Teen girl at ready stance2019

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts Prepares for February 2020 Testing

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Asheville Sun Soo will conduct belt rank testing on Friday, February 14th and Saturday, February 15th.  We are excited to welcome 3 visiting Guest Master Judges for this event – 9th Dan Grandmaster Ju Hun Kim, 6th Dan Master Robert Word, and 5th Dan Master Bob Kerr! 

Grandmaster Kim (not to be confused with Grandmaster Suk Jun Kim, Founder of Taekwon-Do International, our parent organization) was the first Tae Kwon Do instructor under whom Grandmaster Tony Morris studied, when he was only 10 years old, in 1972! Grandmaster Kim ran his own school, Kim’s School of Tae Kwon Do, which was headquartered in Charlotte, NC (with many associated schools over the 50-year history of Kim’s School of Tae Kwon Do that were located in other cities, states and countries!) for several years.  Grandmaster Kim instilled a sense of excellence and tradition that Grandmaster Morris continues to pursue in the day to day operation of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts. Please be certain to greet Grandmaster Kim at testing this weekend! 

Master Robert Word is a longtime friend of the school. He and his wife, 5th Dan Master Dawn Word, owned and operated AIM Tae Kwon Do in Greensboro, NC, for several years before taking some time off. Masters Word plan to open a new school in the upcoming year. We are happy to welcome him back to the school! 

Master Bob Kerr, also a longtime friend and frequent visitor to Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, has been a pastor for several decades, and still practices with Grandmaster Ju Hun Kim today. Welcome back Master Kerr! 

We want to congratulate all of our testing students for all their efforts and accomplishments. We want to give special recognition to the five students testing for Black Belt ranks: 

John Mellin, 13, testing for Junior 1st Dan 

Lucca DeGennaro, 10, testing for Junior 2nd Dan 

Silas Flaum, 14, testing for Junior 2nd Dan 

Devin Martin, 18, testing for 2nd Dan 

Amerie Delfin, 14, testing for Junior 3rd Dan 

Reminder: 

We will be closed for classes beginning at 11:30am Friday, February 14th. There will be no classes on Friday afternoon or evening, all day Saturday, February 15th, and all day Monday, February 17th. We will resume our normal class schedule on Tuesday, February 18th.  

Testing Schedule: 

Friday, February 14th 

4pm: Mighty Tiger/Mighty Lion Testing 

6pm: White Belt Testing, White-Yellow Belt Testing, Color Belt Board Breaks, Black Belt candidates begin testing. Please arrive by 5:30pm.  

Saturday, February 15th 

10am: Special Seminar for students in the Black Belt ranks, conducted by Grandmaster Kim! 

12pm: Testing for all students, ranked White-Yellow belt and above, Black Belt candidates complete testing. 

Community meal immediately follows testing. Food will be provided by Happy Cinco de Mayo, a delicious restaurant located within the River Ridge Market Place, specializing in Mexican cuisine. 

Students should wear WHITE uniforms ONLY! 

We will be closed for classes throughout testing weekend, as well as on Monday, February 17th  (in order to reset the space)! Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 18th and will follow our regular schedule! Please wear your current belt to your first class back. Students who have been promoted will receive their new belt at their first class back.  

Kids who move up to yellow belt or blue belt should attend one more class for their current rank. White-Yellow belts who test to Yellow belt should attend one more Kid’s Beginner class, then begin going to Kid’s Intermediate classes after receiving their new belt. Green-Blue belts who test to Blue belt should attend one more Kid’s Intermediate class, then begin going to Kid’s Advanced classes after receiving their new belt.  

We look forward to seeing all of you this weekend! 

 

Asheville Sun Soo Celebrates the Holidays with December 2019 Belt Rank Testing and Holiday Potluck

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Asheville Sun Soo Welcomes Chief Master Brice Bishop as Guest Master Instructor at our December 2019 Belt Rank Testing

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Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is excited to welcome Chief Master Brice Bishop as the Guest Master Instructor for our December testing event. Grandmaster Tony Morris met Chief Master Bishop when they both served as the Guest Masters at the October Testing of Taekwondo University, the collection of schools run by Grandmaster Terry Brumley – our visiting Guest Master Instructor from August!

Chief Master Bishop recently visited Asheville Sun Soo in anticipation of his serving in the capacity of judge for our upcoming testing. His visit provided him with context for what he will see on the mat during testing, and he looks forward to seeing the difference 3 weeks has made in our students. In addition, Chief Master Bishop will be holding a special class for Asheville Sun Soo Black Belts centering on footwork as it relates to effective sparring.

We look forward to hosting Chief Master Bishop this weekend, and having him share his perspective and skills with our students. Please be certain to meet him and thank him for being here!

Photo of TKD students in the Black Belt ranks with 3 Grandmaster instructors2019

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts Hosts Annual Fall TKDI Invitational Tournament

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Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is honored to have hosted the 2019 Fall Taekwon-Do International Invitational Tournament. The Fall TKDI Invitational Tournament is hosted annually by Asheville Sun Soo, and this year’s event was the first invitational tournament held in our new River Ridge location!

