Ellen Hyewon Seong, Kumdo 3rd Dan, Josun Sepup 1st Dan, Student

The girl’s loud yelling pierces my ears. I can never forget her fierce eyes glaring straight at me as if she can hear my thoughts and sense my fear. Many people are cheering, but I am too nervous to notice their excitement.  I only feel their eyes trapping me, locking me on the spot. Although she is one head shorter than me, I feel myself shrinking in front of her. Paralyzed, I lose to her in less than thirty seconds. I can still remember how I cried uncontrollably in the grim corner seven years ago during my first tournament.

Eight years ago, I was forced to practice Kumdo, sword-fighting martial art. As a timid nine-year-old girl, I had absolutely no interest in practicing a “brutal” martial art. However, I had no choice but to comply with the will of my dad, who has pursued the study of Kumdo for thirty-five years.

Unfortunately for my dad, I was not talented at Kumdo. I cried on numerous occasions because I felt like the opponents were inhumanely fast. The first time I sparred with my dad, I felt like a fragile egg, fighting a pointless battle against a monumental rock. I could not dare myself to even attempt to attack him. Even after I earned my first blackbelt degree, there were times when I felt like quitting because of the pressure I received from other masters. I felt like the masters had higher expectations of me because I was the daughter of the man with the highest blackbelt degree in the US Kumdo Association.

I  admit that I have spent some time wondering why I did not inherit my dad’s gifted talent at Kumdo. I now realize, however, that these thoughts are useless. Dedication and consistency will eventually take me to where I want to be. I do not have the talent, but my persistency has led me into getting third degree blackbelt. Beginners look upon me as a role model.  I am glad that I never quit.  Had I quit, I would never have felt the feeling of true accomplishment. Through Kumdo, I learned that challenges do not last forever. Time will pass eventually. The key is who will continue to challenge themselves without giving up.

October 31, 2010, VA. My loud, shrieking yelling fills the big gym. I watch my opponent attentively; I can see that the opponent’s eyes are filled with fear and her body stiffens with extreme nervousness.  I enjoy the admiring looks from the spectators. I am no longer the girl who felt hopeless during her first match. Instead, I am the predator with sharp eyes, ready to  charge at the prey.

Kumdo has rewarded me with the confidence that I have what it takes to overcome whatever challenge I encounter in the future. I am about to step into a bigger world. I know that I will have to start as an egg again, but I am not afraid. I am no longer the fragile egg that is frightened to throw itself against the rock. I now have the courage to face a new challenge that is waiting for me because I know that the challenge will eventually turn out to be a reward.

* JangNyun (Senior age 40 & up)
Team 1st Place
Individual : 1st Place :Shu, Jung Shu

* Yoodanja(Black belt)
2nd Dan & Up Individual 3rd Place : Paul Han

* Moodanja(under black belt)
Team 3rd Place

* Girls(13 ~ 15)
Individual : 3rd Place :Hye Yoon Jung

* Youth A (13 ~ 15)
Individual : 1st Place : Suk Jin Park
Team 2nd Place

* Women (16 ~ up)
Team 1st Place (Ellen Seong, Yoo Mi Song, Jenny Han)
Individual : 1st Place :Ellen Seong
2nd Place : Jenny Han

* Children C(11~12)
Team 2nd Place

* Children A(7~8)
Individual 3rd Place : Annie Seong

Team 1st Place ( Raab Rashi, Arnold Shin, Jung Jae Kim, Andy Byun, Tony Kim, John Sacco)

Individual : Andy Byun 1st Place

* Girls(13 ~ 15)

Team 1st Place (Grace Lee, Yoo Jin Suh, Ellen Seong)

Individual :: Grace Lee 1st Place, Ellen Seong 2nd Place, Yoo Jin Suh 3rd Place

* Youth A (13 ~ 15)

Team 2nd Place ( Tae In Park, Paul Yoon, Richie Ito, Harry Lee, David Lee)

Individual : Paul Yoon 2nd Place

* Youth B(16 ~ 18)

Team 2nd Place (Sung Jae Ro, Jung In Park, Suhwan Kim, Timothy Yoo, Max Lesser)

Individual: Duli Lee 2nd Place, Max Lesser 3rd Place

* Women (16 ~ up)

Team 2nd Place (Gil Cha Yoo, Jenny Han, Min Jin Chun)

Individual : Gil Cha Yoo

Team 3rd Place ( Bridget Kim, Jane Kim, Soo Jee Lee)

* Children C(11~12)

Individual: Myung Shin Shin 2nd Place

* Black Belt

Team 2nd Place ( Duli Lee, Joshua Yoo, Bokyung Park, Yoon Do Park, Myung Min)
* Senior (40 ~ up)

Team 3rd Place (Yeong Joo Ro, Skip Mclaghlew, John Karns, Joseph Han, Roman Veltman)

TEAM A 2nd PLACE

Park, Kun Woo. Kim, Patrick. Hong, James. Lunasin, Hunter.

