hv-tkd blog

The National Tournament

2011-01-24T15:41:00.000-06:00

It is inconceivable to me that I attended my first tournament 14 years and 10 months ago, as a green belt student taking my 5 year old greenbelt son to his first tournament. The value I got from attending that tournament (held on a concrete floor in a 'gym' with a taped number in the middle of a taped ring) is so very different than what I take from tournaments now.

Tournaments then were about chasing trophies, measuring yourself against others, and the thrill of competition. These are all absolutely reasonable things for us to be looking for in that setting. Hopefully, we have many students who go for exactly that reason.

As a high-ranking student, we are kind of beyond being excited about a medal or trophy. Our "old man" ring full of 3rd degrees and up was looking for feedback from the competition, whether it be feedback from our judges or just the immediate feedback when we spar on what we need to be working on. Frankly, we enjoy each other's company wherever we would meet, but the 45 minutes we spend in the ring is what brings us together. In that 45 minutes, we are students again. We are trying to figure out what it is that we do best, what we can do to make up for the things we don't do as well. In short, it makes us all better instructors to put on that competitive 'student' hat for just a bit.

As embarrassing as it is to admit, it took me a full year to learn my new 4th degree form. I learned it finally because ... you guessed it ... I was going to the tournament. My stances suddenly got much better in the last few weeks. That tricky heel kick got just a little bit higher. When I got there, two other students who were the same rank as I am were there, and I helped correct some things with their forms. They had been a Sr. 4th degree 4 months longer than I had. They were learning their form ... because they'd signed up for the tournament. They might have improved it more in the 2 hours before the tournament than they did in the 16 months since they had tested. If we don't go to tournaments and compete when we can, we lose something in our instructional ability. It is an opportunity to improve, and even those of us in our 15th year of competing need to remember that from time to time.

Incidentally, in that first green belt tournament, I was 3rd in forms. My son was 2nd in forms in his division. No, not the son who travelled with me to Orlando and was part of the championship demo team (Carson). You see, Carson was only 2 months old at my first tournament.

It has been a long time, but a good time!

Mr. V

Thanks on behalf of we testers!

2010-01-18T19:28:00.003-06:00

Well, it is again DFW "statistics" time - testers' edition!

At one of the 3 high rank testing tables, 11 of 17 no-changed, for various reasons. While this is a high % of no-change, it isn't unexpected or "out of the ordinary". It is a stressful, hard, worthwhile testing.

Of our testers, we had 10 of 13 pass, or approximately 77%. We consistently have extremely high passing rates at these high-rank testings. I would not argue that our 'high ranking students' are better than high ranking students around the nation. I would, however, argue that the support we high ranks get is better than anywhere else in the nation. I know that many of us attended at least 3 schools in the area in the month before testing (and were welcomed across the board). It helps to have more eyes on the forms, and it also helps to perform in unfamiliar surroundings.

Beyond this - our lower ranking students do sacrifice a bit of their training as we approach a big national testing. As we had 7 testers in class last Tuesday, our usual sweatfest was cut a little short so that we could prep the testers a bit more. All we heard after class was "good luck" - and the poor colored belts who had their fingers kicked 19 times by we testers didn't complain at all.

Friday night, when we got there, we heard not just from our friends, but from students and parents from all of the DFW schools. Mr. Mischke was bouncing from group to group so he could see his students, HV testers, and step in to help where he could. Mr. and Mrs. Spicar made sure to step in with some of the high ranking HV testers. Mr. Mischke did the same. Kirk Phillips, from McKinney, stepped in with some testers, as did Scott Mischke.

From an instruction standpoint, Ms. Romiecke and Gupta both came and worked with us in Highland Village. Most of the HV testers worked also at Flower Mound and in Southlake. The Spicars and Mischke both helped with parts of my form, and Mr. Strickland helped immensely with the 360 break which was "improbable" a few months ago. Because we went to Southlake Wednesday, my son Carson got a tip from Mr. Nelson, then went out and won forms competition. Maybe there are other places in the country where this is possible - but it happens here in DFW. Add to this mix Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's relocation in the near future - I just don't know how it can get better for a student that wants to improve.

All of that is really appreciated, and it makes a real difference when we are testing - and that's part of the 77% passing rate which is unprecedented elsewhere in the country. Thanks to all!

Appreciation, Parents, TA Schools and our friends

2009-11-15T18:31:00.004-06:00

I was fortunate enough to go to a party for the Southlake school owners, who will be married over the Thanksgiving break. This was thrown by the parents of some of their students - in a beautiful home, with great food, drink, and company. Adam and Lucie were blown away by this show of appreciation by students' parents. It just shows that as Parents and Students, Southlake TA folks appreciate how much the SpicarKova team cares about them. It was phenomenal!

A long time ago, Mr. McMahan of the McKinney school talked about your fellow TKD students becoming your friends, and becoming like family as you DO things with them, rather than TALKING about doing things. We know our TKD friends better than we know our neighbors. We have a certain amount of military discipline and respect of higher rank. However, we don't respect each other because of belt colors and bars on belts. We respect each other because we strive for common goals in raising good kids, keeping ourselves fit, and/or in our willingness to try new things.

As the TA schools in the area learn to work together as we come together for testings and tournaments and even holiday schedules, we start to compare ourselves and what we provide for students to other individual schools. Recently, in the Flower Mound/Highland Village area, an independent school (with no TA affiliation) had to close. There is no joy amongst us when an established school closes. Schools closing mean that students, through no fault of their own, have to make the tough decision on whether to reestablish relationships and fight through the awkwardness of stepping onto a new floor with new people for the first time.

This weekend, Mr. Strickland of Highland Village attended a tournament in the Alabama region, and Mr. Anderson of Castle Hills went to help with a regional camp in the Carolinas. We will have a regional camp next year open to all, and we want to make it a valuable addition to your training opportunities. Tournaments have evolved from the bloody, unpadded fightfests of the 70's to a more controlled environment where people have a chance to show what they have learned. Tournaments and camps evolve when people are willing to attend and think about what we can do to improve them for the next time. I have recently been to class either assisting, teaching, or taking at the Southlake school and the Flower Mound school. Every time I go, I learn.

Our goal in this region is to continually provide better and better opportunities for the students. When a school like Cross Training Martial Arts closes, it reinforces our need to always work to make sure that the curriculum we teach has maximum value to our students. We are a successful, growing region precisely because we care about our students. We will be welcoming many of those students in to our schools over the next few weeks, and as instructors and students we will do our best to make them comfortable enough to become part of the DFW TaeKwonDo America family.

An improving program! post 1 of a few - TESTING

2009-08-28T13:31:00.005-05:00

Testing, from my 'doing this for 14 years eyes' was the best 'local' testing I've ever been a part of. I thought it was funny that Mr. Lacy said it was better than some of the national testings we've had in the past.

Testing is a big event now. I do regret that anyone has to test early because of travel or team sports, as the experience at a testing with 400 students is very different than a testing with 40 students. It is different having up to 40 eyeballs on you from a judges table + all of the spectators rather than testing in your own school.

From a parent's perspective, I want my kid developing the self-confidence to demonstrate what he knows in a safe but pressure-filled environment. The reason we test at all is to give students an opportunity to grow and show development, not to change belt colors. Testing is motivational. I have an opportunity to test in January here in Dallas (as do many of our instructors). If I pass, I will not get a different belt color. I will not get another stripe on my belt. I won't get to add another cool black stripe anywhere on my uniform. However, by preparing to test and going through the testing, I WILL GET better! I am motivated because I want to do well in front of my peers, my family, my instructors, and my students. My 13 year old son who has recently started up again still talks about a testing sparring match I had almost 3 years ago!

I contrast this with folks that have to test sparring the same people who they have sparred in class for 8 or 16 or 32 weeks, with no variety. Or getting to do the form looking at the same 4 walls. Or even breaking wood with "only" their own school's parents looking on.

We appreciate the effort students make to drive up to 40 minutes to get to a testing site. We also appreciate the fact that it isn't nearly as comfortable to test out of our own "friendly confines". We endeavor to limit the amount of time students actually spend at a testing to preserve some of their Saturday! (except for the instructors, who put in a nice 9-10 hours).

