SPRINGVILLE, UT, Sept 28, 2009 – Omega Martial Arts, located at 875 N Main Street, awarded sixteen students and three instructors with new black belts at its annual Black Belt test on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26.
Over 160 spectators crowded into the Springville dojang throughout the two day, ten hour test to support the black belt candidates.
Students from the Springville, Payson and Pleasant Grove schools demonstrated their refined skills in Taekwondo, Hapkido, Jiu Jitsu, Okinawan weapon forms, individual creative martial art demonstrations, Judo throwing and falling, self defense techniques, and the gauntlet — which is the ultimate test of physical sparring endurance. They then ended the test with every single student breaking through several boards and bricks using difficult kicks and punches, a feat rarely seen at black belt tests.
Fourth degree black belt candidate Bob Wright, who is the Payson school’s co-head instructor, performed a spectacular musical demonstration, a backflip kick, a chi brick break and exhibited exquisite strength when he broke through five bricks at a time.
In addition to the testing black belt candidates, the audience was fortunate to witness two unexpected belt presentations. The founder of Omega Martial Arts Utah Shihan Jan Davis was promoted to 7th degree black belt and Richard Davis, owner and head instructor of Omega in Springville, was promoted to Master status and received his 5th degree black belt. In the Omega system, these high-ranking belts required letters of recommendation from the black belt board and the measured success of the recipient’s contribution back to the martial arts.
Omega Martial Art black belt candidates testing from Springville:
Ron Hendry, 1st dan black belt
Carla Bennett, 1st dan black belt
Stacy James, 1st dan black belt
Kimberly Titus, 1st dan black belt
Britton Broderick, 1st dan black belt
McKay Broderick, 1st dan black belt
Radley Nelson, 1st dan black belt
Allan Maughan, 1st dan black belt
Omega Martial Art black belt candidates testing from Pleasant Grove:
Kaitlyn Brower, 2nd dan black belt
Jennifer Heath, 1st dan black belt
Chandler Schoemig, black belt Trevor Millar, black belt Raystan Josie, black belt
Omega Martial Art black belt candidates testing from Payson:
Bob Wright, 4th dan black belt
Keaton Olsen, 2nd dan black belt
Jace Knuteson, black belt
Tamber Eastman, black belt
It takes martial artists five to six years to earn a 1st dan (degree) black belt in the Omega system. Black belt candidacy begins with a formal presentation in November followed by five four-hour pre-testing sessions given by high ranking black belt judges to verify the candidates’ knowledge of the system. The final black belt test is a two-day culmination in front of an Omega black belt board.
The test was held at Omega Martial Arts located at 875 N Main Street, Springville, Utah. For questions, please call 801-491-8542.
About Omega Martial Arts
Founded in 1987, Omega Martial Arts Utah is part of Omega Karate Schools, based in Colorado, and is accredited with North American Tae Kwon Do Organization (NATO). Omega Martial Arts teaches a hybrid of Tae Kwon Do, Jiu Jitsu, Self Defense, Okinawan Weaponry, Judo, Sparring and Hapkido in order to create a well-rounded martial artist. Its instructors are known for their superior technique and diverse martial art expertise and its programs are designed to motivate students toward respect and excellence. Omega Martial Arts has dojangs (or schools) in Springville, Payson, and Pleasant Grove.
