Please join us in congratulating Reese Spadgenske and Braxton Standaert for achieving the rank of 1st Poom.
Ms Reese has been training at Alliance since 2017 and began training at the Lisbon branch of the Greenquist Academy prior to that. Mr Braxton has been training with Alliance since 2016; after more than three years of training each – and sticking it out through the pandemic – they have undertaken the exam for their jr blackbelt. Both of these students are looking forward to middle school next year!
Ms Reese completed her exam for first degree jr blackbelt on December 18th, 2021; Mr Braxton completed his unfinished requirements on the evening of December 23rd, 2021. Blackbelt testing is demanding, requiring the candidates to be accomplished in empty-hand technique and requiring the candidates to be able to perform under pressure. The exam took about two hours, wherein the candidates displayed nine patterns and one hundred empty hand techniques, displayed additional self defense techniques and action sequences, and performed nearly twenty breaking and candle techniques.
Testing for blackbelt ranks is a privilege and an honor. It requires years of practice and dedication, and comes only after a student has accepted and done well with added responsibility, and has the recommendation of their instructors and Masters.
