Students earn the right to belt up

Feb 14 2007 by Birkenhead News

SIX members of the Richard Saunders School of Taekwondo are celebrating after receiving their first degree black belt in the Korean martial art.

The students have all been working hard for over four years and took their grading in front of five seventh degree Taekwondo masters at the Taekwondo Association of Great Britain Headquarters in Bristol.

Their grading consisted of Taekwondo kicking skills, free sparring, martial art forms and also a verbal exam.

The successful students were Ray Burrows, 42, Toni Williams, 17, Emma Threlfall, 27, Amy Mitchell, 16, Jack Griffith, 11 and 14-year-old Sophie Cottier.

Wirral’s chief Taekwondo instructor, Richard Saunders, insisted that their the achievements are down to a lot of hard work leading up to the grading.

Saunders, who is a 5th Dan, said: “Once again the students worked well in their grading and its good see them achieve their black belt after working so hard towards it.

“Taekwondo is a modern day martial art that all ages can enjoy and, through a persons commitment, they can gain so much in the way of personal fitness, excellent self confidence, self discipline and improved flexibility.

“Our martial art classes teach more than just kicking and punching. We teach life skills.”

Anyone wishing to know more about Taekwondo or the fight night can contact Richard on 512-6521, email rsaunders.tagb@ntlworld.com or visit: www.wirraltkd.co.uk