We are proud to announce the addition of 4 classes being taught here at 12 South Main Street. Daniel Blacklock, Caroline Chronowski, and Patti Virasi have offered to begin teaching new classes in our space.

This is great news for our students because all classes are FREE to Oneonta Taekwon-do students.

This is also helpful to us in terms of attracting new students. Most of our new students claim that “driving by and seeing the sign” is what made them come in. More foot traffic = more new students.

Please take a moment to think of someone you know who might be interested in these classes and email them the link to this web page!

Contact: Call Patti for more information at 774-454-1641

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Mr. Mannion returns

Yoga / Kickboxing teacher wanted

Do you know someone qualified to teach Yoga, Tai Chi, Cardio Kickboxing or other non-martial arts activities that would enjoy our space?  Several time slots are available and the price can’t be beat.  Please refer interested parties to Mr. Mannion at 607-437-7866.

New Class Schedule

Kids summer program

Oneonta Taekwon-do plans to offer a 4 week summer Taekwondo program for kids aged 6-10 years old.  Classes will be offered five days per week with a structured curriculum and weekly promotion tests.  More details will be released in June.  We anticipate offering ongoing childrens classes in September.  Student teachers are needed and one paid instructor position is available for adults blue belt and above.  If you are interested, please speak to me so we can begin organizing and planning.

May tuition special

Our doors are open once again for new students and we are recruiting aggressively!

Flyers will be available in the Do-Jang.  Please keep some in your car to post in gas stations or on bulletin boards where you work.  Give some to friends, neighbors, and coworkers!

Remember, all new students get a free uniform and 2 private lessons with a black belt instructor as part of their initial tuition package.  Remember:  students renewing for 6 months or more get a discounted rate along with a FREE uniform.

Save the Dates

Next promotion test Wednesday May 27 at 6pm

Grandmaster Kim’s annual Taekwon-Do summer camp will be held August 21-23 at Camp Pontiac . Please join Mr. Mannion in attending.  This camp is a great opportunity to fine-tune your Taekwon-Do training with specialized seminars. It is also a chance to leave Oneonta for a weekend and get to know your friends at the Taekwon-Do school and “cousins” from NYC better.  Learning the patterns from Grandmaster Kim is a unique experience and all students are EXTREMELY urged to attend.  Grandmaster Kim has in fact declared the seminar “mandatory” for red belts and black belts!

Spiritual arts fair – Saturday May 2^nd at the Unitarian Universalist Society

Oneonta is having its annual Spiritual Arts Fair next Saturday.  Among the presenters will be Jennifer Mannion giving a workshop on Healing Chronic Pain and we hope Matt can get his knee healed ASAP!  Please see the flyer online for more details.

Thank you John Buck

John Buck has graciously loaned us an adjustable stand for holding a focus pad and Ken Graig has loaned us a retractable focus pad.  This is excellent for practicing your kicks without having someone hold the pad.  We’re not sure how long it will last so please give it some use and share your feedback and gratitude with John.  We can’t share the name of this product with you because it may be under copyright!

Local business owners!

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Taekwondo International Black belt Oath

• I shall always observe the school rules and lead by example.
• I shall always maintain my training to continue improving my mind and body.
• I shall always exemplify discipline and focus during practice.
• I shall always promote unity and honor amongst black belts.
• I shall always earn respect through my training and conduct.
• I shall always be faithful to my seniors.
• I shall always be faithful to my teacher.
• I shall always be faithful to the Union

Test picture

Videos:

3 board reverse knife hand video

3 boards reverse turning kick

4 boards back kick

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John – thanks for noticing that Grandmaster Kim’s website now features videos of him performing Chon-Ji, Dan-Gun, and Do-San.  Please take a moment and watch the Grandmaster in action on the SJKim Taekwondo Website Patterns Page.

Next Test
Saturday, February 21st at 10am

We anticipate that Alex Lusins, David Howard, and Owen McCabe will be eligible to test. Please come out to support them and cheer them on. We will have class at 9am and begin the test when the students are ready.  If you are eligible to test and weren’t mentioned, please speak to Mr. Mannion.  The next test should be in early March.

New York City trip 2/18
Attend class with Grandmaster Kim

Grandmaster Kim has graciously invited us to visit his school in NYC for class and lunch afterward.  This is an excellent opportunity for all students to meet the man who has been teaching and practicing Taekwondo for over 35 years.  We need a tenative list immediately to coordinate driving.  Please call me or email me.  The expectation would be to leave Oneonta at 7am and return home around 7pm.  I’m not sure what a reasonable donation would be but I’m guessing about $25-$30 per person to be used toward gas and a gift depending upon how many people go.  I will be going from White Plains but Mr. Davis is planning to go.

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We are pleased to see the return of Ryan Graig after his hiatus this past fall. Ryan helped lead the Oneonta Soccer team to the Section championships before suffering a severe knee injury. Fortunately, Ryan takes great care of himself and has worked on strengthening and stretching the affected knee and is ready to resume training.

Also, please remember to bring a hat or wear hooded coats during cold weather to protect yourself when leaving class with a wet head!

