First grading tomorrow

It's a big day for all of the students of Red Star Taekwon-Do as they face their test tomorrow. It's also a big day for me as an examiner. I'm looking forward to it however. I remember as a 16 year old helping on the panel of the grading examiners in the Irish School of Taekwon-Do, I had to demonstrate the techniques the examiner was requesting. 16 years on and now I'm the examiner, how time flies.

There is a great bunch of red belts just ready to burst through to achieve a little bit of black on their belt.

The daunting black. We have five testing for 1st degree tomorrow, what a huge achievement to reach this test seeing as though so many fall by the way side. Incredibly students still duck out at red belt and even black stripe. Imagine, getting all the way to black stripe to pack it all in. That's at least three years training, all for diddly squat. It's a bit like competing in the marathon, you see the finish line but instead of persevering and pushing on to finish, you decide you're going to lie down and give up. Bizarre as only teenagers can be!

For those that have stuck the pace, you have my respect whether you are successful or not you have all proven your worth and all of you are very good competitors as only we produce!

Ádh mór gach duine, beidh sibhse iontach ;)