Embyr Stapleton – 9th Kyu (red belt)
Leah McLeod – 9th Kyu (red belt)
Jacob Hollar – 8th Kyu (orange belt)
Noah McLeod – 8th Kyu (orange belt)
Evan Nott – 7th Kyu (yello belt)

Great work everyone!

• Theresa Fish, Shodan (1st Dan)
• Dennis Huff, Nidan (2nd Dan)
• Jan Meyer, Sandan (3rd Dan)

Great work all!

Left to right, Dennis Huff 2nd Dan, Jan Meyer 3rd Dan, Sensei Malcolm Phipps 8th Dan (SSKI Chief Instructor), Theresa Fish 1st Dan.

Alex Hassler – 5th Kyu (purple belt)
Scottie Williams – 6th Kyu (green belt)
Evan Nott – 8th Kyu (orange belt)
Bethany Campbell – 8th Kyu (orange belt)
Daniel Campbell – 9th Kyu (red belt)
Noah Mcleod – 9th Kyu (red belt)
Jacob Hollar – 9th Kyu (red belt)

Great work everyone!

WHEN: Saturday, December 17th, 7pm – whenever
WHERE: Hassler’s; 377 Willow Road, Springfield
See below for Google Maps Link
BRING: Covered Dish or Dessert

CHILDREN WELCOME !!!

MAP:

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• Sanbon-zuki
• Age-uke, mae-geri (front leg), gyaku-zuki
• Soto-uke, yoko-empi-uchi,  (kiba-dachi) uraken-uchi (forwards & backwards)
• Uchi-uke (kokutsu-dachi), kizami-zuki, gyaku-zuki
• Shuto-uke (kokutsu-dachi), mae-geri (front leg), shihon nukite
• Mae-geri, gyaku-zuki (technique from jiyu-dachi)
• Mae-geri, mawashi-geri/ren-geri (technique from jiyu-dachi)
• Yoko-geri keage jodan (kiba-dachi)
• Yoko-geri kekomi chudan (kiba-dachi)
• Stationary gyaku-zuki (technique from jiyu-dachi)

KATA

• Heian Godan
• One shitei Kata

KUMITE

• Migi Ippon Kumite (techniques of your choice)
• 2 Jodan, 2 Chudan, 2 Mae-geri, 2 Yoko-geri Kekomi, 2 Mawashi-geri

Bethany Campbell – 9th Kyu
Evan Nott – 9th Kyu
Scott Williams – 7th Kyu
Barry Hassler – 4th Kyu

Great work everyone!

It all started with the SSKI USA six-monthly Dan Grading where the Coons brothers, Sam, Joel and Josh all passed their shodan exam in real style at the honbu dojo of SSKI USA which is at Springfield Athletic club. The examiners for this very strict and tough test were, Malcolm Phipps 7th Dan and Worldwide Chief Instructor to SSKI, Tony Bunting 6th Dan and Worldwide Assistant Chief Instructor to SSKI, Jeff Carson 4th Dan and International Chief Referee to SSKI, Jeff Sanders 3rd Dan and Randy Bodey 3rd Dan who are both SSKI USA senior instructors.

Next up on the Saturday was the annual seminar which was taken by Sensei Malcolm Phipps and Sensei Tony Bunting and was held in the Urbana Junior High School gymnasium.  The first session was taken by Tony sensei with Malcolm sensei taking the afternoon session.  Both sessions were really excellent and very well attended, with the dojo packed with students from: SSKI USA, SSKI UK, the Cincinnati Japanese Karate-Do dojo of Sensei Sonny Kim, the Traditional Karate-Do dojo of Sensei Chuck Kerrigan and the Springfield, Illinois dojo.  Everyone was buzzing with enthusiasm after this seminar and many lifelong karate friendships were made.

This was followed by a cookout and fun at Sensei Randy Bodey’s house, which was a wonderful way to finish a very exciting and a very hot day.

Finally, on the Sunday, the first annual Ohio Ippon Traditional Tournament was held at the same venue as the seminar.  The camaraderie was amazing and the competition was of an excellent standard and the results can be seen below this article. A brilliant weekend came to an end with everyone saying their goodbyes and looking forward to meeting again in 2012 at this same event.  True Shotokan karate at its very best.

That same evening another wonderful evening was held at the home of Barry and Lori Hassler and his family where again much fun was had.

Tony sensei went back to his home in England on the very next day with the black-belt Carson family of, Jeff, Sue, Dougie, Ross and Thomas following suit a day later. Malcolm sensei would be staying for another week and a half teaching at the SSKI USA dojos in Springfield and Mechanicsburg. What a great and very successful weekend and one to be remembered for a long time to come.

GOOD JOB!!!!

Josh, Joel and Sam Coons Shodan examination (facebook photo by H Dale Rude)

Congratulations to Sam, Joel and Josh Coons on passing their Shodan (1st Dan) Black Belt examination this evening!

The Coons boys were the subject of an article in the Springfield News Sun this past Saturday as well honoring them and the memory of their sister Anna.

We at SSKI are all VERY proud of these guys!