Smashing Grading Success
3 students from West Midlands Tae Kwon Do were all smiles this week as the results of their grueling gradings came through. This challenging examination challenges all aspects of the students’ skills, where students are marked on their techniques, patterns, sparring skills and their theoretical knowledge. Black Belt Gradings are very comprehensive and require years of training and dedication. For the higher degrees of Black Belt (higher levels) students are required to smash through wood with their powerful techniques. Arnie King, James Yates, and Katie Billingham were honored to be graded by a panel of 7th Dan Black Belts, the Committee for our organization.
Arnie King, a 14 year old Kidderminster student, has worked hard over the 4 years he has been training. Arnie had an unsuccessful attempt earlier in the year at his Black Belt grading but unlike most, he did not let it faze him. Instead he came back fighting and trained harder than ever before, pushing himself to new levels of speed, skill, power and accuracy. He impressed all with his determined come back and excelled in all aspects this time round. His indomitable spirit shone through on the day and he was awarded his Black Belt grade.
James Yates, aged 16 from Dudley, is a dedicated martial artist who has been training for many years. A passionate sports man, James also plays football and loves to keep himself fit. In the months leading up to the grading James has attended extra sessions when ever possible, and his hard work really paid off. On the day James’ skills shone, his fitness was among the best there and he proved himself to be a skilled sparer. His patterns and line work were meticulously practiced and his success was well deserved.
Katie Billingham, newly promoted 3rd Degree Black Belt, is an instructor for West Midlands Tae Kwon Do, teaching beginners classes in Bewdley and Hagley, with a mixed ability class in Bloxwich. Despite putting so much into the training of others she has still found time to keep her own skills in top notch condition. The three compulsory years since her last grading have seen her go from strength to strength and this was apparent to all on the day. She smashed her way through the destruction element of the grading using an elbow strike, side kick and flying side kick. Her knowledge of our art and its origins was second to none on the theory section, and her patterns and line work were exceptional. It has been a year of great success for Billingham who, in the last 12 months, has opened 3 successful Tae Kwon Do schools, become a fully qualified Umpire, Referee, Instructor and completed basic first aid, emergency first aid and child protection certification. Her students all received A-Pass grades in their last grading, proving her not only a good student, but a good teacher also.
Senior Instructor Vince Farquharson said “I’m so proud of all of them. They have worked hard for a long time. James is a model student who always gives it his all, Arnie has proved himself to be a real fighter and set an example to the whole club. Katie’s dedication over her 13 years of training is a credit to our group of schools. They really deserve these awards.”
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