Congrats to all the Masters on their promotions! Congratulations!!! 2014 WKSA MASTER'S PROMOTIONS 9th Dahn (SSKJN) Master SungJin Suh 8th Dahn (SIKJN) Master Alex Suh Master Sung Gu Yea Master John Ives Master Kae Hong Kwon Master Philip Holmes Master Richard Roper Master Young Chul Song 7th Dahn (JDKJN) Master Ed Sanchez Master Jerry Sallee Master Gary Evarts Master Jack Harvey Master Dan Middleton Master Sung Soo Suh Master Donald McCondach Master Tom Brewer Master Hafez Adle Master David William Master Steve Isaacson Master Steve Whiting Master Martin Ducker 6th Dahn (JIKJN) Master Alison Ducker Master Victor Quarles Master Terry Heaps Master Karl Stolt Master Fritz Herrmann Master Lee Harvey Master K.C. McLean
Yes, I'm glad to see so many myself. It shows the strength of the Association and the desire of Kuk Sa Nym to reward those who choose to stay loyal. Hopefully someone else who practices within the WKSA will move to Las Vegas ! , at least a guy can hope.
I haven't seen a published curriculum in a long time; I believe the official master requirement chart is kept within the folds of the association. However here is a sample of some of the requirements: http://kuksoolwon.wikia.com/wiki/Portal:Curriculum
They give out ranks for loyalty? You didn't mean this to come out this way, did you? Because it sounds like you are saying ranks are given out for politics rather than skill. I know nothing of your organization or style. I am just wondering about your statement. As an outsider, this statement doesn't sound so good.
I think probably all arts. In most, and Kuk Sool Won in particular you have to remain active and continue to teach. You must also attend seminars, tournaments, and workshops. Master level (5th degree) is just another step, albeit a major step in the development of a MAist. Progression through the ranks of master 5 - 9 is measured in skill acquisition, promotion of the art, and passing the art on to the next generation of practitioners.
As Obewan said, loyalty means they stuck with it, they are active and most certainly earned the rank...I assure you, no one was just given those promotions. As for proof of that, the most loyal master I know was not on that list.
I also meant that the loyal ones, who stuck it out while the promotions were slow going are being rewarded now versus the ones who left and started their own organizations, gaining promotion that way.
I don't think the promotions in the WKSA were too slow, rather, they seem appropriate in most cases as the vast majority of the names above have 35-50 years of experience. I'd probably say that these folks earned their rank and were not rewarded rank. The 9th dahn promotion is pretty rare within WKSA. Outside of the WKSA, it is not so rare. In the United States, although the WKSA is the largest KS organization, by far, there are currently more 9th dahns outside of the WKSA than in...which goes to show the rarity of the 9th dahn within the WKSA and the tendency of those who leave to self-promote to get that rank.
Wow, K.C. is 6th dahn?!?! I feel old. She had just gotten her 3rd when I was training, way back in the day. She was always quite skilled. Does she still do the hair whip thing?
