The Superbowl Results Are In!

The 51th CTI Superbowl tournament was held on February 27-28 at Alameda International School. Over 300 students of all belts and ages competed, learned, and had a memorial day. Photos will be available soon on our website's Photo page.

Special thanks to all family members and friends for their support to make this special day possible!

Congratulations to our Grand Champions: Haley Holley and Ron Meyer!

Poomse

1^st Place
Collin Kreutz, Kyle Feagans, Meredith Botnick, Quynn Cotner, Katie Minden, Elsie Mcdonald, Jordan Rutz, Dale Sanders, Mason Zerbib, Zachary Cotner, Rebekkah Copel, Ellie Pechon, Cooper Curry, Owen Eberhard, Katie Harding, Landon Dulmage, Dalila Lopez Martinez, Henry Andonov, Oliver Garner, Stella Reyniers, Ailani Lopez Martinez, Daniel Gray, Henry Chiabotti, Gwen Spilling, Ron Meyer, Elijah Yushka, Dominic Ditallo, Avery Liu, Cyrus Khatri, Timofii Lesyk, Leo Duffey, Leuyen Nguyen, Sheen Pandita, Laurel Robinson, Aleina Evarts, Mila Olivares Castro, Jay Karkula, Madison Janecek, Luna Duran, Terrance Sanders, Alexander Myers, Adeline Alayash, Lila Story, Matthew Decross, Anthony Hanson, Tommy Jacoby, Ronan Long, Clay Zilliox, Nicholas Johnson, Zyler Martin, Oliver Rackl, Saoirse Meyer, Luna Rivera, Jacob Zilliox, Ethan Mccarroll, Hudson Wiegand, Jaden Danhorn, Walker Meyers, Rosie Mclaughlin, Chase Downham, Kamila Hernandez, Blake Macon, Zachary Wolf

2nd Place
Kathleen Sautel, Eileen Lindner, Lydia Willis, Matthew Roberts, Bill Schwartz, Evan Mcewan, Henry Rumph, Warren Mcdonald, Ace Ashworth, Alexis Chavez, Rue Weerapura, Carter Hoffman, Josie Landis, Anna Copel, Joshua Stephenson, Landon Adams, Jase Hessler, River Manuelito, Torin Dimascio, Alice Burgin, Hayden Jeffries, Lorenzo Gomez, Dylan Kiser, Christopher Cochenour, Ellie Combs, Weston Evarts, Anastasia Contreras, Nirajit Dhakal, Dawson Portera, Ruth Berry, Austin Gross, Shreeyan Khatri, Hadley Wilkins, Aaron Botnick, Cash Parker, Quintyn Upshaw, Austin Janacek, Maryn Meyer, Jenny Powers, Desmond Long, Vesper Gaczol, Arwyn Robinson, Brie Rivera, Rowan Meyer, Luke Wingate, Lehan Nguyen, Forrest Zilliox, Rory Duffy, Veronika Lesyk, Pippa Rueter, Kobe Greenmyer, Iris Kuklman, Rahi Kapoor, Romy Burnett, Quentin Enns, Isaac House, Ben Alek, Khloe Burger, Adeline Karkula, Grayson Keck, Maverick Besaw, Adrian Ibarra, Lemai Nguyen

3rd Place
Tyler Murphy, Deb Denny, Kirun Agarwal, Marley Powers, Abbey Salamera, Ivy Jensen, Logan Keckler, Kaylyn Mcewan, Ahas Weerapura, Kayla Albrechtson, Shiven Venkat, Henry Lewis, Khristin Paisley, Paul Paisley, Haley Holley, Amallia Chapman, Hilde Groff, Armando Gomez, Franco Ramirez, Eddie Garner, Leanh Nguyen, Makenzie O'Connell, Milo Conner, Presley Hobler, Asher Yushka, Kira Rhyden, Luna Bratz, Sophia Palfreyman, Mckenzie Farmer, Keira Teska, Cory Balk, Lily Rosetta-Mcbryde, Eoin Daly, Asher Whalen, Desmond Bearce, Tyrion Bieker, Andrew Kahan, Natalie Teska, Felix Kelson, Tucker Mercier, Skye Zilliox, Skylynn Benefield, Ben Godwin, Theodore Fuselier, Wyck Gaczol, Declan Upshaw, Felicity Greenmyer, Ollin Johnson, Sophia Lamphere, Michael Doherty, James Burger, Lily Carrillo, Lennon Story, Kaitlyn Doherty, Neev Pandita, Leighton Evarts, Olivia Madruga, Charlie Farmer, Trey Herbst, Elyn Brown, DJ Macri, Theo Peterson

4th Place
Peyton Brauch, Nathaniel Keckler, Vivi Brown, Sarah Dahle, Lily Strickland, Zoe Economou, Bob Padget, Emma Burden, Thomas Burden, Ryan Marine, Dan Copel, Jaxson Hipsher, Mary Groff, Kendrick Toney, Siri Molnar, Olivia Ivie, Zane Farrier, Kim Williamson, Lyra Bratz, JJ Defelice, Millie Hessler, Gabriel Kahan, Peter Morehead, Celia Lunardi, Olivia Roberts, James Daly, Selam Dusharm, Kolbe Pries, Alina Madruga, Nathan Czaikowski, Loxley Mcelhaney, Holden Bassett, Mae Michuda, Miles Wingate, Lachlan Cooke, Jacob Bermier, Rowan Hui, Amelia Tait, Debra Lavezzari, Silas Corbett, Quinn Meyer

