This month’s DOJANG TOWN MEETING is Monday, October 15th. Starting at 5:55 pm, Master Cashatt gives a brief orientation for new students and parents- and reminds students of upcoming events. It is also a chance to voice questions, ideas or suggestions. 15 minutes in length.
WHERE’S YOUR MOST LOCAL DOJANG?
Dear students, parents and friends,
Where is your most local dojang? You might think 665 Forman Road in Souderton (our dojang), but that’s not what I’m thinking. Your most local dojang is where you live. It could be your living room, your kitchen, your basement, your attic, your backyard or any place that has enough room. Technically the smallest area is sitting in your easy chair, comfortably performing your Taekwon-Do techniques in your head. The more we think about one thing, the more familiar it becomes. Our visualization can improve our techniques significantly. To actually perform a pattern, the smallest area might be 4 foot square. A student can do a whole pattern in a 4 foot square. The stepping won’t be as exact as in our 665 Forman Road dojang, but the chamber, the shifting of the weight and the execution of the technique can be done very well. To perform a whole pattern with correct stepping and stances, a student needs a space approximately 8 feet by 12 feet. Dan-gun and many other patterns can be done in such a space. The longer or crazy shaped patterns can also be done with a little improvising.
Taekwon-Do training can be done almost everywhere. On vacation, make a dojang. The beach is a terrific dojang. The hard and soft sand creates a challenge and works on one’s balance and leg strength. In the surf creates even more challenges with the ebb and flow of the waves. In the mountains and on hilly, uneven surfaces, a dojang can be created and Taekwon-Do can be practiced. Again the degree of difficulty might be more than on our wonderful floor at 665 Forman Road, but improvement will still be gained.
All of a sudden the Dr. Seuss story of “Green Eggs and Ham” came to mind. Can you do Taekwon-do in a box, Can you do Taekwon-Do with a fox? Can you practice on a boat, can you practice with a goat? Can you practice in the rain, in the dark or on a train? The world is a dojang.
The real issue here isn’t exactly finding your own dojang wherever you go. The issue here is to “practice”. When you attend class at 665 Forman Road, we only have one hour to get as much done as possible. During that time we might not get to every TKD pattern a student knows. We might not get to practice “50 side piercing kicks a day to keep the bad guy away!” A student should practice on their own outside of the (665 Forman Road) dojang. A teacher can most definitely see the difference. Another famous saying is “Practice at home, perform in the dojang.”
Taekwon-Do is very new for some of us. Our GUP (color belt) students are climbing the ladder, learning our patterns. When we get to Blue Belt, there is so much to practice already and that’s when I find it is most difficult to keep some students. If they don’t practice their patterns enough, the patterns start to run into another pattern and we lose our confidence and some give up. Once a student gets to 2nd or 3rd DAN, Taekwon-Do is a way of life for them. We are so fortunate at our (665 Forman Road) dojang to have so many students 5th DAN and above who are still training. As we age, our body might start to wear out if we aren’t careful. This too is where more practice can help allot. I know personally that with my love of eating, if it wasn’t for all my training, I would weigh a lot more than I do. My eating is my reward often for my hard training….plus I want to keep on top of techniques so they keep improving and giving me more insight to share with our students.
Practice, practice, practice (your art) and location, location, location is not important. Let’s commit to constant improvement and body strengthening by practicing more. Taekwon-Do is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, mentally and physically and as you know, it is lots of fun!
Sincerely, Mark Cashatt
OUTSTANDING STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Every month Master Cashatt chooses a youth gup (color belt) who has shown outstanding characteristics in class. Every student has a chance to be named once in their gup life. Every year Master Cashatt chooses the dojang’s youth “OUTSTANDING STUDENT OF THE YEAR” from the student roster of the dojang and announces it at our big tournament in April. This all promotes a constant reminder for the kids to do their best at all times! This month’s winner is
NICOLE KLECKNER
Nicole has been training at our dojang for over 8 months and has earned the rank of Yellow Stripe. During class, Nicole always tries her best and asks questions. She is kind and friendly to other students and she takes pride in her techniques. Congratulations to Nicole and the Kleckner family.
