South Graduation Day – Saturday 22nd August 2026 🥋🎓

It’s Graduation Day. Again.

Another term of training.

Another collection of techniques learned, mistakes made, corrections received, improvements achieved… and belts slowly working their way around everyone’s waists.

And now it’s time to celebrate.

On Saturday 22nd August, students from our Centres will come together at Dixons Newall Green Academy in Wythenshawe for one of the biggest moments in their Tang Soo Do journey.

And, as usual, there will be martial arts.

There will be belts.

There will be proud parents.

There will be photographs.

There will probably be somebody who forgets where they put their belt.

So, basically, a normal Graduation.

🎓 What is Graduation all about?

If you've been to one of our Graduations before, you'll know that it's a little different from your normal class.

For a start, there are a lot more people watching you.

Which is precisely the point.

Graduation gives students the opportunity to demonstrate what they've learned, challenge themselves in a different environment and, most importantly, celebrate the progress they've made.

For our newer students, it can be a pretty big deal.

Walking into a sports hall full of other martial artists and having everyone watching you can feel slightly daunting.

But that's also why it's so valuable.

It's an opportunity to discover:

“Actually… I can do this.”

And for our more experienced students, it's another chance to demonstrate the technique, control, confidence and discipline they've developed over years of training.

📍 Where is it?

This Graduation is taking place at:

Dixons Newall Green AcademyGreenbrow RoadWythenshaweM23 2SX

🚗 Important parking information

There is a specific entrance you need to use.

Enter the car park from GREENBROW ROAD.

Once you've parked, walk along the front of the building, past the main entrance.

Then turn right.

The entrance to the Sports Hall is approximately halfway down the building.

Don't head into the main school entrance and start wandering around looking confused.

Although, if you do, you're certainly not going to be the only one.

⏰ What time do I need to be there?

Your Graduation time is based on your CURRENT belt/grade.

Not the belt you're hoping to get.

Not the belt you think you should have.

And definitely not the belt you've told your mates you're getting.

Your current grade.

Please aim to arrive around 15 minutes before your allocated time. This gives you enough time to park, find the Sports Hall, get organised and prepare without having to sprint through the school like you're late for an exam.

Here are the times:

Grade	Graduation Time
🐯 Tigers	9.00am
⚪🟡🟠🔵 White, Yellow, Orange & Blue Belts	10.00am
🟢🔴 Green & Red (2nd/3rd Gup) Belts	11.00am
🔴🔵 Red (1st Gup) & Midnight Blue Belts	12.00pm

Please arrive approximately 15 minutes before your session.

🐯 Tigers – 9.00am

We start the day with our youngest martial artists.

The Tigers.

If you've watched a Tiger class before, you'll know that anything can happen.

They'll demonstrate the skills they've been learning, follow their Instructors and show everyone just how much they've developed.

And for some of them, this may be their first experience of a proper Graduation.

Which makes it even more special.

Parents, you may want to have your camera ready.

Actually...

You definitely want to have your camera ready.

Because the chances of getting a perfect photo of your child receiving their belt first time are approximately the same as getting a Tiger to stand completely still for five consecutive minutes.

Good luck.

⚪🟡🟠🔵 White, Yellow, Orange & Blue Belts – 10.00am

Our White, Yellow, Orange and Blue Belts take over the Sports Hall at 10.00am.

This is a big group — and it's a great opportunity for students at different stages of their early Tang Soo Do journey to experience Graduation together.

Students will demonstrate the techniques, forms and skills they've been working on in class.

And here's the important bit:

Don't try to learn everything the night before.

Seriously.

Your Instructor has spent weeks and months teaching you.

You've practised.

You've trained.

You've made mistakes.

You've improved.

You've done the work.

Trust it.

Listen carefully on the day, follow the Instructors and simply show everyone what you know.

🟢🔴 Green & Red (2nd/3rd Gup) Belts – 11.00am

Things start getting a little more serious at 11.00am.

Our Green Belts and 2nd/3rd Gup Red Belts will demonstrate their current syllabus, including forms, techniques, self-defence and sparring elements where appropriate.

At this stage of your Tang Soo Do journey, there's a lot more to think about.

It's not simply:

“What's the next technique?”

It's about how you perform it.

Your stance.

Your balance.

Your control.

Your power.

Your timing.

Your focus.

And your ability to keep doing all of those things while people are watching.

Which, incidentally, is a rather useful skill outside martial arts too.

🔴🔵 Red (1st Gup) & Midnight Blue Belts – 12.00pm

And finally, we reach our senior students.

Our 1st Gup Red Belts and Midnight Blue Belts will bring the morning to a close.

At this level, the standard is higher.

Students have spent considerable time developing their techniques and understanding of Tang Soo Do, and Graduation provides the opportunity to demonstrate that progression.

For our senior students, it's less about simply remembering a sequence of movements.

It's about demonstrating quality.

Precision.

Control.

Confidence.

Power.

Understanding.

And the ability to remain composed when a whole sports hall is watching.

No pressure, then.

🥋 It's not really about the belt

Of course, everybody wants the belt.

That's completely understandable.

There's something pretty satisfying about walking out of the Sports Hall with a brand-new belt tied around your waist.

But the belt itself is really just a symbol.

The real achievement is everything that came before it.

The classes you attended.

The techniques you struggled with.

The times you got something wrong.

The times your Instructor told you to do it again.

And again.

And possibly...

again.

The moments when you didn't feel like training but turned up anyway.

The confidence you've developed.

The friends you've made.

The challenges you've overcome.

And the person you've become along the way.

That's what Graduation celebrates.

📸 Yes, you can take photos

In fact, please do.

Take the photo with the new belt.

Take the family photo.

Take the photo with your Instructor.

Take the photo with your training partner.

Take the photo where everyone looks at the camera.

Then take another one because somebody blinked.

These moments are worth keeping.

Because one day you'll look back at those pictures and realise just how far you've travelled.

👊 And if you get nervous...

That's okay.

Even experienced martial artists can feel nervous when they're performing in front of a crowd.

The trick isn't to eliminate nerves.

It's to learn how to perform despite them.

Take a breath.

Listen.

Concentrate.

Do what you've been taught.

And if you make a mistake?

Carry on.

That's one of the most important lessons martial arts can teach.

You don't have to be perfect.

You just have to keep going.

🎓 See you on Saturday!

So, Tigers, Gups, senior students, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and everyone else...

We'll see you at:

Dixons Newall Green Academy, Greenbrow Road, WythenshaweM23 2SX

on

Saturday 22nd August

Remember:

🐯 Tigers – 9.00am⚪🟡🟠🔵 White, Yellow, Orange & Blue – 10.00am🟢🔴 Green & Red (2nd/3rd Gup) – 11.00am🔴🔵 Red (1st Gup) & Midnight Blue – 12.00pm

Arrive around 15 minutes early.

Wear your Do Bok.

Bring your belt.

Bring your sparring equipment if required.

Bring your biggest smile.

And bring a phone with plenty of storage.

It's Graduation Day.

Let's make it one to remember. 🥋🎓👊

SBN B Nelson