Sweet Time at the Symposium

The 17th Moo Sul Kwan Black Belt Symposium was a fine success!  A record number of black, red and brown belts converged on the Inn at SilverCreek in Colorado, for an upper belt training weekend that included classes:  poomse, sparring, judging, self-defense, advanced hand techniques, one-step sparring, CTI Power Taekwondo, the American National Anthem and advanced kicking.

The Symposium Teaching Staff included MSK/AMASEA instructors; Jim Sautel, 7th, Mindy Sautel, 6th, John Sautel, 6th, Erik Albrechtson, 5th, Karen McHugh, 4th, Freddy Sautel, 4th, Clayton Garner, 4th, Alice Meyung, 4th, and Dustin Wheeler, 4th, Abdu Kikhia, 3rd and Michael Sandusky, 2nd.

The weekend began on Friday evening with classes that went until 9:00 PM.  Saturday began at 6:00 AM with black belt exercise.  Red and brown belts started their day at 7:00 AM.  Symposium classes took place until lunchtime and the Symposium Adventures IV followed.  Fourteen teams competed on a race that took them all over.  From the Inn at SilverCreek to the town of Granby and in between, the teams battled each other on some challenging stations.

This year, each five member team chose an American National Monument or Memorial for its team name.  Frisbee golf, group poomse, air hockey, breaking, one-step sparring, counting points on antlers, team poomse, self-defense, push-ups, football toss and sit-ups were just some of the tasks they had to perform.

Dinner began at 6:00 PM and this year's Symposium entertainment came next.  To everyone's delight, several of our black belts played games of "CTI Family Feud."  Hosted by Abdu Harvey (Kikhia), everyone had a wonderful time watching and laughing with the action and cheering for their favorite family.

Sunday began at 6:00 AM for the black belts with sparring training.  Classes for everyone began at 7:00 AM and went until the final class, which was sparring for the entire group.  The Symposium ended with the group picture and the Amazing Race IV awards!

Other Black Belt participants who attended:  Andy McDaniel, Bridget Sautel, Brian Steward, Knisely Sautel, Patrick Vargo, Thomas Sautel, Annie Sautel, Erik Ondrejko, Eric Evans, Alicia Leone, Eilidh Spery, Delaney Zandin, Abbey Watkins, Sierra Field, Pam Sautel, Caleb Feagans, Michael Madayag, Kathleen Sautel, Maggie Wingate, Emily Brophy, Don Johnson, Jordan Garner, Sean Lawlor, Coghan Spery and McKenna Louth.

Under black belt participants who trained:  Holly Madayag, Eileen Lindner, Zach Greaves, Eric Bear, Kai Wong, Damian Rupp, Jack Eddy, Jocelyn Wallen, Nate Watkins, Alyssa Copper, Tanner Copper, Andrew Madayag, Casey Feagans, Tyler Murphy, Emma Hartmann, Justin Lautrup, Peyton Brauch, Lexi Johannes, Kyle Feagans, Allyse Nothstine, Jennifer McKernan, Karen Carreon, Marcy Feagans, Ethan Price, Anna Sparlin, Nathaniel McKernan, Thomas Ma, Trevor Koch, Theo Lincke, Julianne Todd, Natasha McKernan, Owen Hartmann, Kenneth Brancio, Carl Gibbons, Calvin Bishop and Effie Gibbons.