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Instructor Ray Mannion has returned to work at 12 S. Main Street full time. Oncura, a division of GE Healthcare has hired him to develop SAP solutions interfacing their US and UK systems through the end of the year.

New Classes

Classes will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30pm on a trial basis for the next 3 weeks.

New Book

3 free copies of “Living the Law of Attraction – Real Stories of People Manifesting Health, Wealth, and Happiness” will be available at the school to existing or new students. Jennifer Mannion is featured in the book for her triumph over chronic pain. The book was conceived and put forth by some of the authors featured in The Secret.

Next test

The next promotion test is scheduled for Thursday October 16th to begin at 6pm. There will be no 5pm class on the day of the test and students are encouraged to arrive by 5:30pm to warm up. All students are requested to have a union patch sewn on the uniform. The patches are $10 each but each student will receive the first one free.

Ray Mannion and Owen McCabe are scheduled to test for their next promotion in NYC with Grandmaster Kim on Friday October 24th. If you are due to test on Thursday October 16 but would prefer to test in NYC, you are invited to do so.

Reminder

Students at the color belt level are permitted to test after 25-30 classes. Currently, our school does not offer monthly tests. However, there is no reason to wait until a large group test. If you are due for a promotion test, please speak to an instructor to coordinate an interim or make-up test. New students are encouraged to learn more about the tests from an instructor or senior students. Senior students are encouraged to offer assistance and guidance to new students regarding testing. Links to oral questions are found on the “Our School” page of our website.

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Saturday August 9, 2008 will be the next Oneonta Taekwondo test and demonstration.  All visitors, friends and family are welcome to attend.  This will be crowded and seating may be limited.  Ace Film Company will be recording the test for a TV/internet video commercial.  Breakfast pizza and juice will be available after the test.

The test will begin at 9:30am – students should arrive early to warm up.  Again – friends, family, and visitors are welcome to observe.

Students are reminded to study the school rules, meaning of the patterns, school motto, tenets of taekwondo and basic korean.  You can use the “search our site” box on the school website or review the information on the “Our school” page.

Pricing change effective 9/1/08

The family discount will be reduced from 50% to 25% effective September 1, 2008.  Existing students will be “grandfathered” and retain 50% discounts for life.  If you or a family member have been waiting to join, now is the time to enroll your family member before the pricing changes.

Current pricing is as follows:  $175 for a 3 month tuition, $325 for a 6 month tuition.  Month-to-month is $65 per month.  All new students get a free uniform and 2 private intro lessons with a registered black belt instructor.  Scholarships are available – call the instructor at 607-437-7866 for more information.

Class schedule change

Effective immediately, double-classes will resume.  Classes begin at 5pm and 6pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Saturday classes remain at 9am.  Students are encouraged to attend as many classes as possible at no extra cost.  Students can take the second class if space permits.

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Upcoming test and demonstration – Saturday August 9th at 9:30am

Several students will be testing including Mr. Brian Davis doing an interim demonstration which includes a 4 board break. Please come and support Owen McCabe testing for his red belt. We have invited a master instructor from NYC to help administer the test although we are not sure who it will be. As usual, food and beverages will be provided after the test.

Summer weekend at Camp Pontiac – applications and payment is due this week.

Please complete all forms and bring a check payable to “SJ Kim’s Taekwondo”. If you need an application, please see the summer camp post on our website.  The price goes up if payment is not received by August 1st.  Remember that scholarships are available.  Please view the Camp Pontiac website for information on the facilities or view the brochure on our website.

New Location

Oneonta Taekwondo is searching for a larger location within Oneonta.  Several vacancies exist down town.  We expect enrollment to grow significantly this fall.  I am pleased that we have such a strong set of students and leaders as our school grows.  If you know of a building with 2000 square feet or more, please email me with any contact information.

New students

We anticipate several new students in September as this is historically the busiest time.  If you or someone you know is contemplating signing up, now is the time.  We are committed to giving each new student 2 private introductory lessons and availability may be limited in September.  Remember, family members are eligible for a 50% discount on tuition!

Scholarships for tuition

Effective immediately, Oneonta Taekwondo tuition scholarships are available.  The scholarship is for children and adults without the financial capacity but the strong desire for Taekwondo training.  Contact me by phone for more details.

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The purpose of the seminar is to educate our students on the history of Taekwon-do with attention to the teachings of Grandmaster Suk Jun Kim. In preparation for summer camp, upcoming tests, and future participation in Taekwon-do International events, it is important for our students to have knowledge about certain aspects of our history.

The seminar is designed to be part lecture and part practical. The instructor will lead warmup exercises promptly at 9am. Some of the topics covered will include:

• School leadership, Etiquette and Discipline
• Breathing
• Grandmaster Kim teachings – observations, quotations, examples
• Theory of Power

These topics are generally reserved for Black-belt-only classes. However, as the future leaders of our school, it is important for all students to attend this event. The seminar will be held annually. Next year, it will only be open to Green belt and above and not to the general public.

A $5 donation is requested to cover the cost of food and boards but is not required.

The event will take place at the Oneonta Taekwon-do Do-Jang located at 12 S. Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. The school is next to the Eighth Note. Please call 607-437-7866 if you have questions or visit the Oneonta Taekwon-do website for more information.

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