Paragon Today

Grand Ballroom Denver West Marriott
Friday, June 4, 2010

Schedule of Events:
3:15 Paragon Core Leadership Workout
4:00 All Paragon Leadership Workout
6:00 High Rank Testing

• Over 50 Paragon Leadership Members To Train
• 26 New Paragon Black Belts to be promoted
• Over 20 Paragon 2nd, 3rd & 4th Degrees Testing for Higher Rank
• Breathtaking XMA Demo by X-Out, Action Martial Arts Demo Team
  and Jeff Peterson

After months of discussions, workouts, interviews and training, Paragon Martial Arts is proud to welcome 4th Degree Black Belt, Mr. David Polites to the Paragon family. Mr. Polites is a well seasoned instructor with ATA teaching experience in California and Colorado.  After careful considersation on who was best qualified to guide him to both school ownership and rank advancement, Mr. Polites choose Paragon Martial Arts as his school and Master Bass as his instructor.

“I started Tae Kwon Do when I was 6 years old.  I’ve been with it my entire life.  At about year 17 of my career, I decided my evangelist mentality towards Tae Kwon Do had grown enough to eventually open a school of my own.  As my intentions were solid in that direction I took the ATA’s Basic Business Seminar shortly after attaining my black collar.” says Mr. Polites of his ATA career.

He continued when asked of his goals in Paragon, “My goals for school ownership are to spread the physical and mental training of Paragon Martial Arts.  I’m not after a massive school.  I’m after running and teaching a moderate sized school creating exceptional individuals.  My plan is to set the bar to a challenging level and have people push themselves to areas they have never thought possible.”

In closing, David added, “I have NEVER been truly WOWed over a TKD program. Paragon stands alone!”

Master William Hauptman commented on the addition of Mr. Polites, “As a rule we have a very strict policy to never accept transfer students unless they are highly motivated, free to transfer and stand above the crowd. Mr. Polites is one of a very few that has earned this honor. I believe he has the quality, drive and character required to wear the Paragon Patch. He will work closely with Master Bass, Master Horn, Ms. Robert and me to continue the high standards for Paragon. I believe he’s Colorado’s next instructor to watch!”

• Master Joel Bass awarding Mr. Polites his Paragon Patch after months of training.

Ms. Lura Roberts, owner of Conifer Paragon Martial Arts is visiting South America for the month of May. Her fist visit was to Machu Picchu in Peru. Ms. Roberts says of the experience atop the Lost City of the Incas, “I’ve been to 14 countries and seen amazing things like Saint Petersburg, the Swiss Alps and the Great Wall of China. But I have to say I think Machu Picchu is the most magnificent thing I’ve even seen.”  The journey to the top of Machu Picchu was a full day’s hike, very dangerous and adventurous. Recent storms had washed away some roads and closed some of the avenues to the top, “but a small group of us made the journey.”

Ms. Roberts added this about the experience, “I encountered a lot of treacherous animals including all sorts of rain forest monkeys … but after many years of training with Mr. Horn and Mr. Bass, I felt strangely well prepared and rather at home with them.”

• (Posted by Master William Hauptman. Who also fabricated the second quote to see if any of Mr. Horn and Mr. Bass’ students read the blog.)

Machu Picchu (Machu Pikchu – “Old Mountain”, pronounced  is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.

Paragon Martial Arts had six members, Joel Bass, Jody Horn, Lura Roberts, Emma Adams, Allison Clark, & Andrew Wolf, attend the National Black Belt Camp in Iowa.  The black belt camp only, which had over 190 black belts attending, was hosted by eight degree black belts Chief Master Jager and Chief Master Hoover.  Of the 190 black belts attending camp, twenty plus where 5^th degrees with nine 6th degrees and two 8th degrees.  As most of you know, Chief Master Jager is our most senior instructor and everyone in Paragon Martial Arts can trace their instructor line back to Master Jager.

The camp started on Friday evening and ended on Saturday night with a banquet dinner and awards ceremony.  As staff members, Mr. Bass, Mr. Horn, & Ms. Roberts work alongside other Masters teaching classes from sparring to practical self-defense.  However, Emma Adams, Allison Clark & Andrew Wolf, worked the hardest by participating in every class offered at the camp.  Of course these three leaders in Paragon shined in every class and represented Paragon Martial Arts extremely well.

The Colorado crew would like to express our thanks and gratitude towards Master Jager and Master Hoover for having us at camp.  We all came home with many new ideas for our own schools and are looking forward to sharing our experiences at the camp.  The best thing about our martial arts community is that we are all family and the National camp in Iowa is no exception.  I know we are all looking forward to the next time we can get together with our extended family to train, learn and have another great time.

Submitted by Joel Bass

Paragon Martial Arts – Fort Collins, CO

Over 100 Paragon students demonstrated their
skills at the Evergreen location of Paragon Martial Arts at a Paragon Tournament on Saturday, February 7th. Students from Mr. Bass’ school in Fort Collins, Mr. Horn’s school in Evergreen, Ms. Roberts’ schools in Conifer and Bailey, Ms. Willey’s school in Lakewood and Mr. Martin’s school in Stapleton demonstrated forms, weapons, and sparring for the competition.

“It was very exciting day,” commented Mr. Horn, owner of Evergreen Paragon. “Everyone seemed to be on their game.” Mr. Horn is not stranger to competition with a state Olympic title and three ATA World Champion titles.

“Fort Collins dominated the day,” joked Mr. Joel Bass, Chief Instructor and owner of Fort Collins Paragon, “Fort Collins has earned a place in the Paragon system, and that puts them as some of the best martial artists in Colorado. I was proud of all the competitors on Saturday and especially proud of my Fort Collins champions.”

Ms. Roberts joined Mr. Bass and Mr. Horn in her excitement for the day saying that she was especially proud of the the excellent weapons competition. Ms. Roberts herself being a national weapons champion.

“The day was successful because of the excellent judging of the organization’s leadership teams that came together to make the rings exciting and efficient,” added Ms. Emma Adams, Chief Instructor of Evergreen Paragon, “I put a lot of trust in one of my young instructors, Ms. Alison Clarke, who did a lot of the coordination and set the tone of the day. She stepped up as a leader today and we all owe her a big thank you.”


For more information about classes please click on the locations tab and find get started today or call 1-866-PMA-COLORADO.

*Awesome Students in pictures: Hailey and Hannah Hornberger, Conrad Bernstein, Wells Gwin, Gabby Day, Walker Dougherty