Students' Loyalty

I have been asked about my students' loyalty in a conversation with my fellow instructors/coaches as many of my students who had started university/college will stop practicing taekwondo and almost all of them will never return to taekwondo once they had stopped. Whereas they still have students who came back and continue practicing taekwondo although they are in the working force.

Actually I am not sure how is this relevance to loyalty. Our students have their own mind and when they are in college, they more or less know what they really want. This question come about as I am short-handed of instructors/coaches to help me with my classes. I do hope that my students can continue to practice taekwondo and also able to help me with my classes but they do have their own things to do, own dream to pursue and other interest too.

I do have students who further their studies oversea and never return. Some who had started working and pursuing their career. There are also those who had lost interest in taekwondo due to doing it for too long. Some who just want to get a black belt and many more....

Whatever the reason they have, we cannot determine their loyalty just because they stop practicing. I still have students came to visit me whenever they are back home, contact me through whatever mean they have, text me etc. which is good enough for me to know that they still do remember me.

I do not need all this loyalty thing, but just the thought will do me just fine.

Student's Success

Last January 2012, I've sent three of my students for the Selangor state sports championship 2012 or SUKSES for short. All were involved in the Poomsae event and they all brought back a medal each. It was one of the highest achievement that any of my students had achieved and I am proud of their success.

In any other time that any of our students achieved success in anything be it in championship or in life, we as coaches can't help but to be proud that we know them and had a hand in their success. Not to take any credit from their own hard work and efforts but we too apart of their life other than their family members, teachers and friends.

Long Time

It has been quite awhile since I last posted in here. The last time my post was on a championship that I was organizing. The championship went well and all the students gone home happy. There were two main events, namely individual fitness and individual poomsae. The events were divided into gender and age-group to be as neutral as possible.

 The championship was considered a success being the first time that I organized it by myself. Really appreciate all my adult students who came and help out in the championship.

Will plan to have a bigger one this year and hope it'll materialise.

Organizing Championship 2.0

Today will be the day that I'll be organizing a championship for my students for the first time. I have thought of it for awhile and this time I actually take the bull by the horns and get it done. I've done the groundwork, get all the work done and today will be the day that determine my competency level.

I've targeted 100 participants and now I have slightly more than 70 participants, almost 30 short of my target. Nevertheless, the show must go on and I have my finger-crossed.

I'll post the outcome here.

Wish me luck people.

LET'S DO IT BABY!!!!

MSSS 2011

This year MSSS was held in Kuala Selangor. I started my journey there from home at 6 am adn went to pick my students an left for Kuala Selangor at 6.30 am. The last time that I've gone to Kuala Selangor was more than 10 years ago, so I have no idea how to go there. One of my students gave me the direction the other there but I still not confident enough. Anyway, I use the highway and followed the road sign all the way. It was quite a long journey and it took me more than an hour to reach there.

Once arrived, I told my students to settle down while I look at the bout chart. Copying my students bout number and all, then I go and meet up with them. All these while I have not had anything to eat yet. The organizer called for team manager meeting and I went down to the ring for briefing.

At 9.00 am, the MSSS began. Those involved in Poomsae will get ready in Ring A while gyorugi students will have to wait for the bout number. My first student who competing is bout number 10 in ring C and another suppose to be bout 12 in Ring E. Nevertheless, all went for warm up and stretching to get their 'engine' started. When Ring C was on bout 5, my student will have to get fully ready in gear and wait near Ring C.

Then all of the sudden my student name was called from Ring E for bout 4A. We were stunned and get all the gear and ran to the ring to show that he was here otherwise he would be disqualified. I got him suit up in the ring. He was neither warmed-up or ready to fight. He went in and fought. He lost. He was frustrated. I was frustrated. I went to the secretariat table to protest. They told be it was in the new bout chart. I demanded them to show me the 'new' bout chart. They showed me and there wasn't any bout number 4A. I then demanded an explaination and at this time the organizing chairman came and ask me what's the problem. I explained to him the unfairness of changes the bout without informing beforehand. He apologized but I couldn't accept it. This in UNFAIR. But there was nothing I can do about it.