CHILDREN C (11-12 Yrs) INDIVIDUAL

1st Shin, Myeong Shin.
3rd Woo, Jay.

CHILDREN C (11-12 Yrs) TEAMS

3rd Sung Moo Kwan Team A
Jo, Katelyn. Kim, Andy. Jang, Christopher. Cho, Joshua. Kim, Woo Soo.

3rd Sung Moo Kwan Team B
Jang, Peter. Song, Lion. Kim, Hosung. Shin, Mitchell.

Girls (13-15 Yrs) INDIVIDUAL

1st Lee, Grace.
3rd Seong, Hye Won.
3rd Shin, Michelle.

Girls (13-15 Yrs) Teams

1st Place Sung Moo Kwan Team A
Lee, Grace. Shin, Michelle. Seong, Hye Won.

3rd Place Sung Moo Kwan Team B
Suh, Yoo Jin. Fitzpatrick, Shana. Lee, Janet.

YOUTH A (13-15 Yrs) INDIVIDUAL

3rd Ro, Seong Jae.
3rd Park, Seok Jin.

YOUTH A (13-15 Yrs) TEAMS

2nd SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM A
Lee, Harry. Lee, Kee Ho. Yoon, Suk Min. Yoo, Timothy. Ro Seong Jae. Cho, Andrew.

3rd SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM B
Ito, Richard. Park, Seok Jin. Han, Andrew. Park, Tae In. Kim, Seoung Hyun

YOUTH B (16-18 Yrs) INDIVIDUAL

3rd Lee, Kevin

YOUTH B (16-18 Yrs) TEAMS
2nd SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM A
Han, Paul. Lesser, Max. Lee, Kevin. Yoo, Joshua.

3rd SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM B
Kim, Joeng Jae. Kim, Su Hwan. Lee, KEe Su. Shin, Arnold.

WOMEN (16 and UP) INDIVIDUAL

1st Chun, Min Jin.
3rd Han, Hye Sook.

WOMEN (16 and UP) TEAMS

1st SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM A
Kim, Katie. Han, Hye Sook. Chun, Min Jin. Monaco, Joey.

1st SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM B
Kim, Bridget. Kim, Jane. Lee, Soo Jee.
Moodanja (Under Blackbelt Men) INDIVIDUAL

2nd Cherkaski, Ricky
Moodanja (Under Blackbelt Men) TEAMS

1st SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM
Chosid, Raab. Byun Hyung Suk. Sacco, John. Kim, Tony. Cherkaski, Ricky. Conguisti, Joe.
JANGNYUN (40 Yrs and UP) INDIVIDUAL

3rd Stern, Gary.

JANGNYUN TEAMS

1ST SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM B
Ro, Yeong Joo. Dasilva, Andre. Lee, David. Stern, Gary. Park, Yon Do.

2nd SUNG MOO KWAN TEAM A
Karns, John. Han, Joseph. Lee, Sung Youn. Son, Kwang Ho.

YOODANJA (BLACKBELT MEN) 2nd DAN and UP

2nd Min, Myung Gyu.

New Jersey, New York, Atlanta, Virginia, Maryland, Seattle, Colorado states participated in the event. 240 contestents participated.
Children A (Ages 7 ~ 8 )

*개인전 :

Nam, Jae Young 남제영 (Sung Moo Kwan, N.J. 뉴저지 성무관)
Children C (Age 11살 ~ 12살)

*개인전 :

3위 : Yoon, Seok Min 윤석민( Sung Moo Kwan, N.J. 뉴저지 성무관)

* Team 단체전

3위 : Sung Moo Kwan 성무관
Girls (Age 13살 ~ 15살)

*개인전 :

1위 : Seong, Hye Weon 성혜원(Sung Moo Kwan, N.J. 뉴저지 성무관)

3위 : Kim, Bridget (Sung Moo Kwan, N.J. 뉴저지 성무관), Lee, Grace (Sung Moo Kwan, N.J.뉴저지 성무관)

* 단체전

2위 : Sung Moo Kwan 성무관
Youth A (Age 13살 ~ 15살)

