CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR BLACK BELTS- November 18th, 2011

(see list below)

On Saturday, November 18th 2011, the Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy held its semi- annual Black Belt Test.  The test lasted all day and ended in the evening with the Grand Finale Performance and official Belt & Tea Ceremony.

Students of all ages from the Bay Area Tat Wong Academies of San Francisco, San Mateo and Concord and our affiliate in Los Angeles came together for this great achievement.  There were a total of 75 students testing.  Forty-two students achieved their goal of testing for their Black Belt degree. Twenty-three tested for 1st Degree and eight students tested for 2rd Degree Black Belt. A special congratulation goes to Russell Chin of the San Mateo Tat Wong Academy and Thomas Chong of the San Francisco academy.  Through many years of dedication and training both of these students reached a milestone and attained their 3rd Degree Black Belts.

The November 18th test was also quite the ‘family affair’.  Among the candidates were six families testing together.  Brothers JJ and Nick Shergill from Concord and brother and sister Justin & Daphne Yuen from San Francisco tested for 1st Degree. Also from Concord was the entire pack … the Wolfe family.  Mom Sherrie, dad Alan and son Justin all tested for 1st degree.
From San Francisco, dad Mark Blagoyevich tested for 1st degree while his son Jarrod tested for 2nd Degree.  In this case the son is the senior of the family.  But for the Blagoyevich family including mom Nicole and Kosara it’s all about training together and sharing an amazing experience.  Also testing together were sisters Vanna and Lianne Chau of San Francisco who got to test for Black Belt with their cousin Kevin Au. And finally there was the dynamic duo of Ryan and Kalena Loo of the San Mateo Tat Wong Academy who both were awarded their Black Belt

Throughout the day the candidates were taken through a full & rigorous day of techniques, self-defense, sparring, kicking, hand & weapon forms and strength & endurance challenges.

At 6pm, family, friends & classmates were invited to join the celebration. The evening festivities started with the Grand Finale Performance followed by the Traditional Black Belt & Tea Ceremony & concluded with refreshments & snacks.

When the evening was over, the Black Belts were exhausted but happy and their family and friends were extremely proud.  Achieving a Black Belt is an accomplishment that stays with you forever.  And for the many families that tested together it is a bond that they will always share. And as we always say…”the family that kicks together sticks together”.

• Special thanks – Photographs courtesy of William Bauld

Congratulations Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy Black Belts – November 18th, 2011

3rd Degree

Russell Chin
Thomas Chong

2nd Degree 

Anthony Gumberg
David Spivack
Natasha S. Stergiou
Morgan J.Yee
Stacy A. Young
Alyssa Lim
Monica Gonzales
Jarrod Blagoyevich

1st Degree
 
Shaheer Siddiqui
Hector Vergara, Jr.
Antony Vo Tuong-Hy
Alexi Drier
Jackie Prager
Gregg Fuhriman
Jagminder Singh Shergill
Manminder Sing Shergill
Brian So
Savanna Won
Ersun Cameron Erdem
Sherri Wolfe
Alan Wolfe
Justin Wolfe
Mark A Blagoyevich
Arianna Serafini
Gordon Vaynapel
Allison Faye Lee
Daphne Yuen
Justin Yuen
Jotham McMillan
Tom Odgers

Black Belt 

Alexandra DiMercurio
Sabrina Jajeh
Wayne R. Mazzei Jr.
Connor Mendonca
Ajay Parecadan
Jorge Salinas-Tognetti
Andrius Soares Appel
Virginia McGuigan
Scott Peters
Pablo Siguenza
Andrew Christensen
Anthony Strazhnikov
Russell Stong, IV
Jordan Vance Battaion
Anna Browett
Kevin Au
Anna E. Banks
Irving Chang
Vanna Chau
Lianne Chau
Jared Rivera
Elijah Keenan Wong
Michelle Mak
Ryan Loo
Kalena Loo
Tyler Joe
Walter Burger
Katrina Marie Cheng
Jack de Peñaloza
Austin Koichi Poli
Kyle Veach
George Lu
Armaan Namini
Gregory Michael Lau
Orlando Caballero
Cynthia Ng
Madison T. Gunn
David Liang
Christopher H. Chan
Erica Los
Simon Zhang
Donovan Van

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