After a nearly five-hour-long test, five new black belts were awarded at Joey Escobar Karate Feb. 24. Harry Culhane, Spencer Rondell, Max Gordon, Louie Thrall and Lars Peterson had each been training for six to seven years in all aspects of Korean Tang Soo Do Karate before earning their black belts.
The black belt test included 10 forms, a demonstration of basic through advanced techniques, extensive sparring and board breaking. The test’s nine judges sparred with the candidates, who also read heartfelt essays about their karate experiences. Finally, the test concluded with the presentation of five new black belts.