Master Instructors and students from several different schools participated and contributed to a fantastic day! Competition was rigorous, respectful, and challenging and allowed students from different schools to share brackets, which made the day fun as well as a valuable way to develop and improve martial arts skills.

Students ages 3-80 competed in different areas of practice – forms (patterns), sparring, and board breaks. Competing in these areas provided competitors with multiple opportunities to cheer for their fellow practitioners, make new friends from participating schools, and to notice things about their own practices – all of which contribute to growth as a martial artist!

We want to give special thanks and recognition to 9th Dan Grandmaster Suk Jun Kim, President and Founder of Taekwon-do International, 9th Dan Grandmaster Terry Brumley, Founder of United Taekwon-Do Alliance, 8th Dan Grandmaster Barry Partridge, 7th Dan Master John Meany, 7th Dan Master James Marr, and 5th Dan Master Shay Tippens – as well as all their participating students – for their collective contributions to the 2019 TKDI Invitational Tournament.

Congratulations to all who competed! We look forward to seeing our sister schools at future events!

Students at Tae Kwon Do Tournament
Students at Tae Kwon Do Tournament
Preschool and Kindergarten martial artists with boards
Preschool and Kindergarten martial artists with boards

Asheville Sun Soo Welcomes Master Bob Kerr to Our October 2019 Belt Rank Testing

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Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts Welcomes Master Bob Kerr To Our October 2017 TestingAsheville Sun Soo conducted its October 2019 belt rank testing on Friday, October 4th and Saturday, October 5th.  We welcomed Master Bob Kerr as our Guest Master Instructor for this event. As such, he sat on our judging panel, using his years of experience as a Master level instructor to contribute his perspective to our team of instructors and testing students.

Master Kerr is a frequent visitor to our testing events, as his son, John Flynn, and his grandson, Gage Flynn, are both practitioners here at Asheville Sun Soo. We are always excited to have him here in an official capacity, and appreciate his contribution to our October 2019 testing!

We want to congratulate all of our testing students for all their efforts and accomplishments. We want to give special recognition to the six students promoted to Black Belt ranks:

Photo of Grandmaster Terry Brumley

Please Join Us in Welcoming Grandmaster Terry Brumley as our Guest Master Instructor for our August 2019 Testing Event

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Photo of Grandmaster Terry Brumley

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is excited to have Grandmaster Terry Brumley, a 9th Degree Black Belt, as our Guest Master Instructor for the August 2019 Belt Rank Testing Event.

Grandmaster Morris and  Grandmaster Brumley were fellow speakers at the annual Grand Nationals for the United Taekwondo Alliance. Grandmaster Brumley is originally from Arkansas, and currently lives in Tennessee with his wife of 36 years, Julie.

Through his 3 locations of  “Taekwondo University”, Grandmaster Brumley seeks to help people lead better lives. He follows the principles of responsibility, confidence & courage, and making no excuses. He uses these principles and the understanding of their effect on our lives in all areas of his life. He believes that practitioners should practice confidently in order to perform courageously, and invites students to eliminate excuses and to face up to mistakes in order to learn from them. His book, “Live Your Potential,” further delves into these topics, and helps readers to make an impact on a daily basis.

Grandmaster Brumley began his martial arts journey when he was almost 16. He had been bullied, and enrolled in a taekwondo practice as a means of resolving his bully situation. Grandmaster Brumley thanks this situation for setting him on the proper path. He operates from the belief that we should have a positive attitude and should invest time in things that propel us forward. He sees himself as a lifelong student.

Eleven years ago, Grandmaster Brumley founded the United Taekwondo Alliance and serves on the Master’s Council. Collectively, the Council seeks to grow good and fair competition among its member schools.

He and his wife, Julie have 5 adult children and 7 grandchildren, with one on the way. All of his children have entered the Black Belt ranks, and several of his grandchildren are current practitioners.

In closing, Grandmaster Brumley wants us to know that he loves what he does. “It’s something that changes people’s lives.” Please be certain to welcome him when you see him at testing this weekend. Thank you, Grandmaster Brumley!

photo of taekwondo black belts2019 Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts Had an Amazing April 2019 Testing Weekend and Grand Opening Celebration!

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We would like to congratulate all who tested, and are very proud of our students and how much work they put into their practice. HIGHLIGHTS OF TESTING INCLUDE:

montford and north asheville neighbors logoWe would like to thank Christine Priola, Publisher of Montford & North Asheville Neighbors, for sponsoring our April testing event. Each issue will feature a family local to the coverage area, and will highlight businesses that provide goods and services to people who live and work in Montford and North Asheville. Like Asheville Sun Soo, Ms. Priola is committed to building community and helping local businesses and families. We look forward to the growth of this partnership!

photo of taekwondo black beltsAsheville Sun Soo Martial Arts was grateful to have several high-ranking Guest Master Instructors in attendance. They conducted a fun and informative Master’s Seminar on Saturday, and served on our judging panel! Thanks to:

Master James Marr is a 7th Degree black belt who, along with his wife Master Elaine Bayless, a 5th degree black belt, runs Master Marr’s Taekwondo in Shaker Heights, OH. Masters Marr and Bayless are both students of Grand Master Suk Jun Kim.

