Rank Graduation

Last Friday was Rank Graduation at Top Notch TaeKwonDo. The kids had a blast getting to show off their mad martial arts skills for parents, grandparents and friends. At the end of the ceremony they received their certificates and the grand prize: their new belts. Trystan has graduated to a beginner yellow belt, and Isaac is now sporting an advanced yellow belt!!


The boys were proud to show off the fruits of their hard work to Ninnie, Mr. J.D., Grantee, cousin Julia, Uncle Jake and Aunt Christina, Ms. Latisha, and of course, Mom and Dad. Afterwards we celebrated with chips and dip, pizza, brownies and ice cream.

The highlight of the ceremony for the kids was watching a beginner red/black belt perform a bo staff exhibition. When that staff WHOOSHED through the air dozens of mouths dropped open and dreams of bo staff swooshing began. Isaac ALREADY wanted to learn the bo staff, this just gave him more ammunition. It gave Trystan a little belt envy, because you have to be at least a yellow belt to pursue weapons classes.


Isaac's belt group was called up and were given the opportunity to show off their ChunGee, which is a combination of nineteen moves with varying turns. Memorizing their ChunGees and executing it flawlessly was the test they had to pass to earn the last of the six belt stripes they had to have in order to graduate. Isaac had it memorized weeks in advance of the testing, and really impressed his teacher.
Trystan's class came up and rocked the house with their EEE-YAHS! The littlest white belt class is without a doubt the loudest in the building and they really put on a show. Their pint sized punches and snapkicks will make you cry for their cuteness, and they are really tough. The week after graduation they got to try some board breaking, and they are a tough little crew. They executed their moves with incredible precision accompanied by ear deafening screams, of which you could make out Trystan's voice at the top of the pack. He is probably the loudest white belt in the room, and he always makes his teacher smile with his enthusiasm when he is paying attention. I will never forget when he received his belt. He had to go back up to the teacher 3 times. He forgot his certificate, He forgot to give her five, and he forgot his belt. He just laughed with everybody else and shook his head.
These boys have always been dangerous little warriors. Now they have belts to prove this point.

Oh, and Trystan is made of rubber. Just ask him to do the splits and stretch forward. You will hear his head thump on the floor.