Message from the President

A large testing will kick Summer Camp 2002 off this year. Candidates for 1st, 2nd 3rd and even 4th degree will be stepping up to the plate. I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the Blue Wave’s Dan certification process, and what it means to you.

Master White Rabbit

The World TaeKwonDo Federation, (The WTF) is the governing body for the sport of TaeKwonDo world wide. This means that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes them as the organization responsible for growth and development of the sport of TaeKwonDo. Often you will here TaeKwonDo practitioners talking about what style of TaeKwonDo they practice, is it WTF, or ITF or ATA. The Blue Wave is a WTF TaeKwonDo association. However, that statement is not entirely accurate. There is another organization based in Korea, separate from the WTF; it’s called the Kukkiwon. The Kukkiwon is responsible for developing the technical aspects of TaeKwonDo as an art, sport, and fitness activity. This is why Black Belt (Dan) certificates are issued by the Kukkiwon, not by the WTF. The Kukkiwon is responsible for the curriculum assigned to each rank, not the WTF. When the WTF was formed in 1973, its sole purpose was to make TaeKwonDo an Olympic event, and once that was done, to continue to organize and promote TaeKwonDo competition on the global level. So a more accurate way to describe the Blue Wave’s style of TaeKwonDo would be to say we practice “Kukki-TaeKwonDo”. Just remember the WTF and the Kukkiwon are very closely tied. (The WTF headquarters is in the Kukkiwon building in Korea), and when someone says “WTF Style” they really mean Kukki-TaeKwonDo. So that explains why the Blue Wave issues Kukkiwon certifications, but what about the Chung Do Kwan certifications? The Chung Do Kwan was around for about 30 years before the WTF and the Kukkiwon were formed. When the Kwans united under the name of TaeKwonDo, (organized as the Korean TaeKwonDo Association) it did not change the students’ lineage, and that still exists today. As you know, Grandmaster Twing brought TaeKwonDo to the state of Vermont and started the Blue Wave; our lineage goes from him, back to Grandmaster Tae Sung Lee, Grandmaster Hae Man Park, President Won Kyu Um, and the founder of Chung Do Kwan, Won Kuk Lee. So within the Kukkiwon curriculum, our style is Chung Do Kwan. Think of it like this, you get a Diploma from the University of Vermont, (The Kukkiwon) and a certificate from the College of Arts and Science (The Chung Do Kwan). I hope you found the above information interesting and useful. Please send me email if you have any questions on this topic, or anything to do with TaeKwonDo.

Looking forward to seeing you at Summer Camp,

Master White
Gwhite@bluewavetkd.com

News From Bradford

I would like to share a bit of news from Bradford. Mr. Robinson had asked me awhile back to write a bit, as part of my third Dan test, about what it has meant for me to instruct and so I will respond to him here and still keep it short enough to fit in the newsletter.

Mr. Kline advises Brody between rounds @ Kids' Day Tourney

We are moving right along. We continue to have good numbers of students, somewhere in the neighborhood of 30. It’s been about 15 months since Mr. Bean and I began instructing and while it has been hard, time consuming work it has been more than worth it. Somehow over the years Tae Kwon Do has become a part of my life. I didn’t try to make it so, it just kinda happened. It would be hard if not impossible to separate out the martial artist part of me from who I am. I have tried to do the best job I could with myself and with the Bradford gym and for the Blue Wave Association.

Mr. Kline & Mrs. Klebes wait for her match to begin at VT Open

Of those three the hardest part is doing it for me. Mostly for no other reason than in teaching at the gym it all became about the students and not me. Doing my best job to train students and making the Bradford gym strong and grow. The other difficult part for me is that my body just doesn’t do what it could before or what my mind thinks it can and should do. So there has been a bit of humble pie eaten along the way. It’s not bitter it’s just the way it is. I am just thankful for younger black belts, who can demonstrate the way a jump spin back kick should look because mine can look pretty ugly. I also learned that I am not a very good business kinda guy. Oh well. There certainly were and are rewards in taking more responsibility for things; the gym and maybe my role in the Association. The rewards lie in watching students learn, grow and accomplish things that at times even surprise them. It lies in hearing from parents about how their child enjoys Tae Kwon Do and how it has helped them. It lies in being part of a local community of fellow martial artists with strong and close ties to our broader Blue Wave Association and family. Over and above that it is just plain fun ! Then I learned a funny thing about the rewards. That was that they are not mine. They belong to the kids, adults, families and fellow martial artists of the Blue Wave. We, all of us are at different times just the vehicle for each other. Thanks to all and keep kicking - Bob Kline
Ps - that is kicking in general - not keep kicking Bob

