Members will have a better chance of passing their grading if they attend the grading preparation workshop. After all, they know exactly what the examiners want.
The details of the next grading workshop are as follows.
Date : Saturday 6 December 2008
Time : 4.00 to 7.00pm
Place : National Training Centre (NTC)
Dress Code : ‘Dobok’
Certification : Certificate of Participation
Fee : $30
Closing Date : 28 November 2008
It is open to black belts, poom belts and red belts (senior and junior).
The workshop will be conducted by senior examiners who will help participants understand what they have to do to succeed in the grading. As many who had attended the workshop made it in their grading, coaches are urged to encourage their eligible members to attend.
The Singapore Taekwondo Federation will be organizing the Taekwondo Coaching Course (Level 2) and Taekwondo Coaching Course (Level 1) in November and December 2008 respectively.
Taekwondo Coaching (Level 2)
Dates: 15, 16, 22 and 23 November 2008
Taekwondo Coaching (Level 1)
Dates: 20, 21, 27 and 28 December 2008
The registration form and more details of the two courses are attached. If you need more information, you may contact Jolene, Theresa or Rosalind at 63451491 or email the STF at tkdf@pacific.net.sg.
The Federation will be conducting an open selection trial for the 13th Asian Cities Gold Cup Taekwondo Championships (junior & senior) which will be held from 6 to 8 February 2009 in Hong Kong and the 25th SEA Games (senior only) which will be held in Laos in December 2009.
The selection schedule is as follows.
Date – 30 November 2008 (Sunday)
Weigh-in – 12.00pm to 1.30pm
Selection – 2.00pm onwards
Venue – STF National Training Centre
80 Lorong Limau
#04-191
Singapore 320080
Eligibility – At least a 1st dan or poom blackbelt
Good fitness level (the STF reserves the right to
request proof from a medical practitioner)
We would like to invite your players to participate in the trials.
Please fill in the attached form and submit it to the Secretariat by Friday, 28 November 2008. We reserve the right not to accept late submission. There is no limit to the number of players you can field. The trials are open to Singapore Citizens only. A copy of their blackbelt certificate or card and identity card must be attached with the submission form.
Registered players for the trials are to report at the National Training Centre before 12.00pm. They shall be considered for the category based on their actual weight at the weigh-in and not according to the weight submitted in the form as we do not want to disqualify any players. No weight allowance will be given.
Please take note the following.
Players shorlisted for the 25th SEA Games 2009 will automatically qualify for representation at the Asian Cites tournament. To be eligible for the tournament, international competitions and overseas trainings prior to the SEA Games, they must fulfill the training requirements (minimum 15 hours a week) from the time they are shortlisted.
Other selected players for the 13th Asian Cities must meet the training requirements (minimum 15 hours a week) from the time that they have been selected to be eligible for participation in the tournament.
The selection trials and Player’s Undertaking forms are attached. The Player’s Undertaking forms must be signed by parents for players under the age of 21 years old.
Players will not be allowed to participate in the selection trials if they do not comply with the administrative requirements.
The Korea Festival 2008 comprising all aspects of Korean culture – from traditional to contemporary – will kick off on 1 November 2008. There will be eight events. Five of which are designed to appeal to a wider audience.
When you talk about Korean culture, you have to include taekwondo – Korea’s gift to the world.
Working closely with the Korean Embassy, the Singapore Taekwondo Federation will be organizing the Taekwondo Spectacular in conjunction with the Korea Festival 2008. The show will be held as follows.
Date:Sunday 9 November 2008
Time:7.30 pm
Venue:Toa Payoh Sports Hall
The Taekwondo Spectacular will feature electrifying performances by both the Korean Demonstration Team and the Singapore National Demonstration Team. It promises to give spectators a breathtaking visual treat for their entertainment pleasure.
The best part of it all is: Admission is free. It is open to all members of the public. You may record the performances from the gallery. However, you have to be early as the gates will be closed as soon as the hall is filled. So be early to avoid any disappointment or unpleasantness.
For more information, please call Jolene, Theresa or Rosalind at 6345 1491 or email the STF at tkdf@pacific.net.sg.
Mr Milan Kwee, President of the Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF), met Dr Lau Teik Soon, the first STF President, at lunch on 17 September 2008. He was accompanied by other senior officials – Mr Steven Soh, Mr RA Jeyaraman, Mr Chin Khee Shin and Mr Lim Teong Chin – who knew Dr Lau during the STF formative years.
