Odyssey of the Sul was a Blast!

By Meredith Botnick, red belt

It’s not very often that adults get to go to summer camp, so when The Odyssey of the Sul was announced it offered a truly unique and special opportunity for adults to take a break from the real world for a few days. Spending a long weekend in the mountains doing a mix of camp activities and taekwondo was amazing and was an experience I hope to repeat in the future. 

Camp started on Thursday afternoon, and while it was a stormy afternoon in Denver it was absolutely gorgeous at Snow Mountain Ranch. Despite the forecast saying otherwise, the weather really couldn’t have been better all weekend. Once everyone was checked in, we gathered in the Centennial building for dinner which presented an excellent opportunity to meet students from other schools before everything kicked off. After the first of several amazing meals, we regrouped in Leggett and met our teams for the weekend. Each team was named after an Ancient Greek hero, and we began work on a demo that symbolized our heroes and incorporated different aspects of Moo Sul Kwan training before calling it a night. 

With the theme of camp being about a journey, on Friday many of us journeyed back to childhood with the camp activities. It was so much fun to try out archery, tackle my first climbing wall in nearly 20 years, and go zip lining surrounded by spectacular scenery. We capped off the day with a round of mini golf and then laughter and fun with the tubing hill and the “Minute to Win It” games after dinner. 

Saturday started with a bit of training before breakfast and then dove back into our Odyssey of the Sul with a hike to the waterfall with one step sparring and self defense training along the way. The hike was meant to be a journey and not a race, and our group leaders facilitated wonderful discussions along the way. It was really neat to get to know the other members of my group and learn about their individual journeys in Moo Sul Kwan. We came back having forged new and better relationships with our groups and gaining a better understanding not only of Moo Sul Kwan but each other. We spent the rest of the afternoon making our videos and prepping our demos before another fun filled evening of games, live music, and our own CTI version of line dancing. 

Sunday began with a bit of a bittersweet feeling of reflecting over the awesomeness of the last few days but knowing that like all good things camp must end and we all needed to get back to reality. We all performed our demos to the families that had gathered for the end of camp, and it was truly awesome to see the creativity each group used in their demos along with learning more about the Ancient Greek heroes. We were able to spend a last few minutes reflecting on our journeys, both as individuals and as a group, as we watched the video compiled of each group’s activities over the weekend. 

I drove back to Denver at the conclusion of camp feeling renewed in my journey within Moo Sul Kwan and ready to tackle my day to day life with new perspectives and energy. The Odyssey of the Sul was a truly unique and amazing experience, and I would highly recommend that the other adult students in CTI participate the next time we do a “big kids” camp. 

CamXpo 2021!

 We are very excited to be able to offer a summer event this year!  

In a typical summer, we hold several events: a weekend-long, family-centered, convention-style Summer Expo in a mountain resort and a sleepaway Summer Camp for students ages 9 and up. This year, we are going to run a hybrid event with aspects of both.

There are several options for participation in this event.  The entire event for summer campers will take place from July 29th - August 1st.  There is an option for families to join us July 30th - August 1st for a more Expo style experience.  The event will take place at the Snow Mountain Ranch, YMCA of the Rockies in Granby, Colorado.

Campers: 7/29 - 8/1
Students ages 9 and up are invited to the camp portion of the event.  These students will arrive on Thursday 7/29 and stay on site at Snow Mountain Ranch in the cabins or lodges for the entire event.  This event will be like camp: we will stay together, work out together, meals will be provided, etc.  This portion of the event does have a limited capacity, and we will honor students who register and pay the deposit on a first come, first serve basis.  Students who register as campers will be set for the entire weekend as far as lodging, food and supervision. 

Family Weekend: 7/30 - 8/1
This event is open to all students.  This portion of the event is structured more like our typical Expo, and families who attend this event are responsible for their own lodging and meals.  Families of younger students will come up with their students.  Students will participate in classes Friday evening, throughout the day Saturday and Sunday morning.  There will be a celebration on Saturday evening as well.  Outside of class time, there will not be extra supervision for younger students, and families will need to come and pick their students up (this is not the case for students doing the entire camp as detailed above).

There is no limit on the number of students who can attend this event; however, please be aware that lodging at Snow Mountain Ranch, in Granby and in Winter Park is filling fast for the weekend.

Students and families who choose this option will need to make their own lodging reservations.  

