Open Tournament -
Valley Tang Soo Do students competed in the Alaska State Open Karate Championships on April 12th hosted by the Renbukai of Alaska. This years tournament (although rougher than years past) was well run and all students who participated did a fantastic job competing with themselves and their counterparts from other Dojo's and Dojang's. Overall, Valley Tang Soo Do had 17 students participate; 18 awards were won by our team - 5 First places, 6 second places and 7 third places. Congratulations to all who participated. Tang Soo!!
Seibukan Jujutsu Seminar -
There will be a 4 hour Seibukan Jujutsu seminar at Valley Tang Soo Do Academy on Sunday, April 13th starting at 2:00PM. The guest instructor for the seminar will be Chris Haney, 8th Dan from Honbu Dojo. The seminar will be 4 hours long with a short break for a snack (included with fee). The cost for this seminar is only $80; space is limited so reserve yours today!! For more information on the Seibukan Jujutsu seminar, click HERE or visit www.seibukanjujutsu.com
Gup Test Scheduled-
Our next Gup test will be held on Wednesday, April 23rd. The youth test is at 4:30 and the adult test is at 6:45. Check the studio bulletin board for candidate names and test times. Test lists are based on attendance from the sign in computer and proficiency as demonstrated in class. If you are scheduled to test, do your best to ensure attendance.
World Championships 2008 -
The WTSDA World Championships will be held in Orlando Florida on July 11 - 12. We are currently fundraising to help people get to the Worlds; Please have your tournament applications turned in by March 28 to be in the pool for fundraising money. Our Championships are unlike any other in that we strive to maintain an air of humility and friendship throughout the competition. It is recommended that Gup level students consider attendance, and Dan levels should attend. Valley Tang Soo Do has raised enough money through our fundraising to pay for up to 35 people's registation and entry fees!! All you have to do is get there. Click here for the application
Seibukan Jujutsu classes - meeting Tuesday nights and Saturday afternoons starting Feb 9th.
What Is Seibukan Jujutsu?
by Logan Thornton, Yondan (4th Degree)
Seibukan Jujutsu is a modern martial art based on traditional Japanese jujutsu. Seibukan Jujutsu studies the use and application of joint locks, throws, chokes, and other close-quarter techniques. It is distinct from the well-known Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in that it is not an art focused primarily on fighting from the ground.
The art contains 108 basic techniques similar to the Ho Sin Sul of Tang Soo Do, numerous application drills and practices, and weapons work with knives, swords, guns, sticks, and ropes. Additionally, and equally important, Seibukan Jujutsu teaches methods of rolling and falling safely.
Seibukan Jujutsu integrates well with Tang Soo Do precisely because it is so different from Tang Soo Do. The two arts cover different ranges and functions, which means that instruction in the two is rarely redundant or conflicting. The complement of learning other ranges and methods of martial arts leads to a broader understanding of martial theory.
Seibukan Jujutsu was founded by Julio Toribio in June of 1993. It is descended from Hakko-ryu Jujutsu and Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu. Toribio Kancho also holds black belts in numerous other Japanese martial arts and experience in many others. The headquarters dojo (Honbu Dojo) is in Monterey, California, with branch dojos in California, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Washington, and Alaska.
Regional Tournament and Black Belt Test
On Friday, May 18th, Valley Tang Soo Do was proud to host our Regional Black Belt test followed by the Regional Championship the following day. For the first time in over 8 years, Grandmaster Jae C. Shin himself presided over all of the tournament weekend events and activities. Twelve candidates from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Wasilla tested for the ranks of Cho (first) Dan through Sam (third) Dan at Valley Tang Soo Do Academy on Friday. WTSDA tests are a reminder that everyone in our organization earns their rank by making it through years of training and then persevering through a mentally and physically challenging test that pushes each candidate to his or her limit.
The following day, Valley Tang Soo Do was happy to host our Regional Championship tournament at Wasilla High School Gym. Months of preparation culminated in a fun, safe and friendly tournament that saw 185 competitors ages 4 to 55 give their best and leave with smiles on their faces at the end of the competition day. See the division results list HERE (pdf file). WTSDA tournaments have a different kind of atmosphere compared to most 'open' type tournaments; in World Tang Soo Do tournaments, you compete with yourself, by giving your best (not to outdo somone else, but to do better for yourself) each time. In this type of competition, everybody wins.
A long day of training began Sunday Morning when Grandmaster Shin himself taught all of the clinics (seminars) to everyone that signed up. Kids and Adults all benefited from Grandmaster Shins personal instruction (mixed with a little humor at times). His methods, drive and expertise reminded us all of why we train and teach Tang Soo Do and what a wonderful organization we all belong to. There are over 100,000 members in the WTSDA belonging to hundreds of studios; but on Sunday, we were one class of 10 - 40 people learning from one of the worlds greatest Grandmasters and martial artists. Thank you Kwan Chang Nim for taking the time to teach all of us. See photos here.
2006 World Championships
The World Tang Soo Do Association's World Championships was held on July 7th and 8th in Anaheim California. Valley Tang Soo Do Academy had 5 people competing in the tournament; Mr. Anthony Barker, Mr. Ed Boots, Aubrey Barker, Robyn Barker, and Brian Mcpherson.
Black Belt competition was held on Friday the 7th and Gup (colored belt) competition was held the following day. About 1700 competitors came from all over the world to meet and compete in the Championship. We met up with old friends from all over and made some new friends as well. World Tang Soo Do events are full of energy and the competition (although tough) is always friendly.
Overcoming our nerves and performing in front of strangers is very difficult, but all of our students overcame those fears and performed very well. Awards were given out for 1st through 3rd places in each division and after competing with students from about 30 other countries and every state in the US, Valley Tang Soo Do students earned the following awards:
Brian McPherson - Orange Belt Boys 3rd Place Forms
Robyn Barker - Green Belt Women 3rd Place Forms
Aubrey Barker Red Belt Teens 3rd Place Weapons
Mr. Anthony Barker - E-Dan Sr. Men - 1st Place Forms, 2nd Place Weapons, and 2nd Place Fighting
More important than any award we may have won at the Championship is the knowledge that we did our best, made new friends and presented ourselves as true sportsmen and women.
See photos here.
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