Standing (L-R) : Mr Steven Soh, Mr Lim Teong Chin & Mr RA Jeyaraman Seated (L-R) : Mr Milan Kwee, Dr Lau Teik Soon & Mr Chin Khee Shin
After briefly catching up on their lives, they talked about the development of the STF and the direction the organisation should take. Dr Lau was visibly happy that the STF was doing well and was positioned to achieve more successes.
As the first President in 1974, Dr Lau had an unenviable task of getting the clubs which were at loggerheads to come together under the STF, a newly formed national sports association. He succeeded in doing so during his watch simply because of his outstanding leadership. After passing the baton to the next President, LTC Jimmy Yap, in 1978, he became STF Advisor until he was succeeded by Mr Heng Chieng Meng.
From the conversation, one thing stood out: Dr Lau still has the STF interest at heart.
The 2008 World Mudo Festival and Cup will be held form 24 October to 4 November 2008 in Jeolnamdo, South Korea.
The event promises participants an opportunity to experience the culture and martial arts of Korea. It will include tours to various places of cultural interest and participation in the Mudo Festival as spectators. Participants can take advantage of the trip to visit Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Centre) and the martial arts shops within walking distance of the Centre.
The Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) is planning a trip for blackbelts who are interested in the event. The airticket per head is about $1,250. This does not include local transport, meals and accommodation.
Please register your interest by calling Jolene, Theresa or Rosalind at 63451491.
75 black belts including 9 examiners packed the National Training Centre on 21 September 2008. They were there for different reasons – a few to share their knowledge, a number to learn the poomsae for their grading and the rest to upgrade their qualification from Level 1 to Level 2.
The course was conducted by two international poomsae referees. They were assisted by qualified Level 3 poomsae coaches.
The participants went through 5 poomsae from Koryo (1st dan pattern) to Sipjin (5th dan pattern). They learned the finer points of each poomsae by going through basic drills before performing the poomsae.
While it was a challenge for most participants to pick up five poomsae in one session, a few of them were able to focus on correcting their movements as they had prior knowledge of the poomsae.
Those who were going for Level 2 were required to take a test. Although they were given one week to practice for the test, 12 of them preferred to be tested at the end of the course. Of the 12 who took the test, 2 failed.
The two participants who did not make it were allowed to come back on Sunday 28 September 2008 at 2pm at the NTC for a retest. They would join the rest who required the extra week of practice.
The list of participants for the upgrading course is attached. The result of the upgrading test would be announced next week.
Responding to feedback from coaches and team managers, the Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) Management Committee in its monthly meeting in September decided to restrict the participation of red belt holders in all competitions organized or sanctioned by the STF to a maximum of two years from the date they obtained their grades.
Safety and fairness are the primary reasons for the decision. The Committee agreed that it would be dangerous for a red belt player with many years of fighting experience to compete with a fresh red belt holder. It was also unfair to allow players whose standards were vastly different to participate in the same event.
The period of eligibility to compete in the red belt category means that, if a player obtains his red belt (Grade 2) on 4 October 2008, he can compete in any tournament up to 3 October 2010 as a red belt. It does not matter when he achieves his red belt (Grade 1).
The Committee is also looking into allowing head kicks for junior players (14 to 17 years old). There are two strong opposing views. In the nutshell, one group objects to the introduction because of safety reason. The other group supports it because it will better prepare the players for international competitions.
Team managers, coaches and players are invited to email the STF at tkdf@pacific.net.sg their views on the matter.
13 members from 8 clubs participated in the Grading Preparation Workshop organized on 14 September 2008 at the National Training Centre.
The course was conducted by the Chairman of the Board of Examiners. He was assisted by three senior examiners, Chin Khee Shin, RA Jeyaraman and Wong Liang Ming.
The primary objective of the course was to make sure that participants are aware of their weaknesses which could cause their undoing during the grading.
Wong Liang Ming told the participants: “After this course, you should be able to tell why some candidates fail. If you fail to make the grade, you should also be able know why.
“If you feel that you are not ready for the grading, you should postpone it. The examiners are not ‘blind’. They can see clearly when you make a mistake. The same mistake can be considered as a major or a minor error depending on the circumstances.”
She went on to explain in detail what she meant.
The participants showed that they understood her message when they had their practices.
Under the watchful eyes of the experienced examiners, every mistake made by the participants were pointed out and corrected.
Knowing the expectations of the examiners very well, the participants would be taking their grading ready to give the examiners what they wanted.