What has happened over the last year in the DFW region is that we have worked through the logistics of being able to hold a "big event" like this. We work behind the scenes to make sure that each of the students has the opportunity to be judged completely and fairly. The benefits come out when we see certain schools doing one thing well, others doing another thing well, and another school not emphasizing a particular technique. Students see this, we see it, and it raises the standard across the board. With most of the logistics out of the way - the big testing will be more efficient, but more importantly, it will help us ALL improve as students and instructors.

Thank you for being a part of the best region in TaeKwonDo! We will continue to try and improve for the students!

Mr.V

Cameron's last class and what Mr. V WOULD have said

2009-06-16T23:01:00.003-05:00

14 years and 10 months after walking into a TKD school, Cameron took his "last class" tonight.
I had planned to try and express how much this "activity" almost "accidental activity" has meant to us. I got choked up about 14 seconds into it, so thought I would write about it instead.

Somehow, I have to say thank you. I have to say thank you for alot of things. I have had articles posted in magazines on how to choose a TaeKwonDo school. Yet we chose to walk into Mr. Schmidtke's school simply because his schedule worked for us, and the other, more established school in town had a beginner class that was just too early for us. The Schmidtkes remain some of our favorite people, and Schmidtke (with his daughter's help) was one of the 3 people chosen for writing recommendations to Senators and Congressmen for Cameron for a nomination to the academy.

When that school closed, we came to Highland Village. From the FIRST day we walked into class, we were welcomed as friends, as almost charter members of the school. In 5 years at hv-tkd we've felt at home, as people have moved in and moved out and moved on, we have felt at home. Mr. Strickland took the time to call me, the students welcomed us, and the parents treated us like we'd been friends for life. Another of Cameron's recommenders is a parent at hv-tkd.

Cameron is now the one 'moving on'. People have thought I'd leave when he does. People are wrong. It may be tougher for me next year when we lose 5-6 seniors than this year losing 2 - even though one is my son.

Mr. McMahan once said of TKD - this IS a family. I'm sending a kid off to the Air Force Academy. Thank goodness I still have the rest of my kids on Tuesday nights in Highland Village.

thanks for reading, and you are all welcome to make fun of me in a couple weeks when I get back.

Mr. V

GRADUATION and TKD Students

2009-06-05T14:33:00.003-05:00

Because team Vickroy comes from a school that opened in 1995, when the Air Force Academy boy was ... 4 ... we got to know tons of kids in the TKD program in Coppell.

At Awards ceremonies and graduation over the past week or so, it started to hit just how many students we've taught, been in class with, and perhaps had a little bit of an impact on. Better than that, how much of an impact TKD had on these students.

The Coppell school never had as many students as the Flower Mound or Highland Village schools do. Amongst all age groups, the highest number was about 150. Typically, like most programs, (except our dfw ta schools) we lost students around the time they became teenagers. (Now it seems we GAIN students at the teenaged years with our program) Still, the awards ceremony was quite telling ...

Coppell's Senior Class had a total of 15 National Merit Finalists in the class of 2009. Of those, 3-4 were former TKD students. Walking across the stage were students that we'd frankly forgotten about as we hadn't worked with them in at least 5 years. One graduate was a boy from a set of twins, perhaps from the 'wrong side of the tracks'. The TKD student, who made it to 2nd degree blackbelt, walked across the stage Wednesday. His twin, who never 'made time' for TKD, did not.

One of my favorite ways to poke holes in arguments is to point out that "correlation doesn't imply causation". In other words, we don't know if TKD kids are more successful because they go to TKD, or if successful kids go to TKD because they are sharp enough to recognize that this "fun" activity helps them throughout their teenaged years, and their lives. Maybe they just think it is fun enough that they "put up with" the good stuff it does for them.

I will write about "our" seniors in a couple of weeks. It just struck me over the last couple weeks what an incredible impact a little martial arts school in Coppell had had on a group of Seniors about to head out into the world.

Thanks for reading,
Mr. V

More Good! Texas Testing.

2009-05-24T17:42:00.002-05:00

Highland Village didn't have anyone testing at the national seminar/testing in Atlanta. However, with 6 schools in the area, WE still had some folks testing.

Mr. Anderson from Castle Hills, Mr. Spicar and Ms. Stolkova from Southlake, and Mr. Scott Mischke from Flower Mound all tested. For the second time in memory, we had all of our students pass.

Note I said "OUR" and I also said "students". One of the best things that has happened with the addition of schools in the area is the cooperation between the schools. To get ready for testing, Mr. Anderson was travelling to Southlake frequently, and we went out to Castle Hills for a group workout on a recent Saturday - again helping our testers bet ready. We root for each other like we were all students at the same school.

This translates down the line to the teens and junior students as well. Our instructors at HV have been to Southlake frequently since it opened. I was at Flower Mound last week with my son Carson for a class with Mr. Mischke. Sarah Anderson was helping in Southlake for a time earlier in the month as well. When Kevin Nevels and Mr. Monaghan were getting ready to test last year, we saw them frequently in Highland Village.

I don't know who the "best karate instructor in America" is. What I really believe, though, is that participation with different schools is the best instruction we can have. Whether it be testing, class in the grass, blackbelt clinics, or instructor workouts, it always helps to hear and see instruction in additional ways. Most of these opportunities are available to students from the first day they sign up. Taking advantage of these opportunities is what makes our high rank testers so successful. More successful than anyone else in the nation!

While I may not know who the best karate instructor in America might be, I think it is safe to say that the group of 6 schools in the Metroplex together offer the best instruction a student can hope for!

Thanks for reading ...

Mr.V

TKD - you GET more than you GIVE - every time

2009-05-04T20:58:00.003-05:00

April 25th, we had a little breakathon scheduled for one of Mr. Anderson's students. They had a pretty lofty goal, we thought, of trying to raise $5000 amongst 4 schools with students who were participating. I really didn't think there was much need of my being there, but I have a kid who hasn't broken in several years, thought it would be a good opportunity to let him have a chance to do so. Contributed a few bucks, postponed cleaning the garage (grudgingly) and mowing the lawn, and took the kid up to Castle Hills.

I showed up to find several folks inside Mr. Anderson's school, with around ... ONE THOUSAND BOARDS. When I walked in, I heard the $5000 goal to START A FOUNDATION for an uncommon disease affecting one of our TKD children had been obliterated, we were around $9000 at the time...

Carson grabbed his boards and we headed out. Figuring that we had 1000 boards to be broken, I slipped my way onto the mat to help hold wood with the school owners. I was pretty sure nobody would ask me to leave as I had a bunch of bars on my belt (kind of like rings which show on a tree trunk). There was music on, there was a vibe and an energy which was unbelievable. Figured out the mom was breaking tons of wood right next to me ... crowd was going crazy.

We stopped down for the Highland Village demo team, finished up another few hundred boards with kids and adults, then the school owners and demo team members took the stage. These guys had some fun, did some impressive stuff, but all of us on the stage were as excited about the orange belts getting their first opportunities as watching our "pros" do 360's through multiple boards.

By that time, we realized we had been a part of something alot bigger than just a bunch of individuals breaking wood. Somewhere along the line, the $5000 goal went to $9000, then the total became $16,000. Smiles on the breakers faces were priceless, but how about the parents? How about the school owners who came together to put this on? Want to compare this to the "who is the toughest" schools of the 1970's? What do you want YOUR family to be associated with?

We do sign contracts in this organization. We'll pay $x/month and schools will tell us that we'll learn self-defense, we'll get more fit, we'll learn some discipline, and we'll have some fun while we get these benefits. I am pretty sure that in no contract that I ever signed did it tell me that in addition to the above, I'd get to be a part of starting a foundation to help victims of a rare disease. It didn't say that we'd have the opportunity to teach our kids to feel fortunate about the blessing of health. It didn't say that 6 schools in the area would come together in the best interest of the students of each.

I have been doing this for 14 years now, and I have always gotten more out of this activity than I have put in, whether it be treasure, time, travel, or talent. In that 14 years, I've never been more proud of participating in an event than I was at the DFW Breakathon for Alport Syndrome. I just have to say thanks for letting my family be a part of it.

