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(Summer Camp Continued...)         Previous Page

Sunday Morning: Optional sessions offered on Sunday morning included: sparring and takedowns, pressure points, and for the children, another round of beanbag toss into the troll's mouth. At the conclusion of the morning mini-sessions, everyone donned their dobaks (uniforms), in preparation for the most informative session of the camp weekend, to be taught by Grand Master Benko.

Grand Master Benko took the entire camp constituency up to the plateau directly above the cafeteria and gave instructors and students alike an hour and a half long introduction to some of the finer points of Hapkido. Numerous joint locks, takedowns, and controlling techniques were introduced and subsequently practiced. The effectiveness of this Korean martial art was made clear as a wide variety of techniques were deftly demonstrated by our Grand Master.

In the final portion of this culminating session, the cane was introduced as an effective weapon of defense. Although time limitations did not permit as much experimentation with the cane as many of the participants would have liked, it was nonetheless an eye-opening experience which will probably be developed further at Summer Camp 2001.


Grand Master Benko teaching Korean ji pang e (cane) techniques, assisted by Alex Keller.

Joan McDowell, Susan Whitman, Paul Christensen & Lawrence Bebout practicing Kwan Jyel Sul.

Paul Christensen practices Korean cane (ji pang e) techniques.

Mark Mackie applies a Korean cane (ji pang e) technique to Bill Stevens.

Weapons Training: The weapon featured this year was the tahn bong. Campers received instruction from Paul Christensen (from Williamston, MI), ATA 4th Dan and also from Sue Whitman of the KMAI, with Lincoln Eddy assisting. Opportunities to work out one-steps and self-defense techniques with both single and double tahn bongs kept the session challenging. Trapping and disarming techniques were also practiced.

Weapons Training this year featured
The Korean "Tahn Bong" Short Stick.

Hill Training: Perseverance is the tenet, which must be remembered for THE HILL! In addition to the rigors of the Hill, the campers had to contend with a number of unanticipated adversities. Everyone on the hill was besieged by huge clouds of mosquitoes. Not to be outdone by the mosquitoes a frenzied swarm of yellow jackets got into the act when their subterranean nest was inadvertently disturbed. Showing no respect for rank the crazed insects stung two of the Senior instructors.

The campers were challenged to kick, log roll, run, low crawl "up the hill and down the hill!" by Ron Jovanovitz, assisted by Casey Czinski, Greg McDowell, and Eric Arms. Every year the Hill tests the camper's endurance, stamina, and perseverance right to the limits.


Gregory McDowell (front) leads participants in Hill Training.

Night Training: Night training was held relatively early at this year's summer camp due to a forecast of severe storm activity. Instead of being awakened from a well-needed sleep, as has been the norm in years past, many of the camp participants had not made it to their beds yet when Master Westphal gave the call to "get up and get at it."

Although distant flashes of lightening frequently pierced the darkness, the storm never struck near enough to the camp to necessitate the cancellation of any part of the night training. The traditional game of "Capture the Flag" was held in the meadow. For the first time ever, it ended in a draw. The two teams were apparently too evenly matched.



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