Sept 15, 2006 – The gymnasium at Good Hope School was filled with kids and adults ranging from ages 4 to 30 years old, all kicking and yelling under the close instruction of Taekwondo masters.
The first Olympic Taekwondo Training Camp, Referee Seminar and Tournament is sponsored by Virgin Islands Taekwondo Federation in conjunction with Fitness and Martial Arts Production. The weekend seminar will allow for training of students and referees.
Participants in the camp will be taught basic principles of training, including physical conditioning, circuit training and kinesiology. They will also have segments on warm up, flexibility, hogu drills, pal chagui drills, sparring techniques and partner drills.
Referees are required to have a black belt, the highest rank in martial arts; yet the training class was also be open to interested parents who wanted to know the rules of tournaments.
Referee training will consist of seminars explaining the duties of a referee, rules, hand signals and understanding the electronic scoring system in modern competition.
V.I. Taekwondo Federation program director Fermin Rodriguez said the community of martial arts is like a family.
Parental involvement is integral in the success of student advancement in the sport. Amanda Hartzog, mother of two active boys currently attending the camp, said she started to see her oldest son's talent when he gained his first trophy.
The very out-going Wilfredo Perez is a brown belt at 10 years old; he has only been training for four years.
"Don't just drop off your child and pick him up," said Hartzog. "Stay and get to know the instructors."
Hartzog said she noticed an increase in both her son's academics. "They have learned how to structure their time," she said.
The federation will be hosting a camp for coaches in three months and another Olympic camp in six months. For more information on the upcoming camps contact Fermin Rodriguez at 643-2265. For more information on how to enroll your child in Taekwondo, you can contact the many schools in the area.
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