Mr. V

Bussed and that to Baton Rouge

2009-03-20T16:30:00.002-05:00

Unbelievably pleasant bus ride with folks from 4 schools in the area. The tournament experience was good as well - our Dallas area students and instructors were somewhat dominant again.

Both of the school owners in Southlake are still eligible to compete, and each won at least one division. As always, our high ranking teenagers placed well in their divisions, (EJ and Amanda) winning both forms divisions. The Southlake adult who rode the bus with us also won his forms competition, narrowly beating out a Flower Mound competitor. Cara Romeike from Flower Mound won her division by so much that parents of other competitors saw her first 3 moves and just dropped their heads.

Better than that, though, the camaraderie of the Dallas area group just shocks those from other area. Somehow, the instructors have instilled an atmosphere where the competition is quite fierce right up until the end of the round or of the competition. Winning is fun, but the reason we have tournaments is to bring out the best in TaeKwonDo training.

We try to train together, we test together, we work together, and we compete against each other. At the end of the day, we make our fellow students and instructors better. That's the goal and Baton Rouge showed the results!

Let's get back to training after Spring Break.

Mr.V

Demo Team and Different perspectives

2009-02-03T20:57:00.003-06:00

14 years into my martial arts career, I notice I think much more like an instructor than a student. This changes when I am due to test, or when I have foolishly volunteered to break a bunch of concrete using a technique I've never done before. Then it is imperative you think like a student!

However, as my 13 year old son Carson starts up again after a break of several years, and as Cameron gets back to class after his ridiculously rapid recovery from his femur break, I find myself occasionally thinking as a parent. At home, I get a good perspective from the kids on the views as students. A couple of things have really struck me over the last few weeks.

The demo team reportedly did a tremendous job, technically the best team in the country (according to the judges) last week. I got to tell some of the guys how proud I was of them tonight, in my role as an instructor. Cameron got to spar Drew Cain in the last class, and came home amazed by how much Drew had improved from his perspective sparring Drew as a student. Sylva Cohen has been raving about how well the kids have been working together in this iteration of the demo team. Among the newer members, Michael Cohen has developed leadership, Drew Cain has developed as a teacher. She is proud as a parent and an instructor.

Ms. Cohen almost single-handedly resurrected the demo team last fall in an impossible time frame to be ready for this competition. Ms. Reiner before her had gotten the team back together to amaze in Jackson, and as the 2008 version of the team faded away, Ms. Cohen was particularly hopeful that it would continue, because of the progress of members in the martial art and the challenge it continues to lay in front of them. It might have been OK for us to not have a team, but it wouldn't have been the best thing for our developing martial artists.

I don't take for granted how blessed we are to have the quality of trainee and certified instructors in the school. As instructor coordinator, I see what these guys can already do. When I help with my son's cross country team, I yearn for the type training and experience in handling students that goes into teaching the kids at hv-tkd. Tonight, though, as a parent, I had a little bit different perspective.

As the lead instructor in a large class, frequently you serve as the ringmaster or the CEO. Meanwhile, you end up assigning students who need closer supervision to instructors assisting in the class. Tonight, my 13 year old was in class. He has the moves in his form down. However, he is going to compete in Baton Rouge and really needs to polish that form, needs good, specific instruction after being out of the program for several years. As the lead instructor with a bunch of bars on my black belt and a pretty stripe down my pants, I did something without thinking.

The best instruction Carson got tonight was not from me, or from Mr. Strickland, or from any adult at all. I assigned Ms. Cleveland to watch Carson carefully. As an instructor it was the right thing to do, and it was natural. As a parent, I don't know what better endorsement I could give for the quality of instructors in the program.

We continue to strive to keep this quality as high as it possibly can be.

Thanks to all, and good luck with testing.

Mr.V

Quality

2008-11-24T16:23:00.002-06:00

As my friend John Wilkinson once remarked - kind of in an off-handed sort of way - "you don't associate with anything but good people, do you?"

At the tournament Saturday, we had over 300 competitors. Tournaments are generally fun, but signing up for a tournament generally reflects 3 things.

1. Commitment to getting better.
2. Commitment to helping a kid get better at martial arts.
or 3. Commitment to the instructor, the school, and the program that the students are involved with.

I thought 300 competitors in this economy was the truest testament to the quality of people who are involved and who allow their children to be involved in the TaeKwonDo programs ... until ...

the Marrow Transplant registration came in with a goal of 10 signups - and got FIFTY! These guys do this all the time, they USUALLY know what to expect, but they obviously don't know TaeKwonDo students and parents.

and ...
our "fun" little 15 minute fundraiser for Downs Syndrome raised its goal of $500. I think if the goal had been $1000, that, too would have been hit.

We will all remember that the tournament ran late and we know those in charge will do all they can to make the next one better meet the schedule. What I will never forget is the quality of people who went above and beyond to serve the charities we tried to help. On Thanksgiving, Thursday, I will be thankful for how fortunate I am to be associated with all of the good people who made the effort to be at the tournament on Saturday.

Thanks to all!
Mr. V

(and thankful that my elbow didn't break instead of the 12 inches of concrete)

Testing

2008-10-22T20:34:00.004-05:00

SC is one of the best students in our association. She recently tested for 3rd Degree Decided Blackbelt. --- This is her testing story ...

A lot of people don’t know what it’s like to experience a national testing. Just think of it as your local testing only ten times harder and more nerve racking. National testings only come up three times a year, which puts more pressure on you to get it right the first time.
You get two chances to do your form right, just like any black belt testing, but at nationals, any small mistake that might slide at a local testing can lead to a no-change. Sparring can be the most challenging part of a national testing. You are required to spar four-two minute rounds; each round a fresh opponent is put in front of you. Endurance training before testing is vital. By the time your fourth round comes up you are going to be tired and want a break. You have to be willing to push yourself through that last round without looking tired. Any sign of slacking, especially in your last two rounds, can cause a no-change. You want to look as good your fourth round as you did your first. Board breaking is simple. You either break your boards or you don’t, same as any other testing. The only new challenge at nationals is the fact that you have to break multiple boards.

You have to be willing to give 100% at national testings, whether you’re having a good day or not. I’ve always had good experiences at national tesings, pass or fail. At the most recent testing in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, I got a no-change because of board breaking. It was the simple idea of chambering my knee for a side kick that I failed to do. It’s the simple things we learn as a white belt that can get us. This was the first no-change I have gotten since I was a red belt five years ago.

Some people let no-changes at testing bring them down or make them think less of themselves as a martial artist, which is not true. A no-change at testing isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Like Mr. Strickland says, the belt you wear around your waist makes no difference. It’s the journey you take and the effort you put in that matters the most, the fact that you give 100%. If you keep trying you will eventually get what you have worked for. Like Mr. Strickland always says, your real test is what you do after testing. I did not let the fact that I didn’t break my boards get me down. I know that there will be other chances and I know that I gave 100% that day.

After testing I had two judges, one of which was a 6th degree master, come up to me and tell me how great of a job I did. I was told that my sparring was one of the best out on the floor and if I would have broken my boards I would have had a so called “perfect testing”. This made me feel good knowing that all my hard work did not go unnoticed. Knowing that you did well and having others tell you that you did well is all that matters. All together, national testings are a great experience, pass or fail. Getting out there and being able to spar some of the best of the best in Taekwondo America is just a great experience in itself.

How can I make it better?

2008-10-13T10:28:00.003-05:00

At testings, we are always trying to get our instructors to be thinking "how can I make it better?". Indeed, the school owners decided this time to hold the regional testing in a gymnasium. Obviously, this costs them money, but it made testing better in a number of ways. Parents had a place to sit, no single testing took more than 2 hours, and there was enough room on the floor for people to spar without worrying about tripping over bags or running into walls or (most importantly) falling on spectators.

The week after each testing, instructors and school owners discuss ways to make the testing run better, any specific problems the students are having, and any teaching strategy adjustments to fix specific problems or to focus on specific students. Again, this is in the spirit of making the program better.

