East Tennessee Tang Soo Do

Pictures and videos from today's tournament.

2025 11 01 Tournament - Victoria Rivas This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

On our way back from the Tristate Karate Championships in Dalton, GA. We had four competitors. Silas' first time competing as a black belt, took 1st in Weapons and 1st in Forms. Gabriel took 4th in Weapons in Advanced boys (not sure of the age range). Mason, Beginner, same age range as Gabriel, took 1st in Weapons and 4th in Forms. It was Colton's first tournament, Beginner, age 6-7, and competed with a boot on his broken foot. He didn't place but performed well and bravely. Good job everyone. Pictures when I get home

Who's going to be at the tournament on Saturday? Looks like we have 2-3 going so far.

Wanna know the perfect gift for your kids or grandkids? Do they really need another toy or video game? Give the gift of confidence, skill, physical fitness and FUN!

This is six years ago. That little orange belt in the center just give earned his 2nd degree black! And Faith on the left is now directing The Little Mermaid but we sure wish she would return!

Belt exam has begun.

School year class schedule. (hours change for summer)

Families can learn, train, encourage and compete together at ETTSD!

With all the excitement and drama of the black belt exam, I almost lost track of these pictures. Grandmaster Charland not only officiated at that exam, he spent an evening working with all of our students! Pictures are up here.

2025 10 16 Classes with GM Charland - Victoria Rivas This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

Yesterday was a momentous day for seven dedicated students of TSDMA South, as well as for the Tennessee branch of TSDMA itself. For the first time in our 12 year history, we held a full up black belt exam. We have promoted black belts before, using a couple of different methods, including Zooming in to the main TSDMA's Phases I-III, with the students travelling to CT for Phases IV-V. But this is the first time we did all phases here, with Grandmaster Charland travelling to Tennessee for Phases IV and V.

Along with the martial arts and physical endurance they had to demonstrate, the candidates also had to pass a written exam, keep journals and write essays.

It was a long and difficult process for all involved, but we got there, and have six new black belts and one new 2nd degree black belt.

Congratulations to Ee dan black belt Brayden Salend of ETTSD, and Cho Dan black belts Harrison Ayers, Blake Clendenin, Silas Hale, and Caden Lovell of ETTSD; and Gates Taylor and Glory Taylor of NMAA.

Pix and videos from Phase V are up here. (I am going to try to get parents to upload their pix too.)

2025 10 18 Black Belt Graduation - Victoria Rivas This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.