



More Photo's to come.............

Congratulations to our New Black Belts (probation period
365 days). Thanks for staying with your Dreams...It
makes us stronger..Much Respect!!

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Jerry Nolen -Shodan-Probation
Period (365 days)-PASSED
Matt
Watson-Shodan-Probation (365 days) --PASSED

Hunter Foster- JR-2nd Black Belt--PASSED

Kaylan Callaway- JR- 2nd Black belt-PASSED

Brandon Vigue - JR- 2nd Black belt-PASSED
Final Phase of the Black Belt Exam will be
January 1st 2010 when Hanshi Piddington comes to the east coast to
Finish the exam...We will be Awarding Custom Black Belts and
Certificate to all the
Black Belts who have completed all the final requirements for
Black Belt....
Hanshi McCall...Final thoughts on the Class of 2009 Black Belts:
At the end of the three day review, it was a test of will, faith and courage. The
Brown Belts started as concerned and doubtful students and left as Black
Belts with the "Heart of a Warrior" . The Black Belt panel of review
which was without a doubt one of the best in the
American
Shorei/Shorin Karatedo and
American freestyle Karate
history made comments all weekend about the heart and
the power and character of each candidate.
It is a sad time for me after a Black Belt exam.
I always leave wondering if we did enough to change their will to win
and their Tomoe Warrior character. Honor and Truth we speak, but will they
live it, as things will never make us happy. Giving will make you
happy and I always give with an open heart. I want every Black Belt
to feel that I supplied the material to change the Tao (Way) in their
life. My door is always open to my Black Belts. As long as I am
breathing you have a person who you can talk with and share with for
the rest of our time on this earth. We are all connected to a
higher creator and God should always be first in your Heart. I
take every Black Belt exam serious and only we can hope that we did
give each candidate the skills to protect and guide them to greater
goals in their life. It is always hard to let go...but we have to let
go and let these New and Improved Black Belts stand on our shoulders
and see new grounds to be covered in the Martial Arts World.
This is a new beginning and they still
have much to learn, but like the Decision Stones taken from the Oceans
shores were given at the Tea
Ceremony, they will grow and be strong and make decision as big as the
ocean with Gods help that will keep them strong in the Martial Arts.
For most of us grace appears uninvited and
unacknowledged. But, you can greatly amplify the presence of grace in
your life if you see yourself as deserving of it. You invite it in,
you acknowledge it, and give thanks for it. To me grace is a tangible
manifestation of God's love for me. Always keep God in your Heart and
work on spiritual clarity (sweating and fasting and praying)
All Black Belts can feel free to visit the Test
site and feel the energy you left and mediate and remember the steps
you took into Black Belt and your sweat and love of the Art that
allowed you to complete this awesome Test.
I want to thank Shihan McClellan for his love of
the Art and commitment to produce only the best Black Belts. Shihan
has such character and lets no stone go un-turned. Thanks to Renshi
Godfrey and Mr. Lingerfelt for never letting the candle go out in the Fort Mill school and for
always being there to support our cause in our quest to make only the
best Black Belts. Thanks to Benny Phifer for maintaining his commit to
God and the Martial Arts. Thanks to Mr. Sharpe known as "Fire
Keeper" for staying in the
game as he is a great teacher. Thanks to Stacy Wright for her
commitment to the art and helping to with the exam.Thanks to Sensei Ward for always being
a shinning light for the students and his character training comes
from the heart. Sensei Keever has shown he is a great leader and
teacher with complete knowledge of all the material. If not for him
and Mr. Ward the class of 2009 would not have been. They give so
freely of their time to keep the Saturday Morning program alive and
turning lemons into lemonade. Sensei Matt McCall stepped-up the
3 mile run this year and help keep the fire
burning in the Art. Sensei Wright has
raised his standards and helped get these new Black Belts to meet the
standards. This year Mr. Hager show the elite Black belt group
what it takes to be strong in the Lord and Karate. Mr. Joe Griffin
always brings the Black Belts something new to challenge the heart
and keep standards up with his vast knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu and
reality Training. Shihan McClellan and Mr. Griffin are the inventors
of the Mountain Challenge and it was an awesome event for 2009. We
will never forget our first Mountain Challenge and beware of the
next Mountain event as it will be even better.ve always loved karate and every day I think of God and my family
and Master Funakoshi. He said "think of everyday as Karate
Training", and I do.
"Funakoshi was a man of Tao. He placed no emphasis on competitions, record
breaking or championships. He placed emphasis on individual self perfection.
He believe in the common decency and respect that one human being owed to
another. He was the master of masters.
I am now a Master of Masters and it feels
good that God gave me the heath, and family and courage to never give
up on my students and the love of Karate.
There is a probation period after a Black Belt
Exam to complete their final requirements and to work on
self perfection. Learn to be Black Belts of high standards.
Failure to complete the requirements (teaching commitments, etc) or to show no respect for their
self or fellow black Belts will result in a re-test or Failure . Certificates will
be awarded after the probation period along with Black Belts with your
name in Kanju.
In closing People always ask me why our exams
are so long and our thoughts are "we have high Standards for our Black Belt
and each time we raise the Bar"
I am so blessed.
Much respect & that is all I have to say !
Hanshi McCall

JR Black Belts are now 2nd
level Jr. Black Belts

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