At this testing, the logistics were a challenge, just because it was all new. This set of school owners and instructors had probably all BEEN to a regional testing in a off-premise site, as had some of the instructors. However, we hadn't been to one all together. There was no standard routine, no specific assignments to be given, etc. The fact that the testing went as smoothly as it did is a testament to the cooperative spirit of our volunteer instructors.

Finally, Mr. Dang sets the standard for TaeKwonDo in our association. He is simply the best technician we have. I could and probably will write quite a bit about his demo in the future, but suffice it to say, for those of us who do this, there is absolutely nobody in the organization that impresses us more with a demo.

We know this region is on the right track. When one of the school owners was congratulating Mr. Dang on his demo, Mr. Dang asked him exactly one question.

"How can I make it better?"

Mr. V

GOOD LUCK, TESTERS

2008-09-26T14:30:00.002-05:00

OK, testing should have just started in Gatlinburg, I think.

I REALLY HATE not being there. Not that my presence would help them at all, but my productivity is going to be shot for the next hour. If someone doesn't text me from the testing, someone ELSE is gonna get shot!

Meanwhile, gonna have to freshen up on that 3rd degree decided form again!

Good luck Sara, Kevin, Mr. Mischke, Ms. Clements, and Alex! Hardest thing for instructors is being students occasionally.

mr.v

Martial Arts and Olympic Sports

2008-08-28T23:31:00.002-05:00

Reading Mr. Strickland's blog in the September newsletter (available on the Students page of the main hv-tkd.com website), it reminded me or how irritated I was watching the "other" style of TKD in the Olympics. It also reminded me of how lucky we all are to attend a school that teaches Martial Arts, rather than an Olympic sport. If you strip away pretty much everything GOOD that we do for students, you get that which you saw at the Olympics.

I only saw a few matches of Olympic TKD. So far as I could tell, they bounce around a bunch with hands below their waists, throw one of 3 different kicks, and hug each other during he match. It isn't a fighting simulation, and it has nothing to do with self-defense. It is simply and absolutely a sport. There is a very successful Olympic style school in Coppell, and we spoke with the instructor there before coming out to work with Mr. Strickland. The instructor (who is a great guy) said straight out - "I don't teach any self-defense!" I don't mean to criticize that style of TKD, but without a self-defense component and only really using 3 kicks, it just isn't very interesting to watch (or to do, in my opinion).

Watching the clips before we saw the "injured" competitor who didn't like the ruling kick the judge in the face, I noticed that there was very little of the courtesy that we exhibit in our school and in our organization. I saw refusals to bow, or to shake hands. I saw 'showboating' to the crowd. In short, I saw a bunch of the things which I really do NOT like about other sports. And I saw them in the Olympics! Worst of all, I saw them in a sport which has the same name as our sport at hv-tkd.

In 1995, I didn't make an "informed decision" to join a particular martial art, much less a particular style. In 2008, I'm particularly thankful to have lucked into a sport which encompasses all the best things that martial arts has to offer, and which hasn't focused so much on "sport" that sportsmanship and self-defense have been lost along the way.

Instructors, Parents, and Joysticks

2008-08-23T21:32:00.003-05:00

I missed the last testing on Saturday, making the 4th I've missed out of the last 72. Because Mr. Strickland was gone a bit, though, I got to hear alot from instructors as they got out of their comfort zone of assisting with a set schedule of classes.

Simply because of my work schedule, the only classes I get to teach are the teen classes, or adult classes when Mr. Strickland has to be away. While I miss the younger students, particularly the young AND new students, it is always a challenge (and an opportunity) to teach those with whom you do not have a relationship.

In particular, I heard from one instructor that "golly, the white, yellow, and orange belts are really a challenge to teach". At the same time, I heard from others that they absolutely LOVED teaching the white, yellow, and orange, but thought the blackbelts were a challenge. The secret was that the first instructor was used to the blackbelts, while the second was used to the whitebelts.

Part of the reason we have regular "assignments" for our instructors is so that your kids develop relationships with not JUST Mr. Strickland, but others as well. Part of the HV-TKD Instructor program that Ms. Jacobs developed was that of being a role model for those they teach. Being a role model requires familiarity, and as we start a new school year, some of those teaching assignments will change - giving your child an opportunity to meet some more of these fine young (and not so young) men and women who help with classes. While the Instructor Program is tasked with developing instructors, our objective is always to produce the best results we can for the students.

At testing, invariably a kid will mess up a form they have done hundreds of times correctly in class. You will see, on their last attempt, half the instructors mouthing, moving, etc in the right direction, trying to WILL the kid to do the moves correct. Parents who know what the kid is supposed to do do exactly the same thing. Now, if we could figure out a way to hook the kids up to a joystick where we could control their movements whenever necessary ... it would at least take some of the challenge out of teaching those "unfamiliar" classes. (and make them take out the trash at home as well).

TKD safer than band.

2008-08-13T00:13:00.000-05:00

I put this up as it is easier than answering everyone...

At 8:11 pm on 8/7 (Thursday), Cameron was hustling across the band practice parking lot, tripped on something, fell wrong (as he protected his trumpet) and cleanly broke his femur (thigh bone). Paramedics were there in minutes, his mom was called and there in seconds, and his dad headed to the hospital from TKD in Highland Village.
Arrived at hospital with paramedics having stabilized the leg and morphine hung. Other than a bout with idiocy and nurses who apparently forgot that his leg was broken (story into itself), spent decent night and day Friday before 4:30 leaving for surgery.
The break was as clean as it could be, it was transverse (ie, parallel to the ground), and it is a straightforward treatment. A titanium rod was driven down the hollow of the bone and set in place with screws. There is no cast, no big bandage, no boot, no wrap, etc. Surgeon said his bones were “hard as rocks”, just a lottery ticket kind of injury. Surgery was successful, he slept Friday night under the influence of surgical and pain medication.
Saturday morning, Cameron had his first physical therapy session. He was to get out of bed and walk with the assistance of a walker. Cameron made it about 8 steps to the door, got dizzy, almost threw up. made it back to bed, got the nausea calmed down, laid back in bed and rested from 9-noon approx.
With Uncle Kevin and pseudo-uncle Dan visiting, Cameron had his second PT session at about 1:30 pm. This time, instead of 8 steps with the walker, he made it all the way down the hall, back past the room, around the nurses station, and wanted to do a lap all the way around before coming back.
Saturday was marked by approximately 40 visitors from TKD, band, old friends and family. The hospital room will hold at least 23 people at a time.
Docs had said he would likely be staying through Monday, but when Sunday came, the Ortho doc saw no reason to keep him there. Tubes were gone, wires were gone. Therapy was essentially training on crutches. With Amanda’s help, we got Cameron home at about 3:15 on Sunday.
This morning, Cameron had 40 or 50 Cross Country teammates come by after running hills. The school principal has called, two school board members have emailed (triathlon club friends), people at our church were already aware, people at churches with friends were already aware. His nanny from 1999 emailed from Serbia. In short, his class of 700, his school of 3000, and his city of 38,000 become very small when something bad happens.
Thanks to all who have kept him in thoughts and prayers. We are truly blessed.

Camp - and moving forward!

2008-06-30T12:25:00.008-05:00

Camp was EASY this year. Still had 9 seminars/workouts/etc, but it seemed like it was "easier". Maybe this was because it was probably the most fun I have had at camp as well.

The "nuts and bolts" of camp were that our two students (Cameron Vickroy and Rachel Campbell) testing for third degree both passed. One of Mr. Mischke's two testing students also passed, so results were good in general. Our transplanted Texans from Kentucky (etc), opening a school in Southlake this week, also passed their testings, making them both 3rd degrees. We're counting them as Texans, figuring we are 5 for 6 this time, which is still a national testing success rate that is pretty well unheard of.

The excitement moving forward is tremendous. The new school owners in the region (Carrollton and Southlake) have already built relationships with our students which are good for everyone. Mr. Anderson is more than willing to work his tail off to make tournaments successful and efficient, looking forward with the energy of a 20-something. Watching Mr. Spicar and Ms. Lucie test was a testament to their quality as students as well as instructors. We also had the opportunity to see Mr. Spicar working with some of the kids from his former school, and Ms. Lucie is unbelievably helpful in teaching some of our most talented teen students.

