1. Attend* class regularly enough to meet with people you're sponsoring at least once a week for several weeks before testing * the sponsor meeting 6 weeks before testing (testings follow this rough schedule: February/March, end of April, end of July, beginning of October, beginning of December) * testing*
   
2. Help them to become self-reliant. The sponsorship system was designed to ease the transition from constant help from TAs and Grand Master Pack in the beginner’s class to self-sufficiency as martial artists’and eventually to leadership. You can help develop self-reliance in people by passing on institutional knowledge, helping them figure out who’s the best person to give advice on board breaking, wheel kicks, forms, falling, etc. Try to avoid hand-holding as this does students a disservice. Following this principle, it should be more work to sponsor a blue belt than to sponsor a black belt.
   
3. Represent the person testing – both in meetings before testing (particularly for people testing early for various reasons) and of course the meeting after testing. Have them notify you when they'll be absent so that you can vouch for them.
4. Support the person testing, offering help with techniques, terminology, board breaks, etc. and *most of all* helping them become self-sufficient learners of these skills.
5. Uphold the integrity of the "checklists" by filling it out with them, double-checking that they have done the things rather than just checked them off, helping them figure out alternatives, etc. Some people find it helpful to do some of these things (board breaking, work on forms, etc.) with them.
6. Act as the first screen for the "Statement of Philosophy." As a member of the Blackbelts email list, the sponsor of a Red Belt should send the essay to the list. Once people are already black belts and on the email list, they can send the essays themselves. Still, as a sponsor, your responsibility is to READ IT FIRST.
7. Set up a mock testing if you are sponsoring a Black Recommend. Work with other sponsors of Black Recommends and be sure to invite the rest of the black belts (to judge) and anyone blue and up who’s testing at that time.
8. FOLLOW UP! If there have been comments about a person you're sponsoring at testing, write them down so that you can share them with the person at a later date. Right after testing is not a good time; right after they got their new belt is not a good time; right before they’re planning to test again is not a good time because it's too late. Choose a time in between belt presentation and their next testing. Even though they may have a different sponsor for the next testing, let them know what the judges wanted them to work on after their last testing so that they can have a better next testing.