Happy Birthday!

Aug 2 – Kent Heidenreich
Aug 3 – Nick Perez

Next promotion test

Our next test is scheduled for Thursday August 26th at 6pm.  Both adults and children will test and we will enjoy some pizza and beverages afterward.  Please be sure to complete your test form and give a check or cash for your test fee to a black belt prior to the day of testing.

Openings for 2 adults and 2 children

If you have friends or family who are ready to start taking classes, please encourage them to call us as soon as possible.  We will only have openings for 2 adults and 2 children.  We always try to give preference to friends and family.  Remember that when you refer a new student who pays for a 3 month tuition, you get your choice of a free uniform or a free test.  Be sure to email your friends and refer them to our website for videos and information.

More T-Shirts have arrived

Due to the quick sellout of the large t-shirts, we ordered a few more and have them in stock.  The price is $15 each.  Get one for yourself or as a gift to a family member.

New York Karate Kids

Recently, NBC news did a segment featuring Grandmaster Kim’s school. The video is cute, funny, and still shows a nice side of Grandmaster Kim and his students.  I highly recommend you take a moment and watch it on the home page of Grandmaster Kim’s Taekwon-Do website.

Mirrors have been ordered

We have ordered three 4′ x 6′ mirrors for the dojang and hope to have them installed before the test.

Happy Birthday!

July 2 – Ben
July 4 – Guaire
July 8 – Kara
July 17 – Kristian
July 24 – Jaden
July 27 – Tyler

No class Monday, July 5

In observance of July 4th holidays, there are no scheduled classes for Monday.  If you would still like to practice, please go ahead and use the lockbox or talk to a senior student who knows the lockbox code.

Next promotion test

Our next test is scheduled for Thursday July 22 at 6pm.  Please come and support Priscilla McCabe, John Buck, and Kristian Frye as they test for their 1st Dan black belt. In addition, we will have a few of the juniors testing for their green stripes including Alex, Jaden, Guaire, Jake and Addison. We are very pleased to have 4th dan Master James Kelley coming up to certify the test on behalf of Taekwon-Do International.  Master Kelley and I have known each other for 12 years.  To learn a little about Master Kelley, I encourage you to read his 4th dan essay and watch his demonstration video.

From the looks of things, we will probably need to have a promotion test in August as many students are on the borderline in terms of having enough classes.  I would expect this to be in the last week of August.

Welcome new students

Congratulations to Ben, Kara, Lori, Erika, Devin, Aidan, Dylan, Jack, and Nick. Our 9 new students have shown tremendous commitment and made significant progress. Those first few classes are very awkward and challenging and a large percentage of people quit before their 5th class. We are very proud of you for your commitment and hard work and hope Taekwon-Do remains a valuable part of your life for many years to come.

No new students until September

Oneonta Taekwon-Do will not be actively soliciting new students until September in order to give maximum attention to all of our existing students. In particular, our new blackbelts will require continued classes to help them transition into the role of teacher.
Given our space restrictions and an inability to offer more classes at this time, I want to focus on supporting and developing all of our existing students for a couple of months before seeking out new students. Obviously, if someone walks in, we won’t turn them away. However, we will most likely begin a waiting list for September.

T-Shirts have arrived

Please bring a check or cash for $15 for a T-Shirt next time you come to school.  We ordered white t-shirts in adult sizes S-XL and they look terrific!

Summer camp

Grandmaster Kim is hosting his annual summer camp the weekend of August 27th in southern New Jersey. The camps are a very unique opportunity to learn new techniques and master old ones from Masters and Grandmasters. Among the expected instructors will be Master Marr (6th dan), Master Yang (4th Dan), Master Meany (6th Dan), Grandmaster Donnelly (8th Dan), Master Nathanson (6th Dan) and of course Grandmaster Kim (9th Dan). Perhaps the best part of the camp is having the opportunity to get away from the daily grind, the housework, the job, the computers, and simply be a camper, with a book, and having all (fairly healthy) meals prepared for you. The camp features swimming pools, courts, and rec rooms for you to enjoy in between the training sessions. I think you’ll find that you learn a tremendous amount during the weekend; lessons that will stay with you a lifetime.
I will be renting a van to drive everyone down and back (it’s a 4 hour drive). We will leave early Friday morning and return at approximately 4pm on Sunday. A signup sheet will be available next week. Please indicate if you are a yes, no, or maybe so that I can schedule an appropriate vehicle. All students age 9 and older are urged to attend. You can download a copy of the SJKim Summer Camp flyer here.

The 4th school rule

Thank you very much to the students who remember to vacuum the dojang every day and mop it on Thursday night. Emptying the garbages, replacing the toilet paper and paper towel rolls are greatly appreciated. Vacuuming the hallways, changing rooms, offices, and entryway all contribute to giving the school a nicer appearance. If you haven’t taken a turn, please ask a black belt or senior student how you can help.

If you run a martial arts school or manage a team, you might consider using WordPress as your web hosting software.  This short video will give you  a quick tour around our website for some features you may not find obvious.