I am sure there will be some growing pains as 5 sets of instructors coordinate in what was once a "frontier" region. Mr. Strickland's influence on the region is obvious, but we have now added to that instructors trained under Mr. and Mrs. Lacy and Mr. Vincent, all of whom are among the best our organization has to offer. For the students, this means membership in Highland Village or anywhere in the region is influenced by the best of TaeKwonDo America.

Since I am becoming instructor coordinator with the vocational abdication of Ms. Jacobs (husband took job in Florida), I look forward to taking advantage of the skills and experience of these new school owners. With communication and cooperation amongst instructors, our students have the best opportunity of any in the state to develop to their full potential. I look forward to being part of that development. As always, camp was great - look for some links to pictures soon on the website. Many more thoughts to share as well, check back often in July.

Mr.V

Role Model - by Ms. Campbell

2008-05-16T12:15:00.001-05:00

A Role Model

What exactly is a role model? A role model is someone who is going to set the example(s) for the others that are around them…whether that is at home, at work, at school, at Taekwondo, or at the mall with a group of friends. A role model is also someone that is looked upon and is there to support others. Some may consider a role model to also be a hero and in my case, I was looked at as a role model and as a hero.
In all the years that I have gone to the tournaments, cheered for and supported the children and adults that I teach; I have never been more touched than at the tournament in Jackson, Mississippi.
The outcomes of the tournament were awesome; however the best part of the whole trip was presenting an award to a child that does not even do Taekwondo. She was there in support of her family, and later did I find out that she was there in support of me as well. Saturday night hanging out and allowing all the students and adults to hang out and enjoy the rest of the weekend. I was asked to present this award and to make sure that it was also memorable.
After presenting this award to the young little girl, she told me just before going back to her room that she was very thankful, appreciative and said that she loved it. Afterwards, it came to my attention that she had mentioned how much she really liked me and that I am a great friend.
Having her mom, dad and sister all come up to and tell me that what I did meant more to her than I would ever realized really touched my heart. It was at that moment when I realized the gift that I give to others is bigger that life itself. Having Katie see me as her role model really did show me that the difference in the world I create—“one person at a time, one smile at a time.”—is an awesome feeling and allows me to see that all things in life are possible no matter what obstacle life gives to you.
Being a role model for one is not my answer, being a role model for the world is what I choose to set myself up for. A quote that I love to live life by is, “To think is to create!”, and with that, I accomplish so much and one reason I am seen as a role model by this young lady.

Ms. Campbell 23 March 2008

Over the Hill??? - by Mr. Strickland

2008-04-07T21:38:00.000-05:00

Taekwondo is truly an ageless sport. Although most Olympians may be washed up in their sport by their mid 30’s, this is something Taekwondo practitioners don’t have to worry about. Success is measure in ones efficiency, not in his or her strength and speed only, as these do diminish with age. In Asia older individuals are respected for their day to day efforts. It is considered an honor to grow old, as infinite wisdom comes with it. It is the life experience’s that an older person has endured that makes them such a valuable part of society.

This philosophy is seen in traditional Taekwondo schools like this one, and it is why everyone in the Taekwondo class greatly respects individuals older than themselves. Although they may not have the same physical skills that some of the younger students may have, they are still held in the highest regards. So if you are over the age of 30 can you still do Taekwondo? Sure. You don’t even have to wait until you’ve shed a few pounds or gotten into better shape. Come as you are. Your body will make the adjustments naturally in class. With age comes patience, and this goes along way with your training, just ask any parent of a teenager. Also you will find that working out in a Taekwondo class also helps reverse the effect of aging. There are many physical benefits as well, including cardio conditioning, strength, and flexibility. Besides all that is just plain fun. Remember, you are never too old to be a Taekwondo student.

What you taught your kids

2008-03-10T12:37:00.002-05:00

I remember a long time ago, we tried to teach our kids

"It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game"

Not sure if anyone EVER bought that line, though we all trotted it out.

I've consoled my kids any number of times with "Well, I know you lost, but did you try your best ...?"

Never worked either.

I got to see 15-20 blackbelt kids after the tournament in Jackson. Some of them had won double gold medals, some had won spirit awards. An hour after the tournament, there is no way anyone could have figured out who had done what. On the other hand, during their specific part of the competitions, there was absolute focus on trying to win. (Sparring in blackbelt rings is not a place to take a mental vacation). They gave 100% during, they'd fight for the placing, but sometimes the other guy just has a better day.

We saw some crazy levels of improvement in the last week before the tournament, and I'm proud of the kids for that. However, parents should all be MORE proud of the fact that it looked like these kids had gotten a much more important message. 100% effort is its own reward.

Our students enjoyed GIVING out a special award that night as much as receiving those that they earned.

Mr.V

... best interest of the student ...

2008-02-11T09:29:00.000-06:00

Subtle sometimes doesn't work on martial artists. I hope to put up Jimmie Campbell's portion of the McKinney demo to help emphasize that point. This weekend, I had a couple of examples kind of hit me on the head, highlighting what I have learned at hv-tkd that have made me a better instructor and hopefully a better person.

Mr. Strickland has been teaching TKD for around 30 years, and I'm going on 13 as a student. When each of us started, the most important thing in a martial arts schools was STRICTNESS, RULES, and FEAR of the high-ranking leaders of that organization. The "Tenets of TaeKwonDo" were enforced on the students, but ignored by many instructors. Concern for their "tough guy" reputation outweighed any thought of the student. TaeKwonDo America is a different organization, and I'm proud of the TKD family Mr. Strickland has built.

95% of the time, there is no doubt about the result of a testing. Pass vs. "no-change" is cut and dried for the most part. In that final 5%, though, there is discussion, and the determining factor is always "what is best for the student?"
At instructor testing in December, we had a decision to make - could have made the case to pass a candidate, but didn't. If there had been any doubt about that decision, it was erased in the first 5 moves of the whitebelt form when he re-tested Saturday. "For the good of the student" resulted in about 100% improvement between December and February. More confident, less anxiety, better performance - things that might ALSO have some value in real (school) life for our TaeKwonDo blackbelt.

In the second example from the weekend, the "best interest of the student" may mean that the school loses one of our most popular students, best instructors, and favorite people. An instructor from another school said when this student was around she trailed "sweetness and rainbows".

Sweetness and Rainbows has a lot going on. Now a college freshman, working 2 jobs to help pay for it, with a full time boyfriend and no parents in town, there is alot on her plate. She has a passion for teaching, and is studying to be a teacher upon graduation. She loves TaeKwonDo. There isn't a person in the school who doesn't love Sweetness and Rainbows. So it is particularly hard as a selfish instructor like me to realize that "the best interest of the student" doesn't lay in making TKD her #1 priority. She has school, she has financial commitments, and she needs time with her parents. We could honestly say that her TKD family is more important to her than ever, but her best interest is in shedding the responsibility, and letting her time with us as a student be her escape from the pressures which envelop her.

In the olden days, people who didn't put growing their schools, getting more instructors, and focusing on "more more more" from their students were called 'losers' by the parent organization. The "best interest of the student" wasn't even discussed. In Highland Village, Mr. Strickland has made sure that those days are gone.

Mr. V

The Competitive Edge

2008-01-13T08:53:00.000-06:00

It is not a secret that school owners and good instructors value their students' progress more than their own competitive success.

Mr. Strickland has stressed tournament competition as an essential part of what we try to accomplish with students. Signing up to compete in a tournament is quite a bit different as a long-time instructor, long-time martial artist, and generally old guy. Showed a video to some students Friday night - they said - "wow, Mr. Vickroy, you were alot faster back then". (Expect lots of pushups Tuesday Night) Gotta be honest, 4th and 5th degree competition started at 6:00 and the Embassy Suites Happy Hour was ending at 7:00. If you'd asked whether I'd rather get a big medal or a big plate of nachos, well ... Now, if you'd asked whether I'd rather cheer on a bunch of our students, I'd have stayed all night until my voice gave out.

