Wapping Club's First Duan Grade
November 2005
By Instructor Tony Sellen, 3rd Duan
It is a proud moment for me to be presenting David Smilgaitis with his First Duan certificate.
David is my first student to have achieved this honour.
Instructor Tony Sellen (3rd Duan) presenting
David Smilgaitis (1st Duan)
with his black belt certificateDavid joined me about four years ago as a white belt, and has worked his way up through the grades to achieve his black belt. He would have done this a bit quicker had it not been for a bad injury that kept him from training for the best part of a year.
It was a particularly good month for David as he and his wife Inga were blessed with their first child. Inga also trains in Tang Sou Dao and is a green tag. She had to stop for various reasons so I look forward to seeing her back soon and - who knows - maybe daughter Danielle in a few years time.
Instructor Tony Sellen (3rd Duan) with David Smilgaitis (1st Duan)
and students from Wapping clubNow that my own gradings are few and far between, my pleasure comes from seeing my students grade and move up through the belts. As an instructor it is such a pleasure to have committed and enthusiastic students, this is what feeds me to teach and what is then fed back into the students, so we have a continuous circle of everybody learning from each other.
Tang Sou!
Tony Sellen, 3rd Duan
Instructor, Wapping Club© Ren Yi Wu Kwan Tang Sou Dao, All Rights Reserved
