Neillsville Martial Arts Students Earn Black Belt

Last November 7 was a special day for the American Kyukido Federation. It was the day when it held its Black Belt Extravaganza in Wisconsin. A hundred martial arts students from schools all over the United States took part in the event in order to earn their black belts. Among them are six students from AKF Neillsville. They travelled with their instructor to get their promotion.

Chris Riese, who has been training for seven years, and Amy Parker, who has been training for ten years, earned their second degree black belts at the event. Sarah Fields, Josie Voigt, Teeghan Mahoney, and Robyn Enloe got their first degree black belts.

The black belt candidates took written exams and three advancement tests to show their expertise and knowledge of the various techniques before they are recommended to finalize their promo before the Masters of the AKF. After they were done with their advancement test, they took their final advancement test in Neillsville.

Linda Imler is the owner and head instructor of the AKF Martial Arts. She has been training for 22 years and promoted to fifth degree black belt, which is the Master level. It was during the 2013 Black Belt Extravaganza that she was notified that she would start the year long process that involved written exams, study and practice of empty hand and traditional Okinawan weapons forms, performing the forms, and answering questions from a board of masters with sixth degree black belts and above during the AKF Campout last July.

Then Imler had a demonstration during the August tournament and Black Belt Extravaganza with the help of her students. She completed the process at the BBE where she was awarded her fifth degree black belt by Grand Master Hyung Kim, who is the founder of the AKF. The awarding ceremony was held at AKF Neillsville last November 8.

Photo by Aka Hige [CC BY-SA 2.0]