Lodging options for weekend portion:
Snow Mountain Ranch has a few rooms available on-site.  They also offer campgrounds.  You need reservations to camp.  Our understanding is that all accommodations at Snow Mountain Ranch are filling quickly, so please be advised that you should book quickly if possible.  You can make reservations by clicking here or calling 1-888-613-9622.
The Inn at Silvercreek is nearby in Granby. The Winter Park Mountain Lodge is nearby in Winter Park. The Vintage Hotel is nearby in Winter Park. You are welcome to book anywhere else you are able.  We also recommend looking at Air BnB and VRBO.

You can register for this event by clicking here.  The summer camp portion will fill up quickly, and you can reserve your spot by paying your $50 deposit as soon as possible.  We will honor the capacity limits on a first come, first serve basis.

Contact your instructor if you have any questions about the CamXpo 2021!

Camp MSK '17 Brings Rewards

THE 20TH YEAR OF CAMP MSK!

It was one tough group that made it through Camp MSK '17!  Moo Sul Kwan campers spent the week at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado, and had a great time!

Grandmaster Sautel led the Camp Teaching Staff that included Master instructors; MIndy Sautel, John Sautel, Bill Jones, Erik Albrechtson, Alice Meyung, Fred Sautel and Clayton Garner.

This year's Camp MSK was sandwiched right in between the MSK Summer Expo and and CTI Black Belt Team World Tour.   After an excellent Expo, everyone seemed to be in prime shape for the 20th Camp MSK.  The pressure was on to have the best Camp possible and springboard the team to Norway/Sweden. 

At Camp MSK '17 there were so many things that everyone accomplished.  Poomse, sparring, exercise, biking, swimming, breaking, hiking, one-step sparring, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, self-defense technique, and so much more was enjoyed by everyone.

Camp MSK '17 lasted for six days and always started out with a black belt workout at 6:00 AM followed by a red belt workout, both led by Grandmaster Sautel.  After breakast, everyone worked on various elements of their Moo Sul Kwan technique, team demontrations and more!  This year, the very first Camp Clash took place with the Camp Teams competing in different areas each day.  This year, each Team was named after a Colorado Mountain Bird!

On the last morning of Camp MSK, demonstrations were performed for parents, family members and friends. Each were done to music and symbolized that team's bird.

Special guest Master William R. Jones, Cindy Tusa and Pam Sautel fed the hungry group all week with the finest food of the summer! 

Be sure and register soon for next year's super Camp MSK '18 June 17 - 22!  (Upper belts and adults, ask about the special pre-Camp training that goes June 15 - 17.)

Camp MSK '15

By Caela McCartney, red belt

Perfect weather, wonderful food, excellent training, fun activities and many educational challenges were in store for the record number of Moo Sul Kwan Campers at this year's Camp MSK '15.

The students and instructors worked on their kicks, blocks, punches, self-defense, falling, throwing, poomse, sparring, one-step sparring and breaking techniqus for the six day camp at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado.

Everyone had the opportunities to do the other activities this year, which included; the new tubing hill, horseback riding, outdoor climbing wall, swimming, zip line, basketball, volleyball and indoor roller skating to name a few.

Black belts were up and training at 6:00 AM each morning, followed by the red belts who began the day at 7:00 AM.  All the colored belt level students were at it at 8:00 AM.  The busy days continued on until the sun went down . . . and then the evening activities took place.  This year, some of the evening activities were; movie night, musical breaking night and minute-to-win-it night!

At Camp MSK, there are always surprises.  This year there was a surprise guest - it was Mr. Mark Fraser, Judo 4th dan, from New Mexico, who taught some great classes on throwing, falling and self-defense to everyone at Camp.  Mr. Fraser trained at the Lee H. Park Institute for many years before moving to New Mexico.

On one of the days, the Camp Clash took place.  Led by Mr. Freddy Sautel, 4th dan, the Camp Clash was made up of Teams that took part in a series of different challenges that tested their skills.  It was all tough, fun and inspiring!

Here's an article from Caela McCartney, red belt, from the Westminster Campus of the CTI:

Summer Camp Adventures!

Summer camp could not have gone by any faster. We did a whole week of kicking and punching, but also doing many activities.

On check in day we started working on our demos.  Demos are a project that we work in groups, with different students from different schools, to create fun and cool looking demonstrations to the parents on the last day.  

Sunday was where students got to experience camp was all about. We woke up to, of course, amazing breakfast. Then during 11:00 all of the students went down to a tubing hill. This tubing hill was the best activity I think we did because that day was somewhat warm and so what wasn’t a better day to go down the tubing hill.  The tubing hill was like a carpet type of material you went down and there was water spraying at your face when you went down the hill.  I think what was awesome was the workers who pushed you down the hill would sometimes spin or push you down backwards! Afterwards we all walked down together and played kickball and mini golf.  Also we went to the Kiva where we could play basketball or go roller skating.