Master John Meany is a 7th Degree black belt with over 25 years of experience practicing and teaching Taekwon-do.  Master Meany is a student of Grand Master Suk Jun Kim in New York City. He and his wife, Master Laura Giletti, a 6th Degree black belt, run Glen Ridge Taekwondo in Montclair, NJ.

Master Paul D’Ambrosio (Master D) is certified as a 7th Degree Master in the original traditional style of Taekwon-do, as well as a 4th Degree Master in Olympic sport Taekwondo. This uniquely qualifies him to teach to a very wide range of students, from the young Olympic hopeful to the more mature practitioner. He is the founder and primary instructor at Aliso Hills Taekwondo in Aliso Viejo, CA.

Master Ethan Morris is a 4th Degree Black Belt, and hold the distinction of being the first student promoted to the rank of Master in Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts. Master Ethan Morris is a senior at UNC Chapel Hill, and will be graduating with honors this year with a dual major in Economics and Spanish.

Also in attendance was Master Bob Kerr. We always appreciate his presence in our space, and while he did not sit on our panel, we would like to acknowledge his being here!

The April testing also served as our Grand Opening Celebration. While not the first belt rank testing held in our current location at River Ridge Market Place, it was certainly the first in which we truly felt like we were settled in at our new home.

We would like to acknowledge all the students who advanced in rank at this testing event. Special acknowledgment to (now) Grandmaster Tony Morris, who was awarded his 8th Degree during the April testing. Congratulations Sir!

The following students tested for Black Belt Ranks during the June testing. Congratulations to all of you!

Jonathan Ortiz – 10, promoted to Junior 2nd Degree

Emily Orozco – 12, promoted to Junior 2nd Degree

Katie Parsons – 13, promoted to Junior 2nd Degree

Sterling Bishop – 16, promoted to 2nd Degree

Aria Cronin – 10, promoted to Junior 1st Degree

2018 Asheville Sun Soo LLC

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts Had a Great February 2019 Testing – The First in Our New Space!!

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Grandmaster Barry Partridge

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts Welcomes Grandmaster Barry Partridge to Our February 2019 Testing Event

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Grandmaster Barry PartridgeWe are pleased to have Grandmaster Barry Partridge as our guest Grandmaster Instructor for the very first testing event in our new space at the River Ridge Market Place, which will take place this weekend, February 8th and 9th, 2019.

Grandmaster Partridge holds an 8th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has been practicing for 45 years.  He is a three-time former USTA heavyweight champion and has been a coach to several US Tae Kwon Do Olympians. Grandmaster Partridge is completely devoted to teaching and spreading Tae Kwon Do. He is a superb athlete, and a warm and charismatic person.  Grandmaster Partridge is also a devoted father.  He has a son, Dominique, who also practices and is currently a senior in high school, as well as a daughter, Sophie, who will be testing for her 1st Dan later this year.

Master Morris and Grandmaster Partridge have much in common.  They share two previous teachers and they both attended NC State University in Raleigh at the same time, in the 80s.  Grandmaster Partridge played college football for NCSU.  He was a Traditional Tae Kwon Do stylist up through 3rd degree and then transitioned to Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do, which he has practiced and taught professionally for over 20 years.  Grandmaster Partridge is the Master instructor of two schools, both called United Taekwondo Academy – one of which is in Winston-Salem and the other of which is in Chapel Hill.  He shares his teaching time between the two schools. He chooses to instruct martial arts for a living as he feels like it’s the way for him to make the greatest difference for people.

Grandmaster Partridge loves teaching and loves teaching teachers – which is another thing he shares with Master Morris.  He enjoys facilitating people’s discovery of their own resources to become more effective.  As a practitioner – he loves staying physically fit and enjoys running in addition to Tae Kwon Do.  Although he is very accomplished, he is very humble about these accomplishments.  He believes that when people develop self defense skills, it actually creates a peaceful community because “when people are confident that they can take care of themselves, they are relaxed and comfortable and they don’t overreact – they are able to maintain peace.”  Grandmaster Partridge has great respect and appreciation for other healing modalities beyond martial arts.

We are excited to welcome such an accomplished and enthusiastic teacher, as well as an awesome human being, to our school for testing this weekend.  Grandmaster Partridge will be teaching our Masters Club Seminar, Saturday morning at 10 AM, covering sparring and in-close self defense techniques .  Grandmaster Partridge is looking forward to seeing our students, stating that he loves our family-oriented community, and always feels motivated to infuse his own schools with some of our energy. Please give Grandmaster Partridge a warm welcome when you see him in the studio this weekend!