DAN-GUN CELEBRATION OCT. 1!
Dan-Gun is the legendary founder of Korea and history believes his birthday to be Oct. 3, 2333 BC. DAN-GUN is also a Taekwon-Do pattern learned at yellow belt level. Ever since the year 1990, our dojang has held a celebration and competition for DAN-GUN DAY. This year October 3 is on the Wednesday that Master Cashatt must travel to his daughter’s destination wedding. This year we will have the event on Monday Oct. 1 starting at 6 pm.
The celebration includes the acting out of the legendary story of DAN-GUN followed by competition to find the year’s DAN-GUN champions. Students who can compete must be yellow belt through Black Stripe. Black Belts cannot compete. Black Belts are the judges.
There are four categories: adult division (age 20 and above), teenage (age 13-19), youth boy (age 12 and under) and youth girl (age 12 and under). It usually works out that students on their way to Black Belt will get to compete in at least two Dan-Gun Days because this celebration is held only once a year, around October 3.
After the competition we have a bit of a feast featuring food people might eat in Korea. Families are invited to bring treats also.
The event will start at 6 PM, NO regular class, and the 7 pm adult class will be cancelled that night. All students (including white belts) and their families are invited and encouraged to come. This is a free event that helps the unity and friendships of our dojang.
Please sign up on the dojang wall if you plan on attending and list what you might bring as a treat, but it is not necessary to bring a treat.
BATTLE OF THE DOJANG CLANS CONTINUES WITH THE
TKD TRIVIA BOWL!
On Wednesday, October 17 from 6-7 PM we will hold our 8th annual Taekwon-Do Trivia Bowl at the dojang.
For our eighth consecutive year we will have this battle which like our DOJANG CHAMPIONSHIPS in February, is between the three designated kingdoms or clans in our dojang. So far in our Trivia Bowl history, Baek Je won two championships. Silla Dynasty has won four championships and Koguryo has won one time. We really want to encourage all the students of the dynasties to participate to make the competition as fair as possible.
All the student has to know is the trivia knowledge on his/her requirement sheets plus all the ones of the past belts. Check the sign up list on the bulletin board and make sure you represent your clan. Koguryo claims they have what it takes. Baek Je has all fine students too…..will Silla win again this year?
Activities like this have so many wonderful purposes. First of all, it promotes unity and the necessity of pursuing choices even though we may be just a small help to a bigger cause—clan or dynasty pride and unity! Doing things for the bigger cause is very noble. Secondly, the questions and answers come from material we must remember as we earn our Black Belt and beyond.
Some of us are especially good at showing technique and some of us are especially good at remembering TKD trivia; everyone is needed!! If you attend the TKD TRIVIA BOWL, you will gain five class credits towards your next advancement. Yes it seems like a special incentive to attend, but by attending, you will learn so much that the class credits will be worth it.
It is important all student members come and support their clan. The only way it can be a true contest is if we have a good turn out from all clans. Which clan name will join the wood wall hanging to be displayed in the dojang forever?
HALLOWEEN PARTY AT THE DOJANG THIS YEAR!!
We have an old dojang tradition of having a costume party for the Halloween time of year. We have set the date for Friday, Oct. 26 from 7-8 PM. We will have a regular class from 6-7 pm and then we will have our Halloween Party.
All students and their family members are invited to attend and participate. During this event we will start off with a costume contest. Our panel of judges will pick winners of several categories determined that evening from what we see. It is important that during the voting process, the costume participants should “stay in character” of their costume. Once the judging is done, if participants are wearing costumes that hinder their mobility, then the participant should bring a change of clothes for the games we have planned. We hope to have a table full of goodies for after the games. Please sign up on the wall of the dojang if you’re coming, and list the number of people coming with you and also list if you can bring a dessert or treat.
