2018 Northeast Regional Championship & Dan Shim Sa

After the judges meeting the tournament began with the Black Belt Competition. Starting with the Men's Sam Dan and the Women's divisions, spectators were treated to some intense competition as the black belts went through open hand and weapons forms followed by point sparring and finally the breaking division. When these divisions were complete it was the turn of the E Dan and Cho Dan men to continue the quality and excitement produced in the earlier divisions and neither disappointed. When it was all over with and the individual medals had been awarded it was left to announce the Grand Champions for best overall male and female competitor. The men's award was won by Mr Dan Maibor, Sam Dan, of Cambridge Tang Soo Do from Cambridge MA, The women's award went to Ms Chance Drewicz, E Dan, also of Cambridge Tang Soo Do. Mr Maibor was the defending champion from 2017 and Ms Drewicz continued a family tradition winning the award her Mom, Master Noelle Drewicz, had claimed in previous years.

 

After the completion of the Black Belt competitions all competitors lined up for the opening ceremony featuring a well performed saxophone solo of the Star Spangled Banner by Ms Claire Siegert (Cho Dan Bo, Great Bay Karate, Dover NH) followed by the reading of the 5 Codes by Ms Leona Sujica (7th GUP New Day Karate, Eliot ME) and the 7 Tenets by Ms Catherine Duenas (6th GUP Great Bay Karate, Dover NH). The tournament was officially opened by APTSDF Grandmaster Kwan Jang Nim St James, welcoming everyone to New Hampshire and enthusing all in attendance with inspirational words. The opening ceremony was finished with Kwan Jang Nim St James making official promotions with Mr Nikolas DeBaise of Rivera’s Tang Soo Do, Meriden CT promoted to the ranks of the Black Belts as a Cho Dan and the very special honor of watching a Black Belt’s promotion to Master as Mr Paul Harmon of Harmon’s Tang Soo Do from Keedysville MD to Sah Dan.

 

At the completion of the opening ceremony was a new addition to the North East Regional Tournament. For the first time a new division of competition was added with the introduction of the team demo competition. 4 schools performed before a panel of Master’s with Cambridge Tang Soo Do winning the inaugural Gold with New Day Karate in Silver and Great Bay Karate in Bronze.

 

The afternoon brought on the GUP competition with competitors ranging in age from 4 to 64 and 10th GUP to Cho Dan Bo. With 5 rings of competition taking place simultaneously the gym was soon full of ki ahps, applause and the sounds of breaking boards. Medals were won, friendships were made and rekindled from the previous years, and a great sense of camaraderie prevailed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally the day was complete with the traditional championship dinner. And per tradition for New Hampshire tournaments of previous years it was held at the always great Newick’s Lobster House in Dover NH. As the night wore on, stories were told, laughs were had and great food met good company as friends from miles apart were brought together by their shared love of Tang Soo Do. The only thing that remained was to look forward with excitement to repeating it all again next year.

 

ATPSDF 2018 NE Championship Cup Winners
Division	Name	School
Men's Grand Champion	Dan Maibor	Cambridge Tang Soo Do
Women's Grand Champion	Chance Drewicz	Cambridge Tang Soo Do
Demo Champions		Cambridge Tang Soo Do