Tiger Poomse

1st Place
Violet Martinez, Atticus Albrechtson, Aryan Bhatt, Leo Claveau, Sigmund Kelson, Miraak Gohil, Wynston Gaczol, Savannah Roberts, Avian Abdin, Colin Bentley, Arlo White, Emilia Newberry, Knox Randolph, Vince Kuhlman, Jade Gamon, Cash Hanson, Asher Lampher

Sparring

1^st Place
Tyler Murphy, Lydia Willis, Meredith Botnick, Matthew Roberts, Averie Chavez, Henry Rumph, Ivy Jensen, Logan Keckler, Rebekkah Copel, Ellie Pechon, Josie Landis, Shiven Venkat, Ryan Marine, Keatyn Adams, Joshua Stephenson, Jase Hessler, Haley Holley, Amallia Chapman, Armando Gomez, Daniel Gray, Eddie Garner, Ron Meyer, Elijah Yushka, Dominic Ditallo, Ellie Combs, Lyra Bratz, Eli Anceravicius, Leo Duffey, Leuyen Nguyen, Nirajit Dhakal, Ruth Berry, Austin Gross, Hadley Wilkins, Sophia Palfreyman, Luna Duran, Alexander Myers, Matthew Decross, Tommy Jacoby, Ronan Long, Clay Zilliox, Nicholas Johnson, Arwyn Robinson, Brie Rivera, Tucker Mercier, Alina Madruga, Nathan Czaikowski, Jaden Danhorn, Felicity Greenmyer, Sophia Lamphere, Jacob Bermier, Maverick Besaw, Lemai Nguyen, Leighton Evarts

2nd Place
Peyton Brauch, Kirun Agarwal, Marley Powers, Abbey Salamera, Nathaniel Keckler, Jordan Rutz, Warren Mcdonald, Bob Padget, Cooper Curry, Owen Eberhard, Carter Hoffman, Khristin Paisley, Dan Copel, Jaxson Hipsher, Lucy Paisley, Landon Adams, River Manuelito, Mary Groff, Ailani Lopez Martinez, Henry Chiabotti, Torin Dimascio, Alice Burgin, Siri Molnar, Olivia Ivie, Avery Liu, Asher Yushka, Laurel Robinson, Shreeyan Khatri, Mckenzie Farmer, Peter Morehead, Olivia Roberts, Adeline Alayash, Austin Janacek, Desmond Long, Desmond Bearce, Tyrion Bieker, Selam Dusharm, Sebastian Schuster, Jacob Schuster, Saoirse Meyer, Luna Rivera, Jacob Zilliox, Skye Zilliox, Declan Upshaw, Holden Bassett, Hudson Wiegand, Walker Meyers, Kobe Greenmyer, Iris Kuklman, Romy Burnett, Michael Doherty, James Burger, Rowan Hui, Olivia Madruga, Silas Corbett

3rd Place
Collin Kreutz, Vivi Brown, Dale Sanders, Alexis Chavez, Ahas Weerapura, Kayla Albrechtson, Zoe Economou, Tristyn Cvanciger, Rue Weerapura, Paul Paisley, Sam Powers, Nethika Suraweera, Landon Dulmage, Dalila Lopez Martinez, Oliver Garner, Hilde Groff, Hayden Jeffries, Lorenzo Gomez, Leanh Nguyen, Milo Conner, Weston Evarts, Kira Rhyden, Luna Bratz, Millie Hessler, Thomas Mcnair, Aleina Evarts, Mila Olivares Castro, Jay Karkula, Dawson Portera, Cash Parker, Cory Balk, Lily Rosetta-Mcbryde, Eoin Daly, Asher Whalen, Celia Lunardi, Terrance Sanders, Kolbe Pries, Anthony Hanson, Oliver Rackl, Rowan Meyer, Lehan Nguyen, Skylynn Benefield, Loxley Mcelhaney, Rosie Mclaughlin, Chase Downham, Kamila Hernandez, Blake Macon, Zachary Wolf, Ezekiel Onyun, DJ Macri

4th Place
Ed Stanton, Elsie Mcdonald, Evan Mcewan, Lily Strickland, Emma Burden, Thomas Burden, Ivy Strickland, Henry Lewis, Lee Tomjack, Stella Reyniers, Franco Ramirez, Jennifer Kautz, Gwen Spilling, Makenzie O'Connell, Presley Hobler, Zane Farrier, Vincent Andonov, Theodore Peterson, Cyrus Khatri, Timofii Lesyk, Anastasia Contreras, Gabriel Kahan, Madison Janecek, Quintyn Upshaw, Keira Teska, James Klausner, Bryce Yushka, Andrew Kahan, Forrest Zilliox, Rory Duffy, Veronika Lesyk, Ben Alek, Khloe Burger, Adeline Karkula, Grayson Keck, Adrian Ibarra, Trey Herbst

First Point Wins!

