Good Morning
Well we had the 2016 Black Belt Midterm Evaluations yesterday morning from 9am to 12pm. It went quite well. The 2016 candidates are looking good and this year’s black belt grading should be a good one. Lots of hard work goes into earning a black belt here at Cobourg Tae Kwon Do. Lots of training in preparation for the actual grading day. Lots of assignments that must be completed throughout the black belt cycle. Team building day which the candidates work on their team and communication skills. Being mentored by other black belt mentors and instructors. Everything that they are tested on on the day of grading. The feelings during the aftermath. The black belt ceremony which their friends and family come to watch them put on a demonstration of their skills. Finally being able to wrap those new black belts around their waist.
For those who can make it through the process are glad they did. I offered them yesterday $10,000 if I could take back their black belts and all the experiences and friends they have made along the journey. Not one of them took me up on that offer. Actually I could offer a $100,000 or even $1,000,000 and I know they would not take the offer. Earning your black belt is something special that goes beyond the description of words. It is not something you are given or something you can buy. You have to earn it with sweat, blood, tears, pain, but also with joy, happiness, excitement, and the knowing that this is only the beginning.
Master Jonathan Field