Fists were flying and boards were breaking on the Athabasca Riverfront Stage on June 18 as the Athabasca Champion Taekwondo held their annual belt promotion testing.
A total of 22 students from ages 13 to 40 showcased everything they had learned through the year in order to progress in their belt standings.
“This kind of measures their progress as they go through the belt levels working from a whit belt all the way up through a black belt level,” explained master instructor Harvey Strome. “We look at the specific techniques and applications of the techniques that they need to progress. This just gives them a chance to show what they learned this past year.”
The students demonstrated their skills in a number of different ways such as fighting forms–or poomse, sparing, self defense and a breaking aspect, where they break wooden boards or bricks.
“That’s a test of physical strength as well as technique,” Strome said. “If it’s done correctly, it’s more of a mind over matter – it speaks to the self control and self discipline and being able to tell themselves that they can do it.”
Although the season has come to an end, Strome said he couldn’t have been more proud of his students progression throughout the year.
“I’m so proud to be able to be apart of their accomplishments and it’s just an honour to be able to teach people like that,” he said. “To see them achieve and reach their goals is a good feeling.”