I was born in Pusan, South Korea, in 1989. I was adopted and lived in Vermont for three years before we moved to India for five years. On our way back we stopped in Korea for a week. It seemed so different from India because everyone was so clean and had so much money. We saw some friends in Seoul from our school in India and they gave us a day long tour. We went to two fancy restaurants. One of them had about fifty different courses and our friends gave me a traditional Korean outfit. The highlight was a side trip to Pulguksa temple. My parents wanted me to start Tae Kwon Do when we got back from Korea (four years ago) because I was born in Korea and they thought that I would have fun in a martial art. Dylan, my older brother, had studied Tae Kwon Do and encouraged me, too. I thought that I would hate it or that I would make a fool of myself by falling or doing something wrong. It turned out that I was the only one there for my first class and I got to know the instructors and they were nice. I got a lot of one-on-one work that night and I felt much more confident after that. My second class I found that the kids were nice to be around, too, and everyone was friendly. I am a 3rd gup now and on my way to a blackbelt. I like people, what I do, and I think it is neat that I’m doing something from where I was born. I met Grandmaster Lee; it is cool to have someone from where I was born come to Vermont to teach a little. Even though I’m the only Korean in my dojang, I feel like I fit in and that everyone accepts me for who I am. Being Korean and having visited Korea, Tae Kwon Do is a way of learning more about my country. When I meet other Korean-Americans we always talk about Tae Kwon Do.

I went to my first Winter Camp in Wells, Maine. I couldn’t wait to work out with Grandmaster Lee and Master White. It was cool to work out with so many people. I watched the black belts testing for their degrees. I thought Mr. Emerson was really funny at skit night. I really liked the hotel. There was loads to do. It was nice to walk on the beach. I had lots of fun. I hope to come back next year as a 5th gup.

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I’ve been doing Tae Kwon Do for 7 years. When I went to the Kids’ Day Tournament, I got invited to train with Master White in the Athletes Training Program. I was very shocked, happy, and excited. I went down there on a Saturday. I found that it was very hard work, and took a lot of self discipline because I had to give up my free time with family and friends. What always makes me keep going is the other kids, I just look at them and see how good they do because they’ve been training so long. I think training with Master White is a very good experience, and shows who is willing to go to the fullest.

At the Kids’ Day Tournament we sparred and did forms. We had to spar competitive opponents. Some of them were from other gyms and some of them were from our gym. Most of the kids in our gym got metals, and we were proud when the president of the Blue Wave, Master White, said our gym was fantastic at the tournament. When we were sparring we had to work very, very hard to get metals. We got really tired out because we sparred so much. In forms some people were stiff because they were so nervous in front of all of the people, including me.

Martin Emerson

For those who don’t know me I come from a very large family with lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. Growing up I had three older brothers that used me as a guinea pig for lots of experiments. I was the little brother that was used as a punching bag, experimental food tester, and more times than once tied to a wooden go-cart and sent down our long dirt driveway to see how it would roll. Of course being the youngest I used to get set up for all their practical jokes. Now my life has completely changed since I have been training in Taekwondo. I go to class now and well, I get used a lot for the self-defense, and get beat on a lot during sparing class. Ok, occasionally I get set up for a practical joke or two. But the best part is I am still part of a large family, now it is called the Blue Wave. The difference is during my family reunions; my cousins usually end up in a brawl. Oh yeah, at our Blue Wave events we end up sparing too. OK, so my life hasn’t changed at all and I am glad. I wouldn’t want to change a thing.

Most people are probably aware of the way that quarterly testings are run. Generally, the testing candidate is asked a question or questions, to test the student’s verbal knowledge, or to ask about their personal training history. I always find the later type of question much more interesting. I usually ask myself the same question, as a way to know myself better. I found one of the questions asked at Winter Camp to be particularly thought provoking. "Who is the one person who has had the most influence on your Tae Kwon Do training, and how has this person affected you?" When I first heard this question, I racked my brain, but I could not think of one single person who would fit this description. At first, I was somewhat upset by this revelation. It seemed that there must be someone who has made an impression upon me. But then, I started thinking about the history of my own training. For those of you who not aware, the Bradford gym has had quite a turnover of instructors over the past years. As I looked back on those years, I realized that I had either not had time, or had just not felt a comfortable connection with the previous instructors. We have seemed at times, like an "orphaned" gym. Mr. Kline is an excellent instructor, and I believe that things are now on a steady course, but because we have come up through the ranks together, he is my peer (or Tae Kwon Do brother), rather than my instructor.

