Local martial artists perform well at competition

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Franklin County Times
Members of the Young Tang Soo Do studio received medals at the Region 6 World Tang Soo Do Championship competition held recently.
Tom Jones, chief instructor for Young Tang Soo Do Studio, said that members of the studio totaled over 40 medals at the competition with 18 of its members receiving one or more medals.
"We did very well at this competition," Jones said.
Members who medaled during the event are Carson Petree, Tara McKelvey, Hannah Mullins, Danny Borden, Chase Davis, Josiah Mullins, Jenette Vandiver, Marie Patrick, Macy Reeves, Daniel Jenkins, Sheldon Ergle, Austin Kincaid, Devin Mullins, David Henry, Bethany Mullins, Rebecca Hill, Andrew Bragwell, and Pedro Perez.
Jones said that the competition is divided into age groups and then into skill level.
"Green belts compete against other green belts that are the same age," Jones said. "This keeps the competition fair for all competitors."
He added that the Region 6 of the World Tang Soo Do Organization is comprised of studios from Alabama, western Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia.
"The recent event was held in Florence, but the competition has a different site every year," Jones said.
In addition to the studio's members doing well in competition, the Mullins family was selected at the Region 6 Family of the Year.
"It is an honor for our studio to have the Family of the Year," Jones said.
Kevin Mullins, his wife, Deonna, and their children, Josiah, Bethany, and Hannah, are all members of the Young Tang Soo Do studio.
"I really just started," Deonna Mullins said.
While at the competition, eight studio members tested for and received their black belts.
Andrew Bragwell, Joe Keenum, Jenette Vandiver, Austin Kincaid, Kevin Mullins, Josiah Mullins, Hannah Mullins, and Chase Davis all earned their black belts during the event, Jones said.