Then came bout 10, another student went in and fight. He didn't fight as he fight in class. Probably anxiety and nervousness. He lost 2-1. Close fight, though.

The poomsae event was on-going. My students next fight was a long way to go. Bout 41, 51 and 52. Watching my students did the poomsae. After that all of them came back up to the stand. Waiting for the judges to tabulate the result for qualification to finals. Results out, 4 out of 8 students made it to the finals. The organizer decided to combine the male and female due to low number of participants. In the finals, the participants will require to perform their poomsae one-by-one.

By 12.30pm, the tournament stopped for opening ceremony. Speech after speech by the VIPs and the tired participants and coaches listened and falling asleep one-by-one. Once the opening was done, it was lunch time and competition will resume at 2 pm.

At 2.30 pm, the results of the poomsae event was announced. All of my students went our for lunch and yet to return so they were unable to collect their medals. The officials passed the medals and results to me. Once they return from lunch, I presented the medals to winners with unexpected response from them. It was quite an unexpected result. Nevertheless I still happy.

We continue to wait for the next bout and after more than 2 hours, it's their time to get ready to get into the ring. We done enough warm-up and kicking. One went in and fought. After a close contested match, there was no score of both side. So sudden death was needed to determine the winner. Still scoreless. Finally it's time for the judges to decide the winner. My student won. Quarter-final.

Later another student turn to fight. His opponent was taller than him, he was a bit worried and I tried my best to encourage him. He went into the ring and fought. His opponent was a bit scare as my student have power in his kicks but after he got kicked to the head, he kinda lost it. I tried to motivate him during the break. His opponent was much more superior due to being more experience. My student lost. Still I was happy with his performance.

Next the quarterfinal match, my student concern that his opponent was taller. I motivated him and he went into the ring and fought. He tried to get his head but got kicked on his head instead.

Scoreline after 1st round was 7-0. After the break he went in and fought more aggressively and the tie was 2-2 but he lost 9-2. Still it was a good fight.

It was a really good experience for my students in this competition as this is an eye opener for them. There were good fighters as well as bad fighter. What they lost was only lack of experience and this competition is a good platform for them to gain experience.

All in all I was proud of you guys no matter what the results. For me, the result is secondary, the important thing is your performance.

WELL DONE, YOU GUYS !!!

Also Mentor

As a Taekwondo coach/instructor, our role not just limited to just that. We are also a mentor to the students. As a mentor, it is also part of our responsibility to help to guide these students to be a better individual. Not just focus to improve them in taekwondo.

Mentor as in guiding them ans assisting them whenever they're 'lost' direction in their life. We just another avenue for them other than their parents or family members to seek advice and guidance. Then we must try our best to assist them. Due to this we ourselves have to keep in touch with the latest happening in the social world, education etc. Provide them with the best advice possible and also provide them with options or choices that they can choose. Then let them decide on their own.

I, personally had provide advice and guidance to many of my students who have since either graduated or undergo undergraduate or postgraduate studies. There are a few of them who requested me to be their referee, which I'm gladly agree. They turn to be a better person. Those who graduated end up doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners etc. I am very rpoud of them and i wish they are proud of me too.

So our role as a taekwondo coach/instructor is not just limited as coaching taekwondo skill, we also coach them about life skill and survivor skill. Students should not be shy to interact with their coaches as these coaches might be able to guide you in life.

Taekwondo Oath

After all these year of training taekwondo, only recently I found out that there's actually a taekwondo oath. I'm not sure if this is a official taekwondo oath or just something that created by someone or some organization. Anyhow I find this oath to be something all taekwondo practitioners should be abide to.

• I shall observe the tenets of Taekwondo.
• I shall respect the instructor and seniors.
• I shall never misuse Taekwondo.
• I shall be a champion of freedom and justice.
• I shall build a more peaceful world.