MILESTONES

Wow! A new year, a new decade, and already a month into it. The time is Now! ...make the most of every moment and achieve your goals!

We ushered in January with our first regional Black Belt class of 2011 at the Chula Vista dojang. Over fifty Masters, DANS and Cho DAN Bo packed the studio to bring in yet another new year (our 34th) with a traditional black belt workout, including an intense Hyung (forms) session. The shoulder-to-shoulder training brought our ever growing TSD family even closer together.



The January 8th black belt class also celebrated new DAN promotions from around the region. Awarded from TSDKI were; Brandon Nordengreen ChoDAN, Jason Ferber ChoDAN, Alejandro Sarmiento ChoDAN, Jeremy Bunag ChoDAN, and Anica Bunag ChoDAN. Parents of the newly promoted Black Belts proudly witnessed their child’s outstanding achievement resulting from an average of five years of martial arts training. As unconditional supporters the parents partnered in the DAN presentation ceremony by surprising their children with a new trimmed uniform to accompany their newly awarded belt and rank. Congratulations and welcome to the WTSDA Black Belt Society!

Continuing on January 27th our studio’s young Tigers and Dragons celebrated their own rank promotion ceremony. For some it was their very first testing and promotion making it an extra special experience. On the 29th a junior GUP examination was held and a fresh new crop of Orange belts sprouted, several transforming from Dragons to GUPS. Way to go Karate Kids!

2011 will continue to be a special year for TSDKI filled with both indoor and outdoor events including the annual Region 20 Championship to be held here in Chula Vista, California on September 25th. In the meantime let’s continue the momentum and remain motivated! Get to class and bring your best attitude. Share your spirit and lend us your enthusiasm for learning and growing. Don’t be wishing for success. Let's be a success!

Master Larry & SBN Leslie Dercole
Tang Soo!!

CHRISTMAS PARTY!!

Dear Tang Soo Do Karate Family and friends,
You are all invited to our end of the year celebration!!
This time we will be sharing the fun of a Wii party. Ask for more details to your Instructors and save the date for Friday, December 17th...Tang Soo!!

ALL FIRED UP!! 2010 World Championship

Just returning from the July 16-17th WTSDA world championship in Greensboro, N.C. and WOW! -- A Tang Soo Do city of over 1600 competitors (probably 5000 with friends and family members) gathered under the broiling mid-summer heat thick with humidity and enthusiasm. They came from England, Germany, Argentina, Netherlands, Mexico, Chile, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Sweden, Puerto Rico, Mozambique, Aruba, Hawaii, Alaska, and every part of the continental USA. This would mark our Associations 13th biannual world championship and held for the first time in North Carolina near the site of our future WTSDA Headquarters in Burlington.
Our TSDKI Chula Vista team spanned the ranks from Tiny Tiger to Sam DAN black belt and included Alexis Stoke, Mae Stoke, Kevin Stoke, Erik Stoke, Neale McPheron, Angelo Dercole, Giordano Dercole, Gianina Dercole, Barbara Bellini, Sig Luther and of course Master Larry & Leslie Dercole.

Our team arrived well prepared winning and placing in many of their respective competition categories. We collected four gold, nine silver, and four bronze medals. Congratulations!
The event is a family affair and a collective effort of senior members helping and guiding juniors. Awards of Master-of-the-year as well as Studio, Instructor, and Family-of-the-year were recognized during opening ceremonies of the three day celebration. TSDKI instructors Sig Luther and Barbara Bellini took charge of the popular building fund raffle booth where hundreds of gifts donated by studios are collected and then raffled off. $6,500.00 was proudly raised for the cause.Instructor Leslie Dercole stood the honorable post as official Spanish translator MC for various speeches including the Grandmaster's opening address.