1^st Place
Collin Kreutz, Lydia Willis, Matthew Roberts, Vivi Brown, Ivy Jensen, Logan Keckler, Dale Sanders, Elsie Mcdonald, Shiven Venkat, Keatyn Adams, Rue Weerapura, Henry Lewis, Joshua Stephenson, Haley Holley, Amallia Chapman, Dalila Lopez Martinez, Hilde Groff, Daniel Gray, Torin Dimascio, Alice Burgin, Hayden Jeffries, Vincent Andonov, Ron Meyer, Dominic Ditallo, Ellie Combs, Avery Liu, Weston Evarts, Anastasia Contreras, Leo Duffey, Leuyen Nguyen, Nirajit Dhakal, Dawson Portera, Celia Lunardi, Luna Duran, Desmond Bearce, Matthew Decross, Arwyn Robinson, Alina Madruga, Nathan Czaikowski, Skye Zilliox, Anthony Hanson, Loxley Mcelhaney, Felicity Greenmyer, Jacob Bermier, Walker Meyers, Kobe Greenmyer, Rosie Mclaughlin, Chase Downham, Zachary Wolf, Ezekiel Onyun, Maverick Besaw, Olivia Madruga

2nd Place
Ed Stanton, Meredith Botnick, Nathaniel Keckler, Henry Rumph, Warren Mcdonald, Alexis Chavez, Ivy Strickland, Kaylyn Mcewan, Rebekkah Copel, Ryan Marine, Khristin Paisley, Jaxson Hipsher, Lucy Paisley, Lee Tomjack, Landon Adams, Mary Groff, Landon Dulmage, Ailani Lopez Martinez, Henry Chiabotti, Siri Molnar, Lorenzo Gomez, Leanh Nguyen, Milo Conner, Asher Yushka, Cyrus Khatri, Ruth Berry, Sophia Palfreyman, Shreeyan Khatri, Mckenzie Farmer, Peter Morehead, Keira Teska, Aaron Botnick, Austin Janacek, Tyrion Bieker, Selam Dusharm, Sebastian Schuster, Terrance Sanders, Andrew Kahan, Natalie Teska, Brie Rivera, Tucker Mercier, Saoirse Meyer, Holden Bassett, Oliver Rackl, Rowan Meyer, Skylynn Benefield, Ben Godwin, Jaden Danhorn, Iris Kuklman, Rowan Hui, Lemai Nguyen, Silas Corbett, DJ Macri, Neev Pandita

Staff Poomse

1^st Place
Collin Kreutz, Quynn Cotner, Katie Minden, Ivy Jensen, Elsie Mcdonald, Warren Mcdonald, Evan Mcewan, Ace Ashworth

2nd Place
Peyton Brauch, Kyle Feagans, Ed Stanton, Meredith Botnick, Marley Powers, Logan Keckler, Kaylyn Mcewan, Jordan Rutz

3rd Place
Kathleen Sautel, Nathaniel Keckler, Kirun Agarwal, Abbey Salamera, Ahas Weerapura, Zoe Economou, Mason Zerbib

4th Place
Tyler Murphy, Deb Denny, Bill Schwartz

Breaking/Target Kicking

1^st Place
Kyle Feagans, Kathleen Sautel, Quynn Cotner, Kirun Agarwal, Evan Mcewan, Jordan Rutz, Henry Rumph, Tristyn Cvanciger, Lily Strickland, Susan Burgstiner, Rue Weerapura, Carter Hoffman, Dan Copel, Sam Powers, Haley Holley, Amallia Chapman, Hilde Groff, Landon Dulmage, Henry Andonov, Torin Dimascio, Ailani Lopez Martinez, Leanh Nguyen, Eddie Garner, Makenzie O'Connell, Dylan Kiser, Ron Meyer, Elijah Yushka, Atticus Albrechtson, Sheen Pandita, Terrance Sanders, Lila Story, Maryn Meyer, Jenny Powers, Leo Claveau, Zyler Martin, Mae Michuda, Miles Wingate, Wynston Gaczol, Rahi Kapoor, Ollin Johnson, Knox Randolph, Cash Hanson, Elyn Brown

2nd Place
JJ Defelice, Sigmund Kelson, Luke Wingate, Theodore Fuselier, Wyck Gaczol, Lachlan Cooke, Savannah Roberts, Avian Abdin, Quentin Enns, Lily Carrillo, Lennon Story, Vince Kuhlman, 

3rd Place
Violet Martinez, Aryan Bhatt, Vesper Gaczol, Ethan Mccarroll, Isaac House, Amelia Tait, Jade Gamon, Asher Lampher, Charlie Farmer, Colin Bentley

This Weekend: the 51st Superbowl Tournament!

We are looking forward to our 51st Superbowl tournament this Friday and Saturday, February 27 & 28!  

Private Lesson Extravaganza: 

The Private Lesson Extravaganza will begin at 4.30 pm on Friday night. Please arrive 5-10 minutes before your scheduled time to get checked in and warm up. 

At this point, drop-ins are welcome, but we cannot guarantee the availability of 3rd dans and above for drop-ins. If you wish to schedule with a 3rd dan and above, come at 4:55, 5:20 or 5:45. The 4:30pm slots are full for 3rd and above. The 20 minute private lessons start at 4:30pm, 4:55pm, 5:20pm and 5:45pm. You can use this link through Thursday to sign up. 

For the private lesson extravaganza only, students will enter the gym directly through the gym doors near the black belt parking on the map below.  On Saturday and other future events, students will enter through the entrance described below. 

Competition and Arrival Times: 

Black Belts will compete on Friday night at 6 pm. Spectators are welcome.  

All other students (white through red) will compete on Saturday. You will find details on your competition time below. You will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start time of your competition to check in, etc. Some divisions may begin early, so please be at Alameda at your arrival time. 

