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Dan Camp-A First Gup Perspective
By Michelle Jon Nauerth, Buckeye Tang Soo Do

When Mr. Genna approached me about attending Dan Camp I was a little taken aback. It seemed only a short while ago that I had just joined Buckeye Tang Soo Do. The journey to this point hadn't been easy. I had a problems discerning my right from my left foot, I was unsure about how to perform certain forms, and when I learned a new form it took me a lot longer to master the technique than everyone else. Plus, I had a tough test in May, where I broke a finger and strained the ligaments in two others. But apparently Mr. Genna had the confidence in me to allow me to attend Dan camp.

Dan camp was held at The Ohio State University. Since I am a student at OSU, I wouldn't have to travel far. In fact, Dan camp was being held half a block from the building that I worked in. The weeks leading up to camp were very busy not only for Mr Genna and Miss Flaum, but the higher-ranking students as well. I asked Mr. Genna on several occasions if there was anything I could do to help, and he told me that since I was a first Gup, my main job was to just show up. This was somewhat unnerving because I am always eager to assist my instructors in any way possible.

The Thursday before camp was dark, dreary and rainy. Mr. Genna suggested that we train outside on the lawn where camp would be held. This was not pleasant and the idea was met with a chorus of groans-me leading the way. Training on the banks of the Olentangy River was just plain nasty. There are an extreme number of waterfowl that make their home on the banks of the river, not to mention any other unseen habitant of that area. As it rained softly, my pants started to get heavy. As my waistband became lower and lower (any flying jump kick would have surely seen them fly off me), I noticed that the bottom 5 inches were becoming a dark gray I color. Yes, this was waterfowl feces!!!! My first thought was that I hoped I was not the only whiner out here when camp started the next day. But something made that practice very difficult for me. I had a hard time focusing because of the environment. And then it dawned on me; this is why Dan camp is held outside. It's a lot easier to focus when surrounded by four walls.

Registration for camp was the next evening. I checked into my room in Morrill tower, clean dobohk in tow. This was exciting because I had never been in the dorms at OSU and this truly was "camp". I was also eager to see many faces I had seen at Region 5 events, as well as the many black belts from Buckeye Tang Soo Do that had moved on. Master Ochs welcomed everyone to camp and proceeded with his opening remarks. The thought of a Dan camp in Region 5 is apparently relatively new. Master Ochs asked everyone who attended the first Dan camp to stand, and remain standing. About 5 people stood up. Then he asked people who attended the second Dan camp to rise, and remain standing. Eventually the entire room was standing. I thought this was a great exercise in unity. Master Ochs concluded his opening remarks with challenging each participant to be the best they could be-"If it's to be, it's up to me!!". This was the overall mantra of Dan camp.

Saturday came with beautiful blue skies. After an early exercise session, we were divided into groups of our rank. This was great because there were a small amount of first gups at the Dan camp, and I knew most of them from other Region 5 events, but didn't really know them. After an entire day of gun defenses, bong training, rope, self-defense, group sparring, and other activities, I certainly knew these other people well. After dinner came the highlight of the weekend-training on the new athletic field that I can see from the office that I share with my other labmates!! This was, for lack of a better word, absolutely awesome!! We started training at dusk and as we spent more and more time on that field trying to perfect our forms, the atmosphere started to change. I no longer was just training in Tang Soo Do, I was a part of Tang Soo Do. As night fell, the lights were turned on over the field. I felt very small and insignificant against the darkness surrounding the field. But when I turned to look, I saw a sea of white. These were other ranks training on the field as well. Half the field was covered with Tang Soo Do practitioners. I thought for a moment if anyone had been in our office, what this site would have looked like from the seventh floor where our office is located. That evening was just simply great and I was moved to see many people still practicing long after I left to take a shower.

Sunday once again started with exercises. The rest of the morning was a review of tournament rules and judging. After checkout and a box lunch, many people started to leave. There were some participants who had driven a good 8-10 hours to participate in Dan camp. My two instructors, as well as the officers from our club, and several members from Eagle academy were in the lobby of Morrill towers where we had stayed. As I sat and listened to everyone talk, I was sad. I had spent a large portion of my weekend eating, sleeping and training with these people. Yet, some of the people that I normally interact with, I never really got to train with at this camp. One of those was Mary Treacy from Eagle Academy. I told her that I felt like I didn't even get to say hello to her the whole weekend. She assured me that it was o.k. and that there would be many opportunities for us to train together in the future. And then she gave me the biggest hug ever. Tang Soo Do really is a family, and at that moment, I felt like family.

I was very happy to go home and sleep for about 4 hours that afternoon. As I went into work that night, I couldn't help but drive past the little grass lawn by the Olentangy. That's where me and about 100 other people trained the entire weekend. I wondered what those people were doing at that very moment. And I felt very empty and alone as I went into the lab to start an experiment. You know, I can't wait for next year!!!

Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Jon Nauerth, First Gup #108455

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