A very significant and historical feature of the event's opening ceremony was the promotion of our Grand Master J, C. Shin's to 9th DAN. This is the highest rank attainable in the Tang Soo Do system and was uniquely presented by proclamation and in front of a parade of more than 100 masters in a very emotional and ceremonial fashion. Robert Beaudoin, the association's General Secretary was also promoted to 8th DAN-assistant Grandmaster.
Equally amazing was the next day's WTSDA family picnic of approximately 800 held on the grounds of the future headquarters in Burlington, NC. There Grandmaster Shin unveiled the proposed building sketch billboard and spoke of a general construction plan.We hope someday you and your family can attend a world championship and share in the unique gathering and celebration. Until then we can plan for our own Regional Championship scheduled for this October 9th at Caltech University's Brown Gym in Pasadena, CA. There you can meet Our Grandmaster in person during his visit to our region.

Tang Soo!!

Master Larry Dercole

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The KARATE KID BUDDY WEEK !!

Attention TSDKI students!!
We are very excited of the new upcoming Movie 'The KARATE KID" and are planning a special Buddy Week Event to introduce your friends to the awesome world of martial arts. May 19th thru May 26th.
Everyone (students and buddies) who participate in this special event will receive free movie tickets for a special advance screening of the KARATE KID Movie. There will also be daily raffle drawings for the KARATE KID movie t-shirts and posters at each class. Now go find a friend to invite him/her to your class and share the best KARATE KID spirit on the training floor.Tang Soo!!

Master Larry & Leslie D'Ercole

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!

Greetings TSDKI families and friends. Welcome to 2010!!

We hope everybody enjoyed their holiday season and are now energized with exciting resolutions and renewed determination to reach higher as we step forward into a brand new decade. The New Year promises to be both exciting and meaningful for our studio and Association. Looking ahead to a few of upcoming events, we are pleased to announce the Yu Dan Ja promotions of three new Black Belts; Amanda Masumoto, Alexis Stoke, and Efren Roman. A special graduation ceremony will take place during our Regional Black Belt class scheduled for February 6th.

In March, masters and master candidates from around the world, will join Grand Master Shin in Alabama for the annual Master’s Camp.

The 2010 World Championship is scheduled for July 16-17 in Greensboro, North Carolina. We are encouraging all to attend and experience this historic event as Grandmaster Shin will be promoted by the WTSDA membership to the highest rank achievable in TSD, 9th DAN. Additionally, we will be activating our TSDKI Demo team once again to prepare and show our pride at this World Championship event.

Tune up your bicycles! A Tang Soo family Bike Hike is planned to coincide with our studio's 33rd anniversary in the early October. These are a few of the exciting activities planned with many more stuffed in between.

Let's march forward together to conquer our goals, celebrate success, and share our Tang Soo Do Spirit.

Dedicated to Excellence, Inspired by you...Tang Soo!!

Master Larry D'Ercole & BSBN Leslie D'Ercole

WTSDA HISTORICAL EVENT!!

Once again TSDKI is pleased, proud and excited to be part of World Tang Soo Do history as members across the continents proclaim the promotion of our Grand Master Shin to 9th DAN. All registered WTSDA members are invited to participate by affixing their signatures to the proclamation document declaring Grand Master Shin as 9th DAN, the highest attainable rank in traditional martial arts. This will be an extraordinary opportunity and an honor like no other.

We are planning to begin the proclamation signing for our members at the next GUP testing dates – Friday, Nov. 20th & Saturday, Nov. 21st. The actual Promotion Ceremony will take place at the opening festivities of the 2010 World Championship event scheduled for July 16-17 in Greensboro, North Carolina. We encourage all members to attend and witness this once in a lifetime experience.

Tang Soo!!

Happy Veterans Day!

TSDKI recognizes their SENIOR student and VETERAN, Joe Bella. Joe, (72) served as a navy diver during the Vietnam era and the final stages of the Korean War. He was a former TSDKI student 20+ years ago and now has returned to continue his Tang Soo Do journey. Thank you for your service and happy Veterans Day!!

Tang Soo!!