Mr. & Mrs. Elliott & Joan Klebes

I continued to ponder this question. I thought about all the people in the Blue Wave Association who I have admired over the years. I was still not able to settle on any one person, but soon I realized that I have often been inspired by two groups of people. The first group of people to come to mind was the women of the Blue Wave. As most people are probably aware, the martial arts is pretty male dominated. I appreciate these women who have gone before; it makes things easier and more comfortable for those who follow. Thank you for being the wonderful role models that you are to all students. I also think it is a tribute to the Blue Wave that there are so many high-ranking women in the association. The second group of people that I admire is all of those who are over the age of thirty-five, who continue training and teaching in the Blue Wave. (For all of you readers who are under the age of thirty-five: remember how you feel the Monday morning after Summer Camp- that is how most of us over thirty-five feel when we get up every morning.) I appreciate your continued presence and support. (Misery loves company.) Answering these quarterly testing questions can indeed be a learning experience. I encourage everyone to ask themselves the same questions. You may discover some interesting insights, and be surprised at what you learn about yourself and your training.

News From Around the Association

The 2002 USTU Senior nationals were held in Detroit Michigan May 24 -25th. In addition to the US National Championships, the US Color Belt Extravaganza and the ULTRA divisions were held. The ULTRA divisions are for competitors 33 and over. Divisions are broken up by Age, Rank and Weight.

Vermont's Sr. National Team

Qualifying for these Nationals Champion- ships requires competing and placing at the State Championships. If you are interested in participating at next years Nationals, Color Belt, or ULTRA divisions, please talk to your instructor. Next year’s host city is New Orleans. How much fun to have a really LARGE BLUE WAVE group in attendance!

Leslie Hubert doing ax kick at USTU Nationals

Below is a list of the Blue Wave Athletes who participated:
Todd Sayles
Lesley Hubert
Fred Edquid
Peter Monty
Jeff Ames
All members train in Burlington.
The USTU Junior Olympics were held in Minneapolis Minnesota from July 1 - 6th. This is the biggest TaeKwonDo competition in the world, with nearly 6000 competitors. Qualifying for the event, (Like the Seniors Nationals) requires placing at the state championships.
Here are the Blue Wave athletes who participated:
Christian Centonze West Leb / Burlington
Morgan Peront West Leb
Jacob Leete Bradford
Christian Centonze brought home a GOLD MEDAL in Poomse, beating 30 other competitors in his division. He won his first 2 matches in sparring, and then lost a very close fight in the quarter finals. This was both Jacob Leete and Morgan Peronts first Junior Olympics. Morgan participated in Poomse, and Jacob did both Poomse and sparring. Jacob won his first fight, and lost a close second match. GREAT JOB!
The Blue Wave is very proud of all its competitors. We are looking forward to entering this fall’s tournament season stronger then ever!

The "22nd TAEKWONDO JUNIOR OLYMPICS" was held July 2nd to the 6th at the MetroDome in Minneapolis, Minnesota with approximately 6000 students competing from age 6 to 17.
Three (3) students represented the Blue Wave Taekwondo for Vermont State - Christian Centonze and Morgan Peront of the Lebanon Blue Wave and Jacob Leete - of Bradford Blue Wave. Christian Centonze of Lebanon, New Hampshire - 1st degree Junior poom Black Belt - 10 to 11 year old division won a GOLD in Poomse out of 28 competitors and took 4th place in sparring out of 32 competitors in the light weight division. CONGRATULATIONS to young Centonze from the Blue Wave!!
Morgan Peront - Blue belt of Enfield, N.H. and Jacob Leete - Green Belt of Bradford, Vt. competed in the 10 to 11 year old division. Both were first time National competitors and we understand they did a fantastic job even though they finished outside the medals.

The 3rd Annual Blue Wave RAW
(Rathbun Achilles Workout)

This year’s black belt workout in Sanford, ME was again a great time to have the instructors and assistant instructors as well as black belts get together and workout. This year was a bit different than the past two years due to the fact that we trained and reviewed several topics as opposed to 1 or 2 items in the past years. It was also a good opportunity for our high ranking instructors to do some of the teaching. Also the fact that we limited this year to just Blue Wave members to be able to focus on our testing requirements, made the seminars very productive. The seminars that were covered were: Self Defense (2nd and 3rd dan)- Master Anthony Koryo- Mr Chase (“Senior” or “Old” whatever term you use to distinguish the two) Kuemgueng- Mr. Robinson Taebeuk- Mr Chase (“Junior” or “Pants Splitter”, again whatever term you use to distinguish the two) Taebeuk- Mr Chase (“Junior” or “Pants Splitter”, again whatever term you use to distinguish the two) ***Mr. Chase also taught Shipjin for those interested in working on that form. Sparring for testing- Master White A special thanks to the Chases and Gadapees for bringing the mats for us to train on. It makes waking up the next day much more enjoyable. Also a thanks to the Raminis for allowing us to take a dip in their pool and use their house for a cookout after. And of course thank you all who traveled to Maine. It only works when people show up to train. See you all at Summer Camp.
Mr. Shangraw and Ms. Mahoney

