Testing for black belt
Green Kat Photography From left, Maggie Pulsifer, Gavin Carmichael, Kyle To, Seth Carmichael and instructor Andy Hamer at Sawbuck DoJang in Whitefish.
Twenty-six years of training in Soo Bahk Do will be on display when four students from Sawbuck DoJang in Whitefish test for their black belts later this fall.
Seth Carmichael, 16, is testing for his third-degree black belt, while Kyle To, 12, Gavin Carmichael, 11, and Maggie Pulsifer, 11, are going for their first degree. Eleven is the minimum age to test for a black belt.
Reaching this level requires years of dedication, said instructor Andy Hamer, owner of the Sawbuck DoJang.
“It’s a big commitment,” Hamer said.
“I’ve heard that one in a hundred continue to their black belt. It’s a small percentage.”
Two days of testing will happen Oct. 14-15 at Grouse Mountain Lodge. It starts on a Friday with four hours of preparation. The next day begins at 7 a.m. and culminates with a two-hour test in front of a board.
While the test itself is arduous, “The real challenge is in the time they all put in up to testing day,” Hamer said. “All the training and going to all the events.”
Hamer says students who stick with the program often become more enthusiastic about training after reaching black belt.
He notes that a goal of the training is to teach students about respect and leadership.
“We’re seeing less and less respect for authority,” Hamer said. “That tradition gets developed. They also learn the leadership role, and when to lead or assist.”