By By Matthew Nascone
Back in October a new class was offered at the Atmore Area YMCA. Rhecy and Dan Currie reintroduced Golden Dragons Taekwondo to the Atmore area. The YMCA back room was a place the Curries could teach children about the tenets of Taekwondo.
"There was no class in Atmore, or near Atmore and we wanted to bring Taekwondo back to this area," Dan Currie said. "We talked to the Y and they let us borrow this room for our lessons."
And the YMCA "dojo" held its first belt testing ceremony Feb. 22 for the eight white belts attempting passage to the yellow belt of Taekwondo.
Brodie Amos, Eathan Coon, Jacob Gibbs, Gavin Coon, Trey Currie, Madelyn Coon, Rodrick Felder and Aaron McDonald all made the jump from white belt to yellow belt Thursday.
These nine students of the Korean martial art learned about the techniques and ways of Taekwondo through their five-month journey. The Curries taught the six tenets of Taekwondo, such as courtesy, humility, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit, before the students ever learned any of the physical motions of the art.
The time and dedication of the students could be seen as each went before sensei Rhecy Currie and performed the routine.
"We don't have a lot of rules, but we have a lot of repetition," Dan said.
The Atmore Taekwondo class has added four students since beginning in October, running the total number of students to 18.
According to the Golden Dragon handbook Taekwondo first came to the United States in 1956. Jhoon Rhee, a third degree black belt, began teaching in San Marcos, Texas.
Membership at the Y is not required to be a part of the Taekwondo experience and Dan said anyone is welcome to join the class.