Purple, Brown, & Red belts, all ages: 8 am start time, 7.30 am arrival time

Ages 8 and under; white, yellow, orange, green, blue belts and all tigers: 10.30 am start time, 10 am arrival time

Ages 9 and up; white, yellow, orange, green, blue belts: 12.30 pm pm start time, 11 am arrival time

Tournament Collection:

For this tournament, we are collecting new underwear, new socks, hats, gloves and new or clean, used blankets for the Brown Bag Ministries. You can bring them to the tournament or through next week at your campus locations.

Location details, parking:

The tournament will be at Alameda International High School which is located at 1255 S Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80232.  

Please park in the large parking lot on the southwest corner of Louisiana and Allison St. (There is another parking lot on the northwest corner of Arizona and Allison / north of the tennis courts that can be used for overflow parking).

Please do not double park and/or block someone in. If both parking lots are full, there is a lot of neighborhood street parking available in the area or you can see if there is room in the main entrance parking lot.  

You will enter the school through the doors facing west. The title 'ALAMEDA INTERNATIONAL' is written in large block letters above the doors. 

Checking students in, getting them to their rings, their competitions:

Once you enter, you will be directed to a check-in table. The check-in will be divided up alphabetically by last name so please proceed to the table marked with the first letter of your last name.

While checking-in, someone will write ring numbers on your hands. You will have a green number on your right hand and a red number on your left hand. Once you have your ring numbers, you will head to the upper bleachers of the gym to settle in. You will be called down to the floor for the group photo and will proceed to the green ring number after the group photo.

Parents of younger students competing at 10.30 am, you will take your student down to the gym floor when called for the group photo. After the group photo, announcements, etc., black belts will take the students to their correct ring number which will be the GREEN number on their right hand. The ring number will be labeled with big signs. These ring signs are not color coded, so please look to the ring number on your student's hand that is green and disregard the color of the ring sign.  

Once students are settled at their rings, we ask that spectators stay in the upper bleachers and off the gym floor for safety and to provide more room for the competitions. Please show your students where you will be so they know where to find you. If you have a very young child (tigers ages 2 - 4) who needs assistance, it is okay if you need to stay nearby on the gym floor.

Tiger students (2-4 and some 5 year olds who attend 30 minutes classes) will compete in two divisions in the same ring and then will be dismissed for the day. Please come pick them up at the photo podium after their Most Kicks division.

All other students will compete in poomse first. We ask that parents remain in the upper bleachers during these competitions, please. After poomse competition ends, students will then go to the RED ring number on their LEFT hand for sparring. 

Parents of students ages 7 and under, please come down to the podium to collect your student after their first competition and to help them get to their second. You are welcome to take photos at the podium.

After-school program students will compete in poomse and most kicks.  After most kicks, they are free to leave.

All other students will compete in poomse, sparring and first point wins. 

After your student is done competing in all of their divisions, please come down to the edge of the gym floor to collect them. Thank you.

Students ages 9 & up will compete in three or four events. Please do not leave until your student has competed in everything (poomse, two sparring divisions, and then students ages 12 & up, ranks orange and above will also compete in breaking). After sparring divisions conclude, please stay in the gym and listen for their name to be called to their additional divisions and ring numbers.

Etiquette and Uniform:

All students should arrive already dressed out in their uniforms with their belts tied.  Anyone with long hair will need to have it tied back securely. No jewelry is permitted, and freshly pierced ears need to be covered from front to back with medical tape and/or bandaids.  Students should wear a white crewneck t-shirt beneath their uniform top. Students should not wear jeans or secondary pants underneath their uniform pants as this will inhibit their ability to kick.

Lastly, please do not attend the tournament if you or your student is ill. Thank you.  

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to your instructor. We are so proud of all of our students' hard work and preparation, and we look forward to this weekend!  Thank you.

Responsibility

By Evan McEwan, teen 1st dan

Responsibility is a cornerstone fundamental in most everything you will encounter. Responsibility teaches you so many lessons through hardship, mistakes, and other processes. Responsibility grows in importance as you go up the belt ranks in our program being a quintessential part of every individual's Moo Sul Kwan career. Responsibility also shows integrity and builds strong bonds and connections.

The lessons responsibility teaches are so important to growth in any aspect. You start to understand what those who are responsible for you need to sacrifice, having to make the same sacrifices yourself. You give up time, money, and energy when you are responsible which gives you great respect for your caretakers. Responsibility has many facets and applications, there is responsibility for others just as much as there is for yourself. Self-responsibility teaches necessary fundamentals like how to work by yourself, time management skills, and the ability to have balance in between different tasks. These three skills are some of many that come with being self-responsible and are essential to success. 

Beyond its educational properties, responsibility has incontestable vitality within the Moo Sul Kwan institution. It walks in tandem with every student along their career, growing in presence as they climb the ranks. A Moo Sul Kwan student’s first class holds minimal responsibility, however it is still present, having the responsibility of learning and remembering protocol and custom of the class. As one progresses however, they must become responsible for their behavior, practicing their moves and forms at home, do the monthly excellence homeworks, balance taekwondo with other aspects of life, and so much more. When moving up the ranks you gradually gain all of this knowledge and eventually you may get the opportunity to teach a class. 

Responsibility fosters meaningful and valuable relationships through trust. If one gives someone responsibility for their belonging and they perform well then trust is built, this principle is applicable everywhere and helps one climb ranks and earn positions. In Taekwondo it’s important to build bonds with others to develop as a student, having the skill of responsibility will ensure that you can effectively advance. Moreover in any developmental aspect in life connections are so important to growth so having that responsibility will be so valuable to anyone climbing the ranks.

