The gym I belonged to in Indiana offered Taekwondo classes for kids. Thinking this would give my kids something to do while I worked out I signed them up. It was a very small class and they were the only kids. They got a lot of one on one instruction. It turned out that the owner was the grandmother of one of AJ's classmates.After we moved to Illinois I didn't have much luck finding an acceptable (close to my house) place for them to do Taekwondo. During the t-ball season of '05 we met some of our new neighbors and while discussing different sports the kids participated in we found out about a TKD school nearby. The owners/instructors were a married couple that were former olympians! Well, this I had to look into.
The kids were hooked from the first class on. This was nothing like what they had done before. Very structured and organized. No small classes. But very well run! We loved it.
The boys were dying to go to a tournament. We signed them up for a tournament in Rochester, MN for the first week a April '06. We planned a great long weekend with a side trip to the Mall of America. The trip was a success when each won a medal and spent a day at the theme park in the Mall.
This season started in September. The school was kicked out of their former home but found another school to merge with at the local family Y. The school hosted a tournament today with several schools traveling to Peoria to participate. The turnout for this was significantly less than the last tournament but that only improved their chances of winning a medal.
It turned out that they were in a group of only 3 kids competing against each other. My boys ended up getting gold and silver for the form competition!
The kids were hooked from the first class on. This was nothing like what they had done before. Very structured and organized. No small classes. But very well run! We loved it.
The boys were dying to go to a tournament. We signed them up for a tournament in Rochester, MN for the first week a April '06. We planned a great long weekend with a side trip to the Mall of America. The trip was a success when each won a medal and spent a day at the theme park in the Mall.
This season started in September. The school was kicked out of their former home but found another school to merge with at the local family Y. The school hosted a tournament today with several schools traveling to Peoria to participate. The turnout for this was significantly less than the last tournament but that only improved their chances of winning a medal.
It turned out that they were in a group of only 3 kids competing against each other. My boys ended up getting gold and silver for the form competition!
They got silver and bronze for breaking.
Sparring is probably the most exciting park of the competition. AJ loves it. Dillon would rather not do it.
AJ was pwned by his first opponent. Tears ensued.
AJ was pwned by his first opponent. Tears ensued.
Dillon was pwned as well.
AJ had to spar for 3rd place. He wasn't too thrilled about having to do it again after having his youknowwhat handed to him the first time, but he must have found something to get worked up about because he totally pwned this guy! Wooooooot! Another bronze medal.
My kids rock!
My kids rock!
3 comments:
Excellent - fighting myself later this month (here in the UK) & my 10 year old son also. We're certainly hoping to bring some medals home. You must be very proud of your boys, it's quite a thing to fight at a tournament, and will do wonders for the kids confidence.
Best
Andy
Taekwondo patterns
Andy,
It's a great sport! I love the self discipline aspect as well as the respect and courtesy for others.
I would consider doing it with them but I'm too busy with bowling.
boy that third kid musta sucked
:P
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