Master Issoufou…

A picture of Master Issoufou with his Olympic Silver medal 🥈 from Rio 2016:

Here’s a pic of him with his countries flag:

Master Issoufou is still fighting. He’s heading to Worlds again this year representing his country. T will continue to stay in touch with him and follow him on social media. He made quite the impact on T in the short time T got to spend with him. 

Tonight’s Training with a Special Guest from Niger Africa…

Tonight we had a special guest from Niger 🇳🇪, Master Razak Issoufou Alfaga, at sparring training. He asked to be called, Master Issoufou. He’s a great athlete and a great guy. He won a silver medal at the Olympics and a gold medal at the World Championships. He’s the real deal. I’m so glad that T got to train with him. T really enjoyed getting to know him and learning from him.  T told us how encouraging he was to him and how much that meant to him. T dreams of having legs as long as his someday😊…LOL! 

Private Training @ Core w/Master Doug 9.12.2022

Here’s a video of some of T’s training getting ready for the Grand Prix Final this weekend in a new heavier weight division with taller fighters. 

9.11

To this day I remember parking my school bus after my morning runs and being told by my boss about the first tower being hit. I went straight home and turned on the news and I watched live as the second tower was hit by the second plane. It was all so surreal. I watched as they crumbled to the ground. One right after the other. My heart sank and tears flowed for two reasons. The first was the loss of lives. The second was because I knew this was an attack on my country. Every year at this time it is all still so fresh in my mind as if it happened just yesterday. #alwaysremebering #neverforgetting #truepatriot #nineeleven

Happy Grandparents Day!!!

Just wanted to give a shout out for T to his grandparents!  He so loves his Nan, Popsie and Maw Maw. So thankful he’s gotten to grow up with them in his life. 

T’s 1st Ever Officially Coaching😊!

T got to coach several of his teammates today for the first time as an AAU Coach at the 2022 Carolina AAU TaeKwonDo Fall Open Championship. He really enjoyed it and learned a lot as he was coaching his teammates.  He coached two to Gold, four to Silver and two to Bronze.  He’s so proud of how well they all did.  For many it was their first time fighting on that level. What a great day for #teamcore!!!  #coretaekwondoperformancecenter

1st Private Training with his New Master/Coach Master Douglas....

T had his 1st session of private training with his new Master/Coach today and absolutely loved it.  He said it felt good and he really enjoyed all that he learned in the session.  So thankful for this happy place our son is in and how he is really enjoying all that he is learning as he makes forward progress in TaeKwonDo.  The clothes he's wearing in the pictures his Aunt Debbie and Uncle Jeff got him.  They were his birthday gift from them.  They kept trying to wait to give it to him when we came up but at last they just finally had to ship them to us...LOL! They fit T perfectly.  He has three other sets that he's looking forward to wearing that I'll post later that they bought him.  Getting those in the mail made his day yesterday.  

Congrats Master Douglas!!!

We want to give a shout out to T’s Master/Coach, Master Douglas. He’s been picked as a finalist in the 2022 Best of the Best Martial Arts Instruction. We are so excited for him. This is well deserved. He’s such an awesome Master/Coach. 

T and His Teammates…

T and his teammates at training tonight. These five are so awesome!!! Love how much fun they all have together while training. 

The Queen is Gone....

Today Queen Elizabeth II has passed.  She was 96 years of age.  She lived a long life.  I have always admired and respected the Queen but even more so after watching The Crown on Netflix.  It made her more normal.  It helped others see her in a different light than how we've always known her from the medias portrayals.  For one who had to take on the reigns so young in life I think she did an amazing job as Queen.  I pray those coming after her as King or Queen are worthy of the role that she most definitely was worthy of having had.  The royal family has always fascinated so many from all walks of life.  They have lived lives that most only dream of living.  For me my fascination of them is purely from a historic standpoint.  Although I hated anything to do with history in school history now has my undivided attention.  Mostly because the world has been changing so much in recent years and not in a good way.  In many ways the worlds best days are behind her.  Yes I know we've seen many really great innovative changes over the years that have been good but morally the world over all is wasting away.  The Queens death leaves in its wake yet another steady that people clung to that now is gone.  The steady strong people who have been forces in our cultures and world are all fading away and leaving a weaker presence in those who are taking their places that can't even hold a candle to those who have gone before.  One last time as I bid farewell to the Queen....God Save The Queen!  She will be sorely missed.  I pray for her country as her son steps in as King.  I pray that he honors her in his role and doesn't make a wreckage of all she's done and accomplished in her life as Queen.  We all have much to learn from those who have gone before and put their positive stamp on our cultures.  Prayers for her family as they mourn her passing.  

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61585886

This is not my photo!  I don't own any rights to it!