All things are encompassed by responsibility, being a key to success, among many other things. It teaches you how to adapt, develop, persevere, and push through hardship. It is also a necessary part to development i n Taekwondo, growing in importance as you go through the belt ranks in Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo.  Responsibility also helps you build relationships through integrity and trust. All in all, responsibility is one of the most key things to any development at all.

Holiday Day Camp: Dec 29 -31st!

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute will be hosting our regular Holiday Day Camp over Winter Break this year! 

We will be hosting three days of Holiday Day Camp at the Green Mountain Campus over Winter Break!  The Day Camp will run Monday, December 29th - Wednesday, December 31st.  You can register for this event on our website and then selecting the red box that reads 'Holiday Day Camp.'

Day Camp is a super fun event and a great way to keep your student active during the break. It's a great way to add excitement and to make strides towards your or your student's next belt. There is no cap or limit to participants for this event.  

All students ages 5 and up are invited to attend Holiday Day Camp at the Green Mountain Campus Dec 29 - 31. This fun and exciting event is packed full of all types of Taekwondo activities.

• WHO – All Students Ages 5 and Up
• WHAT – CTI Spring Break Day Camp
• WHEN – Dec 29 - 31 
• WHERE – Green Mountain Campus
• COST – 
• $190 all sessions, all 3 days
• $70 for 2 sessions (full day or 2 half days)
• $40 per single session (half day)
• TIMES – 
• MORNING SESSION: 8:30am  - 11:00am
• AFTERNOON SESSION: 12 noon - 2:30pm
• (Students planning to stay all day need to bring a lunch.)
• WHAT TO BRING:  Uniform, belt, sparring gear, tennis shoes, snack, water bottle, board(s), notebook & pen/pencil, lunch (if staying all day)

Please note: A full day of Day Camp (from 8.30 am - 2.30 pm) is 2 sessions (a morning and afternoon). 

Please note: There is no cap or limit to participants for this event. It is not like day camps from other organizations where you have to book months in advance. We take walk-ins the day of as well. Thank you!

This Weekend - The 26th Lee H. Park Team Champs!

We are looking forward to our Lee H. Park Team Champs tournament this Saturday, December 13th! 

Important: Don't forget our CTI Stocking Stuffer Toy Drive! We are collecting new and unwrapped stocking stuffer gift donations for Brown Bag Ministries. We are seeking items for ages 1- 12 in particular. Saturday at the tournament is our final day for collection. We will have a box for donations at the check-in table when you arrive. Thank you!

Competition and Arrival Times: 

Everyone will compete on Saturday. You will find details on your competition time below. You will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start time of your competition to check in, etc. Some divisions may begin early, so please be at Alameda at your arrival time.  Thank you.  

• Black belts (6.30 am start time, 6 am arrival time)
• Everyone is welcome to spectate Black Belt competitions. The gym will be open at 6am.
• Tigers, ages 5-7 and ALL Elementary School Program students of all ages (9.30 am start time, 9 am arrival time) 
• There are a few exceptions to the ages here. If you are an 8 yr old on a team with all 7 yr olds, you might need to come at this time, please. Check with your instructor if you are unsure. If you are competing on a team from MPA, Red Rocks, West Woods, Meiklejohn or Westridge, you will report at 9 am even if you are older than 7 years old.
• Ages 8 - 11 (11 am start time, 10.30 am arrival time)
• There are also a few exceptions to ages here. Check with your instructor if you are unsure.
• Ages 12 and up (must arrive at noon)
• There are also a few exceptions to ages here. Check with your instructor if you are unsure.

Location details, parking:

The tournament will be at Alameda International High School which is located at 1255 S Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80232.  

Please park in the large parking lot on the southwest corner of Louisiana and Allison St. (There is another parking lot on the northwest corner of Arizona and Allison / north of the tennis courts that can be used for overflow parking).

Please do not double park and/or block someone in.  If both parking lots are full, there is a lot of neighborhood street parking available in the area or you can see if there is room in the main entrance parking lot.  

You will enter the school through the doors facing west. The title 'ALAMEDA INTERNATIONAL' is written in large block letters above the doors.  It is marked with a red star in the graphic below.  

Checking students in and getting them to their rings:

Once you enter, you will be directed to a check-in table. While checking-in, someone will write ring numbers on your hands. You will have a green number on your right hand and a red number on your left hand. Once you have your ring numbers, you will head to the upper bleachers of the gym to settle in.  

Parents of students ages 11 and under, you will take your student down to the gym floor for the group photo. 

After the group photo, students will go to the green number on their hands and black belts will help them get to their rings. 

Once students are settled at their rings, we ask that spectators stay in the upper bleachers and off the gym floor for safety and to provide more room for the competitions. Please show your students where you will be so they know where to find you. If you have a very young child (tigers ages 2 - 5) who needs assistance, it is okay if you need to stay nearby on the gym floor. 

Due to the large amount of space required for team competitions, we are asking students to please leave all equipment bags in the upper level bleachers and off the gym floor. Thank you.

Competition Information:

Please note: If this is your first team tournament, please be aware that due to the nature of the team competitions, ring supervisors sometimes need slightly more time to organize the rings once students report. Thank you for your patience and flexibility. The students have practiced hard for this tournament so please "go with the flow" during the day. There is a method but group competition is very different from individual competition so it can feel a bit chaotic dealing with the teams - especially the youngest teams.

Students ages 11 and under will compete in poomse first.  

