Oh no you you didn't..... YES WE DID!

19th USNTF International Taekwondo Championships

Dear Students,

I am proud to announce that I have been selected to be the Tournament Director for the 2013 USNTF International Taekwondo Championships.  Next July over 1000 competitors from around the globe will come to Seattle to compete in this historic event. 

Over the course of the next year we will be doing a lot of preparation for this event including regular in-school events to help prepare our students, parents and referees for competing and running an event of this magnitude.  There will be forms, sparring and board breaking events, so we will have a series of in-school and inter-school (with other locals schools) mini tournaments.  These will be fun and educational.  It is my sincere desire to have every student at Seattle Tae Kwon Do participate next July.  Nobody is too old or too young, there is a division for everyone!

More is to come in the coming months.  Just train hard and attend as many events as possible.

Warmly,

Grand Master Brandon Richards, Ph. D, 8th Degree Black Belt

How to Develop a Winning Attitude by Brandon Richards

One of the best tools that you can acquire as you go through life will be a winning attitude.  Whether in the Martial Arts, in school, or in business, a winning attitude will give you the extra push you need to succeed and make you shine.  In fact, one of the most important elements to success in the Martial Arts, and life, is to carry a positive, winning attitude with you wherever you go.  But what does it take in our everyday lives to develop a winning attitude?

             A positive outlook is the single most important element in achieving a winning attitude.   If you hold a positive attitude, you are able to relate to the world on a positive basis.   People with a positive attitude always look for the "can do," not the "cannot do," side of each situation they face.  If you think you can, you have a better chance of succeeding than if you take a negative approach to the situation. Having a positive attitude means believing not only in yourself, but also seeing others in a positive light. A positive attitude is contagious.  When it is sincere, people with whom you come into contact will relate to you and your activities with a vitality and positive attitude that causes a winning, successful environment.

Another important element in achieving a winning attitude is passion.  Passion is the driving force within those with a winning attitude.  It sets them apart from others.  Passion is an energy that gives them the fuel to realize their potential and feel good about themselves.  When you begin to realize your potential and feel truly good about the person that you have become, you will begin to believe in yourself. You must also constantly remind yourself to encourage others.  This is the essence of the Martial Arts spirit.

A final element that can help you to have a winning attitude is energy.   If you maintain a high level of physical energy, it will prevent you from feeling tired and discouraged when adversity strikes.  Physical energy can be obtained by maintaining a healthy diet, working out regularly (both in and out of the dojang), and taking care of your body and yourself.

VITAL CHILD SAFETY TIPS

When it comes to keeping your child safe at all times, there is only a certain amount you can do as a parent. You cannot watch them all day and sometimes you will take your eyes off them. This is natural. So one thing you can do is to learn as many child safety tips as you can and child proof your home as much as you can. There are many ways to protect children but here are just a few child safety tips that every parent or caretaker should pay attention to immediately: 1. Always teach your children to never talk to strangers. This safety tip is often overlooked and may seem aged but the truth is that there are many people out there who simply cannot be trusted. Teaching your child this from an early age will really help them to stay safe. You should tell them that if they are approached by a stranger to tell another adult/friend as soon as they can. You may want to use a 'safe word' so children have a way of checking someone out that is unfamiliar to them. The should also know that if they are ever approached by a stranger they should alert parents, teacher or police officers around them that they were approached by a stranger. 2. Teach them road safety. Again this may seem obvious but still not enough parents teach their children how to safely cross the road. That's why there are still thousands of children killed on the roads every year. So teach them from an early age to look both ways before crossing, always use pedestrian crossings, and never to try to cross the road from between parked cars. If they ride a bike, get them to use the sidewalk and not the road or have them take a biking safety course. 3. Protect them in the home. Sadly there are also many child deaths in the home which could be prevented. You should install child safety gates on the top of the staircase to prevent the child from falling down stairs. You should install child safety locks on cupboards/draws which contain dangerous items for the child, such as sharp knives or medication. If you have a swimming pool then you should install a child safety pool fence to ensure the child cannot enter the pool without your knowledge. Also use safety latches to prevent heavy furniture such as dressers from toppling over on a young child. All in all, there are many child safety tips which you can use to protect your child when you are not around. Please use them today and your child will one day thank you for it.

Master Lee and Instructor Armen Sparring

The Competition Team - Your Path to Gold Medal Excellence

While some people dream of being a world class athlete and winning an Olympic Gold Medal, others go after their dreams. They train hard, don’t give up and persist until they are proudly standing at the top of the podium with a gold medal around their neck. What does the Gold Medal represent? Years of dedication, perseverance and the ability to take on the impossible and make it possible. The Seattle Tae Kwon Do Competition Team is just such a group. These young men and women train to be the best. It is a select group of 12 students who push themselves and their teammates to their very limits. We currently have two openings on the team. If you are a green belt and are actively sparring, please see Grand Master Richards for information.

Wisdom of the Ages

A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchildren about life.... He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me… it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, hatefulness, and lies.... The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, humbleness, kindness, friendship, generosity, faith, and truth.....This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.”....The children thought about it for a minute. Then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” .....The Cherokee elder replied… “The one you feed.”