* Team 단체전

2위 : Seong Moo Kwan 성무관
Youth B (Age 16살 ~ 18살)

*개인전 :

3위 : Lee, Duli (Sung Moo Kwan N.J. 뉴저지 성무관), Lee, Kevin (뉴저지 성무관)

* Team 단체전

1위 : Sung Moo Kwan 성무관

Women (Age 16살 ~ Up )

*개인전 :

2위 : Yoo, Gil Cha (Sung Moo Kwan, N.J. 뉴저지 성무관)

3위 : Chun, Min Jin (Sung Moo Kwan N.J. 뉴저지 성무관)

* Team 단체전

1위 : Sung Moo Kwan 성무관

3위 : Sung Moo Kwan A 성무관 A, Sung Moo Kwan C 성무관 C
Men’s Under Blackbelt 남자 무단자

* Team 단체전

3위: Sung Woo Kwan 성우관, Sung Moo Kwan 성무관

Men’s 2 Dan and above 남자 유단자 2단 이상

* Men’s Black Belt Teams 유단자 단체전

3위 : Sung Moo Kwan 성우관

Men’s Age 40+ Division 장년부
* Team 단체전

2위 : Sung Moo Kwan 성무관

*Children A (age 7 ~ 8 )

1st Place & 2nd Place
Kevin Phillipes

*Children C (age 11 ~12)

1st Place
Paul Hyun, Hyunseong Lee, Seong Bae Lee

: 3rd Place
Joon Lee, Richard Lee, Dae Hyun Yun

*Girls(age 15 & under)

1st Place
Ellen Seong, Soo Jee Lee, Michele Ahn

3rd Place
Bridget Kim, Danielle Kim, Grace Lee

Youth A(age 13 ~ 15)

3rd Place
Michael Lee, Richie Ito, San Lee, David Lee, Seong Jae Ro

Youth B(age 16 ~ 18)

1st Place
Joshua Yoo, Paul Han, Michael Smith, Elliot Yoo, David Maldonado

2nd Place
Duli Lee, Tae Young Ko, Timothy Yoo, Sang Won Park, Lesser Max
Women (16 & up)

3rd Place
Gil Cha Yoo, Liz Park, Min Jin Chun

Jangnyun(age 40& up)

1st Place
Joe Congiusti, Alex Lee, Young Joo Ro, Gary Stern, Yoon Do Park

Individual Division

Children A (age 7 ~ 8 )

James Hong : 1st Place
Kevin Phillipes : 2nd Place
Joo Hyun Maeng, Amanda Ng : 3rd Place

*Children C (age 11 ~12)
Seong Bae Lee : 2nd Place
Paul Hyun : 3rd Place

*Girls(age 15 & under)
Grace Lee : 1st Place
Michele Ahn : 2nd Place
Soo Jee Lee : 3rd Place

*Youth A(age 13 ~15)
Timothy Yoo : 3rd Place

*Youth B(age 16 ~18)
Bo Kyung Park, : 1st Place
Elliot Yoo : 2nd Place
Joshua Yoo, Paul Han : 3rd Place

*Women (16 & up)
Min Jin Chun : 1st Place
Si Hyun Lee : 3rd Place

1. Respect towards the national flag

Respect towards the national flag, shown by saluting, signifies kendo’s principle of loyalty towards one’s nation.  This will be done as one enters and leaves the do jang as well as at the beginning and the end of practice sessions.

2. Respect towards the master/teacher

Respect towards the master/teacher, sh own by bowing, signifies kendo’s principle of  respecting one’s parents, teachers and elders.

3. Respect towards other students

Kendo also teaches that there should be respect amongst fellow students of kendo. One  must treat other students with respect to be treated with respect by other students. This  signifies kendo’s principle of treating all human beings and all living things with respect.

List of Basic Etiquette of Do Jang

1. One must pay respect to the do jang, by bowing, when entering and exiting.
2. One must address the master or teacher of the do jang as “sa beom nim” or “sir” and show due respect.
3. One must be polite and patient towards fellow students regardless of rank.
4. One must wear the kendo uniform properly and maintain uniform and other kendo equipment in a clean and safe state for practice.
5. During practice, one shall be considerate and aware of other students’ safety
6. There shall be no swearing, joking or speaking loudly regarding non-kendo related matters, horseplay or any other behavior which displays a lack of respect to kendo and the do jang.
7. One shall prepare oneself for practice quickly; and be prepared to listen and follow instructions of the master/teacher or leader.
8. One shall not excuse oneself from practice without prior permission from master/teacher.