Students reporting at 9 am: After the poomse competition ends, students will then be going to their basics and kicking competitions, which will likely be in a different ring. This is the RED ring number on their LEFT hand. After your student is done competing in all three divisions, then please come down to the edge of the gym floor to collect them. Thank you.

Please note that tigers (students in 30 min classes, ages 2 - 4, some 5 yr olds) will do both their poomse and kicking competitions in the same ring or in two rings near one another, and they will do their competitions one right after another so they don't have to wait. They will then be released after the kicking competition.

Students reporting at 10.30 am: After the poomse competition ends, students will then be going to their self-defense and kicking competitions. These competitions may or may not be in the same ring; please follow the RED ring number on their LEFT hand. After your student is done competing in all three divisions, then please come down to the edge of the gym floor to collect them. Thank you.

Students reporting at noon, come down to the gym floor for the group photo. We will then direct you to all of your rings. All students are in 4 competitions.

Etiquette and Uniform:

All students should arrive already dressed out in their uniforms with their belts tied. Anyone with long hair will need to have it tied back securely. No jewelry is permitted, and freshly pierced ears need to be covered from front to back with medical tape and/or bandaids. Students should wear a white crewneck t-shirt beneath their uniform top. Students should not wear jeans or secondary pants underneath their uniform pants as this will inhibit their ability to kick.

Boards:

If your student is competing in breaking (all students competing in the noon time frame, orange belt and above), they will need to provide their own boards for this competition. Please touch base with your instructor with any questions you may have here.

Lastly, please do not attend the tournament if you or your student is ill or has tested positive for Covid.  

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to your instructor. We are so proud of all of our students' hard work and preparation, and we look forward to Saturday!

Martial Arts Classes

By Zach Cotner, junior 1st dan 

All kids need a healthy place to express themselves, exercise their energy, and feel like they have a place to belong. Families seeking a healthy activity for their children will appreciate what martial arts training will provide them. Martial arts classes benefit kids (and adults) by teaching discipline and self-control, by providing exercise that’s both healthy and fun, and by creating opportunities for positive social interactions. 

An important benefit that taekwondo provides to kids is discipline. One main benefit is learning how to act around adults/teachers/mentors/elders. This is important because it will serve you throughout life. It is a great skill to learn respect and communication. In Moo Sul Kwan, we demonstrate our discipline by addressing instructors by ‘ma’am’ and ‘sir’ when we see them. In CTI we follow the rules of etiquette which include things like taking off your shoes before entering the workout area, bowing before entering, and paying attention in every class. These rules support kids ability to follow directions well and teach them to listen to everyone in their lives. Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo helps children become role models for their peers at the taekwondo campus and school. Students are taught to treat others with kindness, sympathy, and courtesy. When we are working in class we acknowledge other students’ progress and congratulate one another’s successes. These actions encourage others to follow in the same path and start behaving similarly. Leading by example is an easy way for students to learn self control and discipline. From a young age, kids are taught how to be good role models for their peers both in and outside of the workout room.

Likewise, martial arts classes allow students to move their bodies and it is a great way to exercise and be active at a young age. Getting energy out, as a kid, is important because it helps them to think and act better in school and at home. Taekwondo is very active and we get our energy out by doing warm ups, poomses (martial arts patterned movements), sparring, and basics (punching and kicking). Students are able to use their energy in a positive way and in a controlled environment while also learning and processing their actions. In CTI students do weekly classes, which builds a good habit of exercising and is crucial for their bodies’ health. Taekwondo builds strength because the workout/class has a routine focused on learning how to use your body. This is great for kids because they learn control while being active. Kids also have a lot of energy, taekwondo is a good way to use spare energy because it has a healthy impact on the body. Taekwondo also helps kids to get in the habit of exercising healthily because as they get older the importance of exercising also grows. Also, it’s fun! Taekwondo is a great way for kids to have fun and meet new people through sport.  

Moreover, taekwondo is very good for kids because it can help build new friendships. By learning to communicate through similarities and time spent in taekwondo kids also build relationships with others. 

I have made lots of friends throughout my time in Moo Sul Kwan taekwondo and they go back many years. I started taekwondo when I was 5, and I still see many of the same people to this day. CTI specifically has many events where students get to spend time with their peers like the Expo, Summer Camp, and Friday Fun Nights. It is very easy to make friends when everyone is in a workout and working together in games, self defense and more.

In conclusion, martial arts classes provides an amazing and beneficial sport for kids because of its helpful teaching tools that teach kids discipline and self-control Through fun workouts and games. Well simultaneously giving social skills that they will be able to use outside of taekwondo.

Why Martial Arts and CTI Are Great for Preschoolers

By India Ross, 2nd dan

When people think of martial arts, they often picture kicking and punching. But for preschoolers, martial arts offer so much more. Preschooler martial arts help young kids grow in every way: physically, emotionally, socially, and mentally. And they get to do it in a fun, safe, and positive environment.

While teaching martial arts to toddlers and preschoolers, I saw how much it helped them. I watched shy kids come out of their shell, kids with excess energy learn to focus it in a calmer way, and all kinds of kids feel proud of themselves as they learned and progressed. It’s more than just exercise it’s a powerful way to help kids become their best selves.

