Dropping ranks

[troubleenuf]

This last fall I dropped a student down three belts after he started with me at my college class. He is from a Kukkiwon certified school (actually the same organization I used to belong to). It was double hard for him. First he had been told NOT to attend my classes as I am such a "bad boy", then I had to drop him down in ranks as he was not up to were I felt he should be. But he did it anyway.
Here is what he said after his first belt test with me last week (not only did I have to drop him 3 belts but he trained with me for 7 months before his first belt test).

"I never really found it hard at all to drop down a couple of belt levels, after I was around training with you i had realized I was not ready for the belt I was at. I feel privileged to be one of your students and I am looking forward to being there for a long time!"

Great kid.... going to go a long way with an attitude like that!

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Great story. I have no problem with someone dropping belts if they dont meet the standard. From the point of view of the student, who wants to be walking around in a belt which clearly does not represent where you are at? We have kukkiwon students come to us all the time and most start over again at white belt, just as I would not expect to go to a kukkiwon club and maintain my rank. Different curriculum, different grading requirements, different standards for different things. To me its completely understandable that in many cases someone has to drop belts and Im sure most students with half a brain accept that when/if they change clubs they will be re-assessed.

 

[granfire]

Hearing this made me smile.