About halfway through my sparring match Friday at the National, I realized that my mindset was just not right. I was absolutely just happy to be there. I was competing against people I'd won against before, lost to before, and am certainly friends with. I was in a perfect mindset to go to happy hour with them. Nothing wrong with that, but, that's not the whole point of tournaments. Getting the gold medal isn't the whole point either.

As an instructor, tournament competition should be the opportunity to spend 100% concentration on his/her own performance. We can identify our own weaknesses, devise drills and exercises to improve on those weaknesses, and remember the mindset required to excel at the activity.

We don't have to do this for the big trophy. Instead, we need to get into that mindset occasionally to be able to push the right buttons to help students excel. If we teach the techniques but not the mental aspect, we aren't doing the best we can for our students. I'll pass up the nachos and happy hour every time if it means I can do a better job helping students.

Lookout for too many blogs as I drove for 7 hours in the car with a teenager. A sleeping teenager. Lots of thoughts.

Mr. V

No You Did Not Just Say That!

2007-12-17T17:12:00.000-06:00

by Ms. Cohen ***

I was in helping with my usual Monday night white/yellow/orange class night. Mr. Strickland was cajoling the students to kick higher. He used his 90-year-old grandmother as an example of someone who could kick higher than they can. Somehow he next translated that to ‘older women’, pointing at me as an example!! I seriously considered setting an example for the kids by kicking him in the head – then running quickly away!!

It seems that not a week goes by that someone doesn’t bring up my age in relation to taekwondo. The comment is usually accompanied with a somewhat disbelieving tone. “You do what?” “Why?” “Aren’t you a little old for that?” Then it is tempered by an “I am proud of you!” As Mr. T. once said, “I pity the fools”. After all, they don’t know what they are missing.

I started Taekwondo to stop my son from badgering me. I thought I would take it for a while. Blue was a pretty color. I would make Blue belt my goal and say goodbye. But then I found out what I had been missing. My muscles ached like mad at first. I hit green belt and didn’t think my back would ever be the same again. Mr. Strickland would look at me with that look, and I would try harder. Then I hit that blue belt and forgot that it was my goal and just kept on. Somewhere along the way my muscles had stopped aching, my back quit hurting, and I wasn’t getting hit as often. Every now and then I would actually land something in return. It was actually fun! Take that, John! Other gradual advantages to the class were slowly coming around. My blood pressure dropped. It was never high. Now the techs check for a pulse. Lower cholesterol. Did I mention I dropped 4 sizes? Yep, a whole new wardrobe. And a whole lot of personal satisfaction.

Without a doubt the biggest reason I have stuck around is I have found it is just plain fun. Age hasn’t proven to be an obstacle at all. The conditioning is gradual from day 1. I found I was neither more or less flexible starting out that any other student, including the teens. Except for those girls who do the Chinese splits all the time. Muscle strength and stamina increase as you move along. I probably have to work harder than most to keep up the muscle strength necessary for all the kicks. My strength deteriorates quickly when I can’t get to the gym, and it shows in sparring. And once you hit the black belt levels you learn that it really is more ‘art’ than ‘martial’. The lightening quick speed you though were necessary as a green belt is traded for timing. The super hard kicks and punches that you threw because you didn’t know how to control force without trading the speed you thought was necessary is traded for that deceptive double, triple, or quadruple kick (think those girls with the Chinese splits on that last one). The game becomes slight of hand/foot, and who can fake out the other the best. And it is just as addictive as any RPG on the computer, if not more so. Getting to work with young students and watch them grow and learn those techniques heightens the thrill that much more. When I get to go to a testing and watch some kid I worked with as an orange belt out there sparring, and smashing through a board is an incredible high. It is nice to know I had something to do with that. It is especially rewarding to see a child who was so timid and afraid of sparring step out there with the confidence of a WWF fighter ready to take on the world, knowing that the growth in confidence and self-assuredness doesn’t stop at the end of the mat, but is with them every step of their way through life.

Yes, I pity the fools, for they know not what they miss. You all need to come out on the mat!

The 100% club

2007-11-07T16:21:00.000-06:00

I was recently at a HS football game, sitting on the opponents' side, dressed in Coppell High School colors. Was there with one of our blackbelt adults who has 19 or so kids in the program, so I relied on him to protect me from angry fans. (or not).

One of our blackbelt students is a HS cheerleader. Let me point out that I know less about cheerleading than, well, ok, just about anything. However, I do know about effort. And I got to be proud of our TKD cheerleader (as usual, in her case)!

The next morning I was at a 3rd-8th graders cross country (running) meet. I cheered for any number of kids on my son's team who ran so hard they barely finished (some of whom didn't bring their breakfast to the finish line with them). They had given 100% effort.

One of the best things about teaching 6 year olds at TKD is that they are not shy about giving effort. The problems at at that age are simpler.
"You want me to hit that piece of wood and try to break it with MY HAND?" The six year old student then gives you that look that your spouse may give you at times, which clearly conveys - "ARE YOU NUTS?"

However, a 6 year old's willingness to give 100% effort is seldom a problem. Once they figure out they can do something without getting hurt, they are ALL IN.

When we get to teenagers, the problem reverses. Teens are wired (like we were) to do dumb stuff. However, they aren't wired to accept looking foolish. Because HV-TKD is a successful school, we have many transfers in from other programs, other disciplines, etc. I have yet to see a transfer student come into the teen class and give 100%, pedal to the metal effort in that first class. They don't want to seem "uncool". At 40 we may not care, but at 14 it is a bigger deal with new faces.

Teens tend to think that if they aren't giving 100% effort, then they are playing it cool, and even if they fail, it's no big deal because they aren't "really" trying. In most cases at hv-tkd, that changes. It is pretty much impossible for anyone to do a 540 degree kick without 100% effort, and if the highest ranks or the most athletic in the class have to give out 100% effort, it trickles down.

As instructors, we recognize that not every student has the same ability. (Some of us recognize that more and more as we get older, darn it) However, every student does have the capacity to give that 100%. The trophy or medal for first place at a tournament really doesn't mean much in one's real life. Even a 'no-change' at a testing isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. What we are trying to teach is that 100% effort is what students should be proud of. Good results eventually follow good effort and good attitude - in TKD and in life.

Our cheerleader never let the smile fall from her face, never just "went through the motions" on Friday night. Didn't care a bit about looking "cool" in front of 10,000 peers and parents. I don't know a herky from a hiccup, but she cared about doing her best, and THAT's what my family noticed about our TKD cheerleader.

I did make it safely out of enemy territory on Friday, for those who were concerned.

Mr.V

White Belts and the Journey we forget!

2007-10-12T12:47:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate enough this week to be able to stop into Mr. Mischke's school (one of Mr. Strickland's students) and teach a class of young white and yellow belts. I believe I have been a blackbelt for more than 10 years, which is longer than most of those guys have been alive. Seeing the wonder in their eyes took me back to when my 4 year old (now 17 year old) son and I first walked into class.

I would love to tell all of you that my decision was based upon extensive research between two competing schools, the instructor's methods and qualifications, and the breadth of the national program. Actually, 1 school had classes that started for my son at 5:30, the other at 4:30. I couldn't make it at 4:30, so I signed up for the 5:30 school.

We didn't ask some of the questions that we would ask now ...
AS BLACKBELTS - How long do we have to wait to spar?
AS PARENTS - What do other parents think about the program?
AS INSTRUCTORS - What are they actually going to teach, and how?
or as PROFESSIONALS WHO OWN SCHOOLS- Is there real substance and a national organization behind this one school?
- or, of course, as TEENAGERS - IS IT FUN and are there cute guys/girls in class?

I was concerned with the results for myself and for my son. I hoped that we'd be able to have fun and develop coordination and martial arts skills. If I had never learned to do a front kick or a simple punch, the journey from white belt would still have been worth 100 times more than we ever put into it. If I hadn't happened into a quality program with quality people, the experience would never have happened

A couple of the facts below don't really seem to important as I look back on our TKD journey.

I now have 4 stripes on my belt and a black piece of ribbon on my pants.