Preschoolers are still learning how to control their bodies mentally and physically. At Colorado Taekwondo Institute, kids can learn to kick, punch, stretch, and moving in ways that build balance, coordination, and flexibility. These basic moves help kids become more aware of how their bodies move and grow stronger every day. Martial arts also builds strength and energy. Even simple movements help kids learn ways to get the energy out. The more they practice, the more endurance they gain, which means they can play, learn, and move with more ease and confidence. Preschooler martial arts also helps with brain development. When preschoolers learn new moves, forms, or patterns, they’re using their memory and building focus. These skills help them do better in school and other activities. Each class gives kids the chance to focus their attention on one thing at a time. Whether it's standing still, remembering a move, or copying a pattern, they’re training their brain as much as their body. Over time, this helps them pay attention better in other areas of life too.

Preschooler martial arts also helps students grow emotionally. Every time a child learns something like new moves or earns their next belt, their confidence gets a boost. Reaching goals and progressing  makes them feel proud, and that feeling helps them believe in themselves not only in class but everywhere outside of class. Discipline is another important part of martial arts. In this case, discipline means being able to listen, follow directions, and stay focused. It also means showing up and trying your best even when something is hard. These lessons help kids in school, at home, and anywhere else they go.

Martial arts may seem like a individual sport, but preschoolers actually learn a lot about working with others. At Colorado Taekwondo Institute, kids are encouraged to cheer for each other at tournaments, learn to take turns, and practice learning with others. As well as learning good sportsmanship students learn all about respect. Preschoolers learn to respect their instructors, teachers, classmates, and themselves. They learn how to listen quietly, raise their hand and wait their turn, and treat others kindly. Martial arts can also help preschoolers learn how to cope with big feelings. Instead of getting angry or upset and throwing a tantrum, they learn to stay calm and use their words. They practice patience and learn that it's okay to feel frustrated, but that there are better ways to channel that energy.

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute isn’t just about teaching kicks and punches, it’s about helping preschoolers grow to be the best possible version of themselves. The teachers understand how get down at their level to help kids learn and to make every class fun, supportive, and full of learning. Whether you want your child to build confidence, stay active, or learn how to focus, martial arts is a great place to start. And at Colorado Taekwondo Institute, your child will be supported every step of the way.

Conifer Martial Arts

By Matthew Roberts, 2nd dan

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute is a great taekwondo organization, with various people, cultures, and so much more. With five campuses for learning Moo Sul Kwan martial arts educational excellence, you can't go wrong. Every school follows Moo Sul Kwan tradition while still teaching the core fundamentals of Taekwondo. While every one of the five campuses in Green Mountain, Littleton, Golden, Westminster, and Conifer is great, if you live in Evergreen, Conifer, or the surrounding Foothills region, the Conifer campus is the one for you!

First, the Conifer martial arts location has some of the finest instructors in all of Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo. Our two main instructors are Ms. Eileen Lindner and Grandmaster Jim Sautel. Eileen Lindner is a fourth-degree black belt in Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo. She has been practicing Taekwondo for over 15 years and teaches students as young as two years old. She's also Conifer Campus' New Student Coordinator! 

Next is Grandmaster Jim Sautel, an 8th-degree Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo black belt, who has been practicing martial arts since 1975. Grandmaster Jim Sautel is also the founder and president of the Colorado Taekwondo Institute and has certified over 390 educated Moo Sul Kwan Martial Arts black belts. With over 65 years of martial arts experience combined, these two instructors can help anyone achieve their martial arts goals!

Secondly, the Conifer martial arts campus culture makes this campus a great and healthy learning environment. Here, everyone is ready to learn, pay attention, and try their best. To help each other, everyone here is caring and loving. For example, when I joined the teen/adult class, everyone was super welcoming and ready to help me become a better taekwondo practitioner. Plus Conifer campus is far into the mountains, being the campus at the highest altitude, we all have to push ourselves and help each other at this high altitude, making for a far stronger feeling of resilience and community. 

All of these different attributes, and more, come together and blend to help make learning Taekwondo and Martial arts far more fun. I have been working out at Conifer Campus for over 8 years now, and I can say that I will always love working out at Conifer. Every time I walk in through the doors, I feel a sense of relief and belonging I can't feel anywhere else, not even at a different campus, and especially at a different Martial Arts school. Why don't you come over to the Conifer martial arts campus and learn Taekwondo in a meaningful way that you will never forget?

Self-Defense Classes

By Emily Green, 1st dan

A common question people ask me when they find out I practice Taekwondo is, “do you really think you could defend yourself in a situation?” My answer is always yes. Self-defense classes at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute has given me the tools to protect myself, both physically and mentally, if I ever need to. 

A significant part of self-defense classes is discipline. Discipline means learning to control your emotions, showing respect, and staying mindful of your surroundings. Sometimes, the best self-defense is not engaging at all. For example, if you notice a situation escalating, real self-defense might mean choosing to walk away rather than confront it. Proper self-defense begins long before the first punch or kick. This is done by having confidence in your body, in your movements, and in your ability to respond. When you carry yourself with confidence, you naturally appear less like an “easy target.” Simple things, such as standing up straight, staying alert to your environment, and making eye contact, can be forms of self-defense in themselves. Those looking to cause trouble often seek out people who appear distracted, timid, or unaware of their surroundings. This awareness alone lowers your risk of being approached in the first place and serves as a form of self-defense.

One of the primary aspects of Taekwondo for self-defense is repetition. The number of times spent on practicing punches, kicks, and blocks trains your body to react quickly without hesitation. If something were to happen where you had to defend yourself physically, there isn’t time to pause and think, “How should I move my arm?” Instead, your body does it, having done it a thousand times before. This is crucial in self-defense situations. Instead of thinking about each option and each move, and how to execute them, your training takes over. The muscle memory you build through consistent practice enables your response to be immediate and effective.