The 1st Regional Testing for our area which included Bethel, Bradford, Lebanon and Woodsville was held Thursday, May 23rd at the Lebanon dojang. Montpelier dojang was also included but didn't have any students testing. The Black Belt board consisted of 15 Black belts: 4th dans Peter Chase and Tom Chase represting Bethel doajng - - Master Linda Smith-Blais, 4th dan Jean DelPorte, 3rd dan Milly Rhoades, 2nd dans John Rogers and Steve Hopkins, and 1st dan Eric Jordan for Lebanon dojang - - 3rd dan Russell Tinkham and 2nd dans Guy Brochu, John Brochu and David Elder for Woodsville and Bradford was represented by 2nd dans Sandy Elliott and Joan Klebes and 1st dan Tom Elliott.
We started the testing at 6 p.m. and finished testing 17 students by 8:30 - with all smiles as everyone passed. The following students made history at the 1st Regional Testing:

10 gup to 9th:
Terry Standridge, Danny Perrinez and Tim Alvarenga - Lebanon students

9th gup to 8th gup:
Sam Mellert - Lebanon student

8th gup to 7th gup:
Alex Riehl, Marcus Lithel, Gustav Lithel, and Cassie Constant - Lebanon students

7th gup to 6th gup:
Jack Chase - Bethel student and Tommy Mellert, Joe Hill and Martha Dow - Lebanon students.

6th gup to 5th gup:
Sydney Saunders - Lebanon student and Steven Williams - Bradford student

5th gup to 4th gup:
Morgan Peront - Lebanon student

2nd gup to 1st gup - Red belt
Jenny Chase - Bethel student and Sam Brown - Woodsville student

Master White gave Glenn Xiques and I the opportunity to go to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Going out to Colorado I had no clue as what I was getting myself into. Before going out I prepared myself by running before I went out to compensate for the elevation difference.
I really didn’t get nervous until I arrived at the airport at 6am. The whole flight out Mr. Xiques was a bit on the quiet side, as we step off the plane it hit me that this was for real and I was about to work my butt off for the next three days.

Stacy Walters & Glenn Xiques with Coach Pejo

Once we arrived at OTC we got ourselves checked in and went to get some food to eat before we went up to our rooms. Our rooms weren’t quite what I had expected them to be like. I lived in College dorm rooms for three years and these were very old and small. Poor Mr. Xiques room was infested with Moths when they opened the door and it was like that every night he went back to his room.
The First meeting we had with Coach Lee I found him to be a little intimidating. We met the other coaches that night, Coach Pejo and Coach Kim, along with some of the team members. We were told about curfews and there were 5 of us that were appointed team captains and were responsible for getting everyone to workout on time.
The first Day we started with Morning PT’s, we ran and did stairs for an hour then we got to break for breakfast. After Breakfast we went to watch the OTC team practice. It was fun to watch the team practice and see how they all worked together. Then we had Second workout and coach Lee showed up for that Practice and left to go teach a seminar. Second practice went about 2 hours and then we broke again and went to lunch. Then we had a third workout later on that day. The next day was very similar to the first day but we had a 3-hour practice and then another evening practice. The last day we had 3 practices but the Morning PT’s we played Volleyball and Basketball.

Errm... that's not my belt!

The workouts were very hard; we always started with stretching and then went into warm ups, then we started to workout. Then we did a cool down and stretch for about 20 minutes. Every workout was very similar in the way it was structure. One of the best workouts we had was one that Coach Kim taught. Coach Kim has a little trouble with his English so he didn’t say a lot but showed us by demonstrating and doing things along side us. He had a way of keeping the energy high and I saw the same thing when I watched him coach the OTC Team.
This was a great experience for Mr. Xiques and myself. We both got a lot out of it and came back excited. I am glad that Master White gave us the opportunity to go out to OTC and train with the National Team Coaches. I would like to thank Master White, also Glenn Xiques, it was fun being able to share this experience with one of my teammates.