My son and I have probably 200 friends and acquaintances who we know and respect outside of the Dallas area, through our training.

My son walks through the halls of his high school with confidence and without any fear of peer pressure or bullies.

I can talk to teenagers!

Hundreds of times over, we have gotten to share in the successes of kids overcoming obstacles to success (boards, etc)

My son has had the opportunity to work with abused children in a setting where he could serve as an example of "kids helping kids".

Outside the TKD school, I have been able to teach self-defense classes to learning challenged girls, college students from 16 countries, and any number of adult female runners.

We got a bunch of trophies.

In the Coppell/Lewisville/etc. area, we are absolutely overwhelmed with the quality of people involved with the program at Highland Village TKD.

I can break 4 boards with my elbow and my son can usually break 3 with a spin kick.

My entire family found the sport of triathlon because of a student I helped teach in 2001 - we've completed Marathons, Half-Marathons, Half-Ironman's, and my youngest is nationally ranked as a runner, none of which would have happened without TKD.

That particular student and his family are among probably 1000 people we wouldn't know had we not started this journey.

*** Without giving too much away, the last thing instructors who are prepared for Senior Certification do is take a seminar from Mr. Robby Lacy, who has run TaeKwonDo America for a long time. One of the questions he asks of us, is "what would you take in $$ to ERASE TKD from your life?" Paraphrasing, he said, "I wouldn't take a million dollars for the friends and the quality of life I have had because of my choice to participate in this activity"

I wouldn't sell the confidence of my son in his life or the friends that I've made and still make for any amount of money.

However, if you want some gold thread and a black ribbon, maybe some trophies, all of those are for sale ...

Mr. V

Teamwork and the "perfect" National testing

2007-09-26T10:42:00.000-05:00

Don't mess with Texas!

At National Testings, we generally have about a 50% pass rate across the organization. We've echoed that here at HV-TKD to this point.

However, at the Kentucky national, all 3 of our junior students passed. In addition, 2 adults from the Flower Mound School who trained with us over the last couple of months also passed. Our area was 5 for 5, which is unheard of at a National testing.

We should always give credit where credit is due. It is an added bonus for me as a parent to be able to do so and make the teens uncomfortable being in the spotlight. Sara Cleveland (now a 3rd degree) was in class last night, so we got to call her to the front and credit her for the effort she had put in along with the results.

We should not focus on JUST the students being tested, however. It is a victory for the entire class when one of them passes a high rank testing. Each student contributes to the success of the other. I also called up a 2nd degree blackbelt who has had to sacrifice some of his own training in order to work with our National testers. This probably made him even MORE uncomfortable than it did Sara.

Most people look at TaeKwonDo as an individual sport. I couldn't disagree more. The testing or tournament scores are individually specific, but the results are a function of the individual and the team of students they work with in class. We would never go "5 for 5" without the quality of the lower ranking students pushing the upper ranks.

The benefit to the lower ranks can't be overstated. Amanda Cleveland went and competed against the best young women in the organization. She won both her forms and sparring divisions. She is available to spar every green belt student we have in class.

It is my hope that all of us appreciate the opportunities at hv-tkd.

18 months

2007-08-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

I didn't know.

I don't get to teach kids younger than 13 much just because of scheduling. This work thing really gets in the way of getting to Highland Village before about 7:05. So I didn't know we had a student that had to test 9 times before passing her Sr. First Degree Test.

I know people that spent years and tens of thousands of dollars on law school who would give up on passing the bar exam in 18 months. Another friend wants to be a Dr. but after 21 months of pushing for that, he's about to take a different job and turn away from it.

Now, I love martial arts. It was fun mixing it up with Mr. Mojica last night, getting whacked a couple times, good workout, etc. It makes me feel good to know that what we teach will help students inside the martial arts studio, but MUCH more importantly, throughout their lives on athletic fields, in the classroom, and as adults, within their families and workplaces. There are just alot of things to be learned from Martial Arts.

We cannot TEACH 18 months worth of dedication. That's something which is inside a person and shows unbelievable perseverance on the part of a student and her parents. We're happy to give that special individual an opportunity to demonstrate an unbelievable characteristic of her personality.

It is our privilege to be a part of such an accomplishment.

Mr.V

5th degrees and our students

2007-07-02T18:33:00.000-05:00

Surviving blackbelt camp is always an accomplishment. Usually about 11 hours of workouts in 2 days, sometimes might cause a bit of soreness.

Both Cameron V and Kimberley J had problems with spins and jump spins through multiple boards. Both are completely capable of breaking with those techniques, but the combination of heat, pressure, sweat, and nervousness led to the wood not breaking.

30 minutes later, we watched two 5th degree men fail to execute the exact same techniques at their testings with the same # of boards, and each no-changed as they tested for 6th degree (Master) rank. Each has probably done the technique 50-100 times, in demos, previous testings, practices and the like.

Somehow, it didn't really seem so bad that our 2nd degrees didn't become 3rd degrees this weekend. Neither let it slow them down from participation at camp, they took it absolutely like professionals and moved on. It takes character to get to the rank of black belt, but it takes real class to handle the disappointment of a no-change with the class they displayed.

Couldn't be prouder!

Comments on camp welcomed! More camp postings within the weeks to come.

Crossroads -from Mr. Strickland

2007-06-01T18:26:00.000-05:00

I would like to take a moment and reflect back on the past few years belt tests. Many of my students are now at a crossroads in their training. Many are faced now with one of the many trials at the higher levels, board breaking. Not only is form and sparring a critical obstacle at the higher levels that each individual must overcome, but board breaking is one as well. For it is do or die. You either succeed and break it or fail to advance at that particular test. However it isn’t the end of the world. For there will be and are other test. Each student has been taught that wood breaking is also a test of ones determination and courage to succeed.

I can recall many times in my lifetime when I was faced with just such obstacles, as both a child and as an adult. I can recall both success and failure. Yet the thing’s that stand out the most, and seem to be the most important to me are those things that I had to fight for and struggle for. I can look back with pride upon having earned those things, for they weren’t just handed to me on a silver platter. Board breaking at testing is just such an obstacle. Each and every student can and will reach that stellar goal of black belt or higher rank at testing as long as they continue to have a success oriented attitude. When one stumbles and falls he/she gets up. And if it happens again you get up again and again until you succeed at what ever it is you are doing. Each and every student has been trained to break boards from the very first time they tied a white belt around their waist. They have been informed of the test protocol. However, as with anything in life there are no guarantees. But with a “yes I can attitude” anything is possible when one puts his/her mind to it. For if at first you fail, try, and try again! In short there will be those that make the grade and those that won’t for some reason or another, and only they know whom to blame for their own shortcoming. Remember my little grasshoppers that only 5% that start at white belt will make it to black belt. The question now is who will that 5% be?

Expect the Best

2007-04-25T16:57:00.000-05:00

We have been spending some time discussing the website, searching others websites within and without the organization, and enlisting the help of students with some web talent (as opposed to Mr. Vickroy, who essentially is writing on stone tablets still).

In looking throughout our organization, even at some of the largest schools, I notice that hv-tkd has more trainees, both adult and junior, than anyone else we have found. The requirement to enter and continue in our instructor program are certainly the highest we have seen. Yet we have more people testing for instructor seemingly at each session. People are committing additional time, energy, and $$ to go through the stress of testing and commit more time to an activity - what is THIS all about? Some of these folks are very successful, professional adults!

I think what the instructor program has achieved in a very successful way is "buy-in". The time spent is not an expense but an investment. One of the recently added requirements for the program is attendance at the Friday night seminars before testing. Watching Mr. Martin working that seminar clarified what can be accomplished in that environment. Mr. Martin's seminar was not ROCKET SCIENCE. Any of our upper level instructors and students have heard or taught the concepts which Mr. Martin presented. However, the WAY that it was presented might reach a student differently from Mr. Martin than it does from Ms. Jacobs or Mr. Vickroy, etc.

