Conner Whaley, one of our many dedicated teens, energetically and successfully navigated a very long sankyu exam (adult 3rd kyu). I definitely laid the pressure on this talented young man. So much so that he suffered a rather intense asthma attack toward the end of the exam. Conner is not a quitter, after a short break he was back on the mat and finished strong! The examining board looks for technical accuracy, connection with the uke (attackers), and the ability to hold one's center under pressure. Conner scored highly on all accounts!
Ealasaid Haas started here many years ago at the age of fifteen. When she headed off to college, she said she'd be back. And, return_ she did! Ealasaid has some knee injuries and other health issues that would prevent many people from continuing their training. Undaunted by these limitations, she set her goals on achieving her 1st level brown belt. She spent many months of 'open mat' time with a number of sempai (senior students) preparing for this test. The hard work paid off. She stepped onto the mat confidently and handled everything that was asked of her with proficiency and tenacity. It was a great test! And... she's already setting her sights on her next brown belt level!
Congratulations to Conner on his advancement to sankyu and Ealasaid on her promotion to nikyu! Omedeto gozaimasu!
Photos by Jason Tsuyemura. Posted by Skys Sensei.
Ealasaid Haas started here many years ago at the age of fifteen. When she headed off to college, she said she'd be back. And, return_ she did! Ealasaid has some knee injuries and other health issues that would prevent many people from continuing their training. Undaunted by these limitations, she set her goals on achieving her 1st level brown belt. She spent many months of 'open mat' time with a number of sempai (senior students) preparing for this test. The hard work paid off. She stepped onto the mat confidently and handled everything that was asked of her with proficiency and tenacity. It was a great test! And... she's already setting her sights on her next brown belt level!
Congratulations to Conner on his advancement to sankyu and Ealasaid on her promotion to nikyu! Omedeto gozaimasu!
Photos by Jason Tsuyemura. Posted by Skys Sensei.