Sparring is a safe and controlled form of training, but it introduces you to real-time timing, distance, and movement against another person. While the goal isn’t to hurt each other, sparring helps you overcome hesitation about physical contact. You learn how it feels to be under pressure, how to remain calm when someone is moving toward you, and how to use your training against a live opponent. That experience is significant for self-defense.

Another essential benefit of Taekwondo is learning how to use your body safely and effectively. For example, if you throw a punch incorrectly, you can injure your own hand more than your attacker. If you kick and miss and extend your knee too far, you can hurt your leg. In Taekwondo, you learn proper form in how to strike without injuring yourself and how to block using parts of your body that can absorb impact. This matters because, in a real-life self-defense situation, your goal is not to fight for a long time, as you may see in the movies, but to create enough space to escape. It’s hard to run away if you hurt yourself in the process of making that space. The focus is on protecting yourself long enough to escape, and Taekwondo prepares you for exactly that.

Self-defense is not about overpowering someone with brute force. It’s about using technique and precision. Through training, you learn the most effective places on the human body to target if you ever have to defend yourself. This knowledge, combined with the repetition and instinct you’ve developed, helps you respond in a way that maximizes your chance of getting free without wasting energy or time.

Taekwondo self-defense classes offers a unique blend of physical skill, mental discipline, and practical training that makes it effective for self-defense. It’s not just about getting fit or competing, but also about preparing yourself for real life. The skills you develop extend far beyond training sessions, influencing the way you move through your daily life. Self-defense isn’t only about what you do in the moment of need. It’s about the habits, mindset, and skills you build every day through training. Taekwondo provides all of these, helping you grow not only as a martial artist but as a person.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Taekwondo classes at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute can help you defend yourself, the answer is simple: absolutely. But perhaps more importantly, they can help you in so many more ways. 

Teens in Martial Arts

By Carina DuLong, 1st dan

Martial arts for teens provides many benefits to help navigate turbulent years that include major physical, emotional, and mental development while transitioning from middle school to high school, then high school to college and beyond. The five tenets of taekwondo —courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit—build a solid foundation to last a lifetime. Teenagers learn many skills in their taekwondo training that are applicable to daily life which allow them to grow into compassionate human beings who make good decisions. Taekwondo also provides an excellent mental distraction while learning and memorizing self defense routines, and offers a positive outlet for feelings of frustration through focused kicking and punching. 

Though some teenagers may not be enthusiastic about joining a sport, I would encourage everyone to give martial arts a try. The activities are accessible for everyone and students can participate at whatever level or intensity they are comfortable with. Martial arts for teens provides a way for students to increase their physical capabilities, and exercises can be adapted depending on injuries or flexibility. We stretch every class and do exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks that develop our muscles and increase our stamina. As students progress, they have the opportunity to break boards, which improves skills like balance, foot-eye coordination, and precision due to having to hit a board in the correct spot with an appropriate force. Students learn increasingly difficult techniques that improve their physical fitness as they progress.

Just like other sports, martial arts for teens exposes teenagers to an environment that requires sportsmanship and recognition of rules. Students learn how to respect their instructors and their competition and learn from their mistakes by competing in tournaments. They also gain skills that many athletes value such as quick decision-making and reflexes through free sparring. There are team tournaments and individual tournaments which teach students different ways of interacting with others, sometimes working with people on a team and other times competing against them. To master complex techniques, teens practice self-control and discipline while preparing for tournaments, and feedback from instructors helps them learn to accept constructive advice to improve their performance.

Martial arts for teens delivers valuable mental benefits as well as physical benefits. CTI teaches students how to have respect, self control, integrity, perseverance, and many more important qualities that carry into daily life. Teenagers are often subjected to peer pressure that can result in harmful and dangerous situations with long-lasting consequences, but martial arts training can give them the confidence to stand up to questionable influences and do what they know is right. Martial arts classes highlight the importance of being a kind person who takes care of the people around them. When we spar or do partner work, the number one guideline is to take care of our partners so we continue to have a supportive environment where everyone can learn effectively and feel safe while doing so. Upper belts also have the opportunity to teach lower belts which requires patience and a thorough understanding of the routines being taught.

Some teens struggle with the “one size fits all” mentality in school, where students are continuously compared to other students and graded on a standardized academic scale. Martial arts for teens reinforces the importance of self-directed learning because students all learn at their own pace. Students who practice more and ask questions will progress faster and benefit more from their training. Everyone moves towards black belt at their own pace depending on how self-motivated they are, and students recognize that they can reach black belt as long as they pay attention and try their best. 

Martial arts for teens can provide a helpful contrast to an academic setting since students are really competing against themselves and can measure their success on an individual basis. Taekwondo is the perfect environment for teenagers to learn how to set goals and make a plan to reach them because they can see the progress they make in every class. Self-directed learning carries over into school and work because teachers and employers value those who seek out information for themselves and are always motivated to learn more.

Although it might seem like adding martial arts to a teenager’s already busy schedule will just add to their stress, the results are worth it. Martial arts for teens is a structured environment that reinforces life skills such as focus, dedication, goal-setting, and respect for others. Physical activity is a fantastic way to relieve stress, and students are learning self defense while decompressing and venting frustrations in a safe and constructive way. They also have a creative outlet when making breaking routines to showcase their strengths, while achieving goals and participating in tournaments increases their self confidence, which helps navigate real life. Taekwondo and other martial arts challenge both the mind and body in a positive way.