As a high ranking student, that is important to continue to develop. As an instructor, it is essential. Mr. Strickland, who started teaching Mr. Martin when Mr. Martin was 9 years old, learned something from the seminar. If it helps Mr. Strickland become a better instructor, then it is going to help every student invited to attend these seminars. Mr. Strickland has made the investment to bring these instructors into town over the years to make our program better. I can only conclude that our new instructors make the investment of time and talent because they "expect the best" from the instructor program.

Please note - the Friday night pre-testing seminars will be open to all students Sr. Red and above, and all Instructors and testing blackbelts are required to attend as a part of their testing.

Selfish, guilt avoiding instructor!

2007-04-11T13:45:00.000-05:00

I have hit the 10 year anniversary of the beginning of my teaching career. 1000's of hours spent teaching martial arts, probably 70% of them to kids and young adults. People ask all the time - how do you do it when you have a job/family/etc?

While I could say I want to give back ... blah blah blah, the truth of the matter is I get much more out of teaching than I give to teaching. This has been the case since 1997, and an opportunity was driven into my head by a student after class last night.

Usually, I don't have the time physically available to get to both testings. This week, in a fluke, I do (though Thursday, as usual, requires some logistics at work*see bottom of note). Like many adults, my schedule is written down and ALSO a habit. I didn't plan on coming to early testing, because I USUALLY don't have time.

After class last night, where all the teens who attempted got through their boards (which makes me VERY happy), I was asked by a high ranking trainee student "so are you coming to early testing"?
"no"
"would you come if I was testing?"
"Probably so" -- UHOH, favoritism for my fellow instructors. OK, I can live with that.

But it got me thinking ...
Tomorrow night, at early testing, we have a kid who is NOT a trainee.
He's NOT a prototypical student at all.
He might be the most rewarding student in the class to teach.
It is an absolute credit to HIM foremost, his parents, Mr. Strickland and every instructor and every student in class with him that he tests for blackbelt tomorrow night.
The odds of people in his situation making it to this point are 1000-1, or worse, in my un-educated opinion.

I could say that I'm going because I think my presence MIGHT help him get through his boards. And I do believe it might. I would feel somewhat guilty if I was NOT there for him and he didn't pass. However, with regards to this student, the REAL REASON that I will be there is I want to SEE his face when he realizes he has attained his black belt. Instructors get to SHARE those moments.

I can't speak for others, but I'm an instructor because I'm selfish. When this young man earns his black belt, that will be a good day for me. We get a little part of the joy when every student achieves the goals set out. There are many motivations for being an instructor, but I'll admit to my selfishness in getting rewards like these.

Mr. V.

(* ok, so when I'm late and half dressed after coming directly from work, please don't let Mr. Strickland hit me!)

Nationals - favorites

2007-03-12T17:05:00.000-05:00

We hope everyone who was able to make it down to the National tournament came away learning something. Spectators, parents, competitors, and siblings could take away something from it.

I hope that we'll have some input on this blog, but a couple of things which Mr. Vickroy had to say for whomever to hear (read).

My favorite competitor of the day received a spirit award, I believe. Jay was in the ring with some of the best martial artists in the country, and just about beat the 25 year old who ended up winning the division. Marcus Williams had SO MUCH respect for Jay after the match that he went over and wanted to do anything he could to help Jay take advantage of his talents. My son Cameron was also in the ring, and his performance in sparring amazed those of us who have watched him for so many years.

My other favorite moment was from one of our "soon to be instructors". He helped a fellow student just before the student went in and won his forms competition. His comment, "I feel like I helped him get the gold, and instructing doesn't HURT at all!" I guess that secret is out now!

Finally, my 11 year old arrived to see me test just before I lined up to spar Mr. Phuoc Dang. My wife tells me how impressed he was. I said to Carson, "so, impressed with OLD dad hanging in there and sparring those guys, huh?" He said, "No, but MAN that Mr. Dang WAS impressive".

If this blog works, I'd hope you could share some observations about the tournament!

High Rank Testing - be proud, be nervous, be the best

2007-03-05T22:24:00.000-06:00

On Friday, March 9th, the highest ranking students at Highland Village TKD will test for high rank, in front of a panel of 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th degree blackbelts from around the country.

It wasn't THAT long ago (maybe 10 years) when a previous organization made the change to require 3rd degrees and above to test nationally. There is a tremendous uptick in stress when you are out of your 'comfort zone' of testing in front of friends and peers. We have 14, 15, and 16 year olds testing in front of the best of our organization. All of them are capable, prepared, and poised for testing. Odds are, someone will have a bad day. That goes for Mr. Vickroy, Ms. Andrews, Ms. Jacobs, and Mr. McMahan from McKinney as well. It is likely one of us will have a bad day. However, there is no REASON for any of us to no-change. All are ready.

There is NOTHING easy about the testing. Starting on Monday night, only one tester broke all of his boards. That same blackbelt couldn't break anything last Thursday. Others who broke easily last week couldn't get through it tonight. Mr. Vickroy, who has passed national testings twice before, will have to change some of his techniques this week, illustrating what Mr. Strickland has taught us from whitebelt. TaeKwonDo is not a sport where you only train one side of the body. These testings are NEVER easy. For anyone.

If anyone involved with the program is fortunate enough to make it down Friday afternoon for testing, I won't guarantee that any of the 7 testers will pass and advance. However, I will guarantee that you will be proud of the way they support each other whether results are good or not. It isn't the award of gold ribbon for another stripe, it is the journey to be proud of. We hope to see all of you there, it will be special.

Mr. V

Humble Pie - Mr. Strickland

2007-02-01T08:03:00.000-06:00

A little Humble Pie

It’s strange to think how sometimes there are things that you understand but have great difficulty putting into words, such things as being a black belt. In truth a black belt stands for far more than can be put into words. It is of course an object that one wears. But it is so much more. It is an attitude and a way of life. Black belts are expected to be strong and confident, yet gracious and humble. I did not learn this because my instructor taught me.

I learned this because he showed me. Everyday I trained with my peers, everyday I was with them, inside or outside the classroom they showed me what it meant to be a black belt and a good person. I recently visited a web-sight where the instructor was both boastful and arrogant. Letting his accomplishments go to his head, he bragged about how well he kicked and how silly everyone else outside his own school was. This instructor forgot that the higher you climbed in the ranks the more humble you are expected to become. People are people however, and not everyone thinks this way. There is a balance though, since there is always someone higher in rank that helps to maintain the checks and balances.

As I look at myself now and see just how far I have come, and the number of lives that I have touched in my 28 years of Taekwondo training I am humbled. I prefer not to look at myself, but to look at individuals like Mr. Warren Davis, Mr. Sid Nelson, and Mr. Robby Lacy, my senior instructor’s in Taekwondo America, 7th degree black belts, good friends, and view the paths they have followed, a path of patience, humility, and proper attitude. I see that I too have followed just such a path and that it was a good one. It paralleled my life. Soon I along with my good friend Mr. Dennis Conway will be facing what my student’s face every two months, yet another test of humility, a chance to demonstrate our skills and a challenge to move on to the next rank of 7th degree black belt. It is my hope that my students from Highland Village will be at the National tournament in Dallas on March 10th to be a part of this humbling lifetime achievement.

What is IMPRESSIVE?

2007-01-14T21:46:00.000-06:00

At Mr. Strickland's school, we are ridiculously blessed with talented students. You see this looking through the window, anytime there is a demo team performance, and if you are as fortunate as I am to actually get to speak with the kids while they work. Talent is impressive.

However, talent is far down the list of what impresses me working with the teen students, and the younger kids as well. Effort is far more impressive than talent. It isn't that some of the kids can do a 95% perfect 360 kick, it is that when you ask them to take it higher, 95% of the kids in the class will do their best to improve it. Talented students who don't put effort in are wasting a gift; 100% effort kids without talent are a joy to teach. Effort is MORE impressive.

Finally, when you get to see some of the trainees working with younger kids, you see compassion and effort to let the youngsters enjoy the success so many of our trainees have experienced. These trainees are making the effort to share their talent with a new group. Whenever you speak about teens, SHARING that talent with effort is MOST impressive.

It is a privilege and a pleasure working with those kids. And occasionally, to remind the "others" that they aren't maximizing their talent - using various Martial Arts methods.

Mr. V

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