Hello! Most of you don’t know me, but I’m the Dartmouth student that Master White soundly embarrassed last year at summer camp when he handed out water bottles. I like to think of myself as a Blue Wave adjunct, for while I don’t actually belong to any particular Blue Wave gym I have been profoundly touched by the organization as a whole. My contact with the Blue Wave started during the end of my freshman year, back in spring of ’99. Then I had the good (or bad) fortune to meet Mr. Emerson while I was working at Dartmouth Dining Services. (just joking, Marty) I had started doing TKD in the fall through the college, and I was surprised to see him at a demonstration of ours. Actually, I thought he might be some kind of stalker, because how many cooks show an interest in TKD? Lol. After the demo we got to know each other, and eventually became good friends. For me, it was a wonderful opportunity to see taekwondo practiced in a different kind of environment. Mr. Emerson became my link to TKD outside of my school, leading me to both the Blue Wave and to taekwondo tournaments all over. During my sophomore year I went to three different tournaments. The first I attended as an observer, but in the second two I actually competed.

Emily Gomez & Leslie Hubert

That December, Mr. Emerson and I went to the Vermont Open in Barre, VT. I had such a wonderful time! While I was there, I got to meet a bunch of people from the Blue Wave - Lesley Hubert, Jason Smith, Mr. Robie…. I also got to see Mr. Smith get whacked in the head with a back hook kick. That was really scary, but fortunately he was alright. In February 2000, I went to Master Turgeon’s Connecticut Classic. Mr. Emerson was unable to go, so I rode down with Mr. Chase and Mr. Chase. I was actually a little intimidated, since I hadn’t spent much time around many higher-ranked black belts. They were extremely nice, though. At the end of the day (and what a long day it was) they even went out of their way to take me back to campus. The tournament itself was a bit of a learning experience (I got beat around handily) to say the least. When I left that day it was abundantly clear to me that I was not getting the kind of training I needed if I ever wanted to be good at taekwondo. Summer 2000 I was on campus taking classes, so I visited Blue Wave testing at summer camp. I didn’t stay for the weekend because I had lots of classwork to do, but it made an impression on me. That was also the first time I’d had a long conversation with Mr. Roger Bean. He described lots of self-defense techniques he learned in the Marines; among other things, when standing he always rests his chin on one of his hands, while his other hand rests underneath the elbow of the arm his chin rests on. From this position, you can protect your entire midsection while appearing non-threatening. I thought this was so cool when he mentioned it. I walked around doing it for a while after that, hehe. Summer of 2000 was also the first time I had a car to drive around, so it was also the first time I went to Bradford and to a Blue Wave class. Since then I’ve been there infrequently, but I’ve always been made to feel so welcome. Mr. Kline rocks. The following year was a difficult one for me personally. I grew very disillusioned with the way taekwondo was run at Dartmouth, and felt as if I didn’t want to continue. I also went away for 3 months. Coming to Blue Wave’s summer camp in August of 2001 really rejuvenated me - both my love for TKD as well as my faith in TKD practicioners. I’d seen enough of politics. And summer camp was WONDERFUL - the pushups in the river, Mr. Kline’s butt-blasting workouts, the one-steps (which I had never seen before), and even Master Blais’s calisthenics. The sense of community was unbelievable. Everyone was there out of a love for the art, and only sought to help one another improve while having so much fun! Master White embarrassed me when he gave me that water bottle, but I felt so very welcomed by everyone. After camp ended I followed Miss Walters back to Burlington, where I hung out until Miss Hubert got back. I spent a month rooming at the Hubert hotel - also known as Lesley’s basement. It was great - I got to work out with Master White at Burlington four times a week, and with Mr. Robie and Mr. Warren in Milton two times a week. I had never had real sparring training before this. It was taekwondo like I’d never had it - conscientious training with lots of personal attention, around people who REALLY cared. I was really sorry when I had to leave to go back for my senior year, because I knew it would put an end to the greatest training I’d ever had and to the easy everyday camaraderie I enjoyed. Looking at the Blue Wave with an outsider’s eyes, I am always bowled over by the generosity and love for one another that I see there. This unbelievable community has made me welcome in so many ways, and I have met so many people I admire. Words seem inadequate to describe the love and gratitude I feel towards this organization and the people in it. I wish I could stay. Fortunately, I have a great deal of wonderful memories to take with me. My job will be taking me far away, but before I go…. I’ll see you at summer camp.

Are you talkin' ta me?!

Blue Wave's bright future...		Now there's a happy Blue Wave mom!!
Did she pose for that shot?	On second thought, you can kick Bob all you like! (Bob the Dumby, not Bob the... oh, nevermind...)
It was him. I swear, I had nothing to do with it...

Once again, Mr. Elder has come up with a truly a-mazing piece of artwork for us to enjoy! Thank you!
Did someone say "Duck"?
Can I start yet?	Hmmm.... babies are cuuute!