strong. I try to live the tenets of Tae Kwon Do, which are Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, Indomitable Spirit. I don’t always make it, especially self-control, but I try.

I want to thank Mr. Strickland, especially for working with me this testing week, to help me get my last stripe, and prepare for testing. Thanks to Mr. Strickland, Mr. Cain, Mrs. Dick, and all the other instructors and instructor trainees who have helped me get where I am today.

Becoming a black belt isn’t easy, but it’s fun. My journey will not end with becoming a black belt this Saturday. It will only have started again. That’s why I want to be a black belt.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Bakers Branch HOA Anti Bully and Women's Self Defense Workshop was a Great Success!!

We took our Anti Bully and Women's Self Defense to the Bakers Branch Block Party this weekend. Children and Adults participated in Learning some basic Self Defense. They now wish to follow up and schedule to bring their group into the school for a more focused community experience. We offer Complimentary group Anti Bully and Womens Self Defense Classes to the Community when needed. Had a great time and look forward to seeing you again soon!