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Against the backdrop of the beautiful campus at Springfield College, the 2016 New England Regional Black Belt Camp and Regional Dan Shim Sa took place with attendees traveling from all parts of the region, from New Hampshire to Maryland. This was the 4th APTSDF function of this kind at the college and our hosts provided us with a fabulous environment to learn, train, and engage in fellowship. The New England region has undergone some transition over the past year, but with the significant growth in attendance at this year's camp compared to prior years, we look forward to a flourishing presence of talented martial artists in the Northeast. 

 

On July 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th, 2016, the Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation hosted its annual Ko Dan Ja Master’s Clinic and National Championships. The events took place at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA. 

 

Against the backdrop of the beautiful campus at Springfield College, the 2016 New England Regional Black Belt Camp and Regional Dan Shim Sa took place with attendees traveling from all parts of the region, from New Hampshire to Maryland. This was the 4th APTSDF function of this kind at the college and our hosts provided us with a fabulous environment to learn, train, and engage in fellowship. The New England region has undergone some transition over the past year, but with the significant growth in attendance at this year's camp compared to prior years, we look forward to a flourishing presence of talented martial artists in the Northeast. 

 

On the weekend of April 15-16, the southeastern region of the Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation had its spring cycle Dan Shim Sa (Black Belt test) and review, as well as its annual championships in Trussville, Alabama. Over 70 Black Belts and Cho Dan Bo (Black Belt Candidates) tested or reviewed at the Trussville Civic Center on Friday night April 15th. Two hundred and twenty (220) competitors gathered the next day with over 500 people in attendance at the same facility for the regional championships.

The Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation concluded its nearly three month long 2016
national Technical Advisory Committee tour (TAC tour) on March 26, 2016 in Dover, NH. This
was the 6th annual TAC Tour presented by the APTSDF, and its most successful by far.

The Southwest Region of the Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation held its 3^rd annual Dan Shim Sa (black belt test) and Championships November 13-15. Kwan Jang Nim St. James, International Master Deborah Jett, and Senior Master Michael Jett traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to help host activities. Senior Master Mark Farquharson traveled from Aurora, Colorado to help as well. Regional school owners and their students from Thunderbird Martial Arts, Albuquerque, NM; Colorado Tang Soo Do, Aurora, CO; Abilene Karate Academy, Abilene, TX; and DFW Tang Soo Do, Ft. Worth, TX; made the trip to participate. West Texas Karate, Lubbock, TX, hosted the weekend’s events.

As I sit down to write this article about another

The Southwest Region of the Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation hosted its first Leadership Camp from June 12-14. The Leadership Camp was held at Plains Baptist Assembly in Floydada, Texas with 75 in attendance, including masters, instructors, instructor assistants, and students from the region. The weekend was kicked off with a dan shim sa (black belt test) on Friday night. While the dan shim sa was taking place, non-testers enjoyed an early dinner, and training in open hand forms and hand techniques. This first year’s theme was, “Build. Grow. Lead.” as the region focused on building and growing future leaders of the Federation.

Mind. Body. Spirit. These three words are carved into the stone that make up part of the red brick edifice of the Judd Gym our weekend Dojang at Springfield College. While it could never have been envisaged how appropriate a motto it would be when the building was constructed in 1894, it was a fitting reminder on entry for the New England Tang Soo Do students who worked out here for the 2015 New England Regional Black Belt Camp. For the last three years we have been blessed to have the backdrop and use of the facilities of Springfield College for our camp and with the fine weather we have been accustomed to on this particular weekend of the year, the picturesque campus has been an excellent temporary home for us.

On the weekend of May 24th – 26th, the southeastern region of the Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation had its spring cycle Dan Shim Sa (Black Belt test) and review, as well as its annual championships in Flowery Branch, Georgia. As always, it was a great opportunity to renew friendships, test ourselves and strengthen our Tang Soo spirit.