Monday was the day most of us all look forward to.  That day you get to go zip lining, horseback riding, or rock wall climbing (if you paid for any of those activities).  If you were waiting to go on those or didn’t sign up for them you got to tie dye!  Tie dye is a camp event that I always look forward to because I don’t get any other chance to tie dye except at camp.  Also when you are waiting for your activity we got a chance to go to the gift shop.  After lunch we got to just relax in the cabin and watch TV if we didn’t have a activity or you finished tie dying or you went to the gift shop.

Tuesday morning during the red belt class we got a chance to learn Judo.  In Judo class we learned proper techniques to fall and how to flip people.  That day we also worked on our demos to clean up some stuff and performed it in front of Grandmaster Sautel.  That night we all sat down and had movie night.  The movie we watched was Paul Blart which is a very funny movie.

Wednesday was a sad day for us because it was the last full day of camp and since we all had fun we didn’t want to leave.  That day we did more Judo and learned more ways to flip people.  For Lunch and Dinner we had leftovers of what we had previous nights.  To be honest leftover day is the best at camp because they want to get rid of all of the food so you get to eat anything you want!  That night we had the party where you get to hear fantastic music by the band and you get to break boards!  The party is always great because you get your tie dye back and see how your colors turned out.

On Thursday we presented our demos.  I think this year we had the best demos yet.  The songs were great and so was all of the kicks and punches the groups did.  Also I think it was cool to see everyone’s tie dye.  After our demos we packed up and left.

Camp MSK never gets boring no matter how old you are. I have been to 3 camps and I think every year they get better and better.  Even though you leave your parents you get to make friends from other campuses or see your friends from other campuses.  I think camp was the best so far!


Extra Special Thanks goes to Master Chef Cindy Tusa and Pam Sautel for the fantastic food which was specially prepared three times a day for the hungry students and instructors!

Camp MSK Teaching Staff:

Jim Sautel, 7th dan, Mindy Sautel, 6th dan, John Sautel, 6th dan, Erik Albrechtson, 5th dan, Mark Fraser, 4th dan, Freddy Sautel, 4th dan, Alice Meyung, 4th dan, Clayton Garner, 4th dan, Bridget Sautel, 3rd dan, Brian Steward, 3rd dan, Michael Sandusky, 3rd dan, Stephen Sautel, 2nd dan, Erik Ondrejko, 2nd dan, Hope Morgan, 2nd dan, Kelsey Smith, red

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Article originally published at: http://www.coloradotaekwondo.com/news_article/show/526060

Camp Moo Sul Kwan '14

This year's Camp MSK '14, was held from June 7 - 12th at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado.  Following one of the finest MSK Summer Expos of all time, this year's Camp MSK started six short days after the Expo.  The six days of training at Camp was filled with unlimited learning and fun!

Special guests Master Bill Jones, 6th dan from Jackson, Missouri, and Mr. Mark Fraser, 4th dan from Alberquerque, NM, joined our excellent Camp MSK Teaching Staff for all the action.

Students and instructors received a Camp MSK '14 Uniform that became dirtier and dirtier throughout the week.  Classes in Exercise, Moo Sul Kwan Judo, Sparring, Poomse, Self-Defense, Staff, Breaking, Basic Hands, Kicking, One-Step Sparring and Demonstration Work complemented the mountain bike riding, basketball, wall climbing, zip line, horseback riding, table tennis, miniature golf, kickball, kite flying, squaring dancing, frisbee tossing, hiking, movie night, musical breaking night and eating! There was also a Moo Sul Kwan black belt test on one of the days.  Twelve candidates, of varying ages, went through the physical test beginning early in the morning.

The Camp meals for over 110 hungry students were specially prepared by Cindy Tusa and Master Jones, along with Pam Sautel and other invaluable help!  Meals are always a favorite part of the Camp week, and on one evening, everyone dressed for dinner.  This year the special diinner was to celebrate the American Farmer.  Everyone  dined on kettle beef, mashed potatos and green beans straight from an old Kelso, Missouri, country recipe!

On the last day of Camp MSK, the parents, family members and friends were treated to some demonstrations.  It started off with a Camp Bicycle Demonstration by some of our older campers, and was followed by the Camp Team Demonstrations, each one named after
and demo symbolizing a United Sates Mountain Range.

Make plans for next year's CAMP MSK '15!