Remember we will have a regular class from 6-7 pm.
2018 TUL JON-SA(Pattern Competition)
Nov. 10 at our dojang!
Within our patterns, we have all the techniques and methods needed to become better at sparring and board breaking. The patterns of General Choi’s Taekwon-Do are unrivaled in power and beauty. Patterns can be done alone which makes them the ultimate learning tool.
Now we have a contest to give our students and fellow Taekwon-Do from affiliated dojangs to see how we do under a little pressure of competition. We are calling it, the 2018 TUL JON-SA, which in the Korean language translates as “Pattern Champion”.
Sure it’s easier to pass and not compete. There are a million excuses, if not more. On Saturday, November 10th you will have a chance to gamble for the benefit of your own training. It is not much of a gamble- just an entry fee and a test of courage to prepare. I’m sure none of us would be terribly upset if we didn’t get 1st place, but the value of effort put forth preparing will take our students to the next level in their training. Normal Taekwon-Do tournaments usually have sparring and patterns. The pattern competition isn’t as detailed as the TUL JON-SA. Students will end up performing at least 4 patterns during the competition. Those that make it close to the top could perform 10 patterns or more. In other words, the competition will provide an excellent opportunity for students to show their technique…as the destination or goal, but the practice leading up to November 4th will be the true advancement ground.
We will first split all competitors into rank and age. The four big divisions are white belt to green stripe; green belt to black stripe; 1st DAN to 3rd DAN; and 4th DAN and above. Then within these divisions, we will have age groups. All the information is hanging on the dojang wall and you can also access it from our website homepage.
Two competitors from each division and age group will stand side by side and first perform a pattern chosen by the judges. Then the competitors will be asked to perform a pattern of their choice. Their choice must come from the three highest-ranking patterns that the competitor knows.
The judges will then pick a winner to move on in the bracket. The competitor who does not win will be put into a different part of the bracket, which will enable them to win their way up to the top. Once a competitor loses two matches, he or she is eliminated from the competition. In each age group of each division, we will award 1st, 2nd and 3rd place medals. Then those who get 1st place in their age group will compete to see who does the best in their division. Then the division winners will compete to find the “TUL JON-SA” or Pattern Champion in each of two divisions – One champion from the GUP DIVISION and one champion from the BLACK BELT DIVISION. Each champion goes home with a 38-inch tall trophy.
The doors open at 9 am and competition will start at 10 am after opening ceremonies. Color belts will go first so our youngest children do not have to wait around. We will award the GUP DIVISION CHAMPION before we start with the BLACK BELTS! Refreshments will be sold. Student competitors should invite their families and friends.
Students who plan to compete should register by Saturday, Nov. 3rd to save $10 off the admission fee. Ask the receptionist for a registration form. To compete it costs $30 (if registered by Nov. 3). Each additional family member competitor is $25. The day of the competition the cost will be $40 and $35 for each additional family member competitor.
ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR
OCT. 1…Monday, DAN-GUN DAY CELEBRATION starts at 6 pm.
OCT. 15…DOJANG TOWN MEETING starts at 5:55 pm (student/parent orientation)
OCT. 17…DOJANG TRIVIA BOWL starts at 6 pm.
OCT. 17…MASTER CLASS from 7-8 pm featuring SAM-IL (Black Stripe and above invited)
OCT. 18…GUP TEST starts at 6 pm.
OCT. 23…BASIX CLASS on L-STANCES from 6-7 pm.
OCT. 26…DOJANG HALLOWEEN PARTY 7-8 PM
NOV. 7…DOJANG 30th BIRTHDAY PARTY starts at 6 pm.
NOV. 10…2018 TUL JON-SA (Pattern Competition) for all students. Starts at 10 am.
NOV. 14…2018 DOJANG GROUP PICTURE at 7 pm.