Another great Halloween in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. Over 80 kids dressed up and had fun at Currumbin at the annual Halloween Party. In Brisbane, we had 2 celebrations. ON Friday 31 October, the little tigers and juniors dressed up, played games and eat plenty of halloween food. The following night. we had a Movie and Pizza night as well as games and a haunted house. Special thanks to John Feenstra for all the props. Looking forward to another Halloween next year.
A total of 74 juniors competed in the 2nd Grading Comp for the year. The event was held on the 25th October with some 35 fights in the 3 hour window. For many of the students it was their first taste of Olympic Taekwondo. Each student was required to do their current patterns as well as compete over 2 rounds under Olympic conditions. We use the grading comp to give parents and students an idea of what its like to compete. Hopefully many will do the sparring classes and enter the regular taekwondo competitions in Queensland. The highlight of the day was a special 3 on 3 teams competition in the first session. Special thanks goes to our officials (Ebenezer, Chelsea, Liam, Ash, Claire, Partick, Roseanna, and the Gibsons) The following students achieved Gold. Connor Nicolson 7 Yellow III Jasper Grierson 5 Blue I Isaac Taylor 6 Yellow II Minsuh Seo 7 Blue I Billie Diery 7 Yellow III Ruby Pyke 7 Yellow III Nathan Tan 7 Yellow II Dylan Wright 7 Purple/White Max Ryder 7 Red I Sebastian Lieu 8 Yellow II Daniel Egert 7 Yellow III Declan Lewis 7 Yellow II Samuel Chappell 8 Purple/White Finlay Grierson 9 Blue I Junsuh Seo 10 Red I Kai Asnicar 8 Yellow III Kiran Brijesh 8 Red I Blake Fennell 9 Blue I Abigail Manders 8 Red I Ashlee Taylor 8 Yellow II James Naylor 9 Blue I Jeremiah Anderson 8 Yellow III Mitchell Egert 10 Red II TJ Leaver 9 1st Dan Oliver Pyke 10 Blue II Hannah Jones 10 Red I Connor Leahy 12 Blue II Joshua Mitchell 13 Red I Laura Leddie 11 Red I Jaimee Taylor 11 Blue II [...]
More than 300 students successfully grade at the end of term 3. Grading held over the last 2 weeks included Brisbane, Currumbin, Caboolture and Ipswich. Of all the students grading, we had 3 successfully reach 1st Dan black belt. Ella Gowlett who just turned 11 achieved Junior black belt. The daughter of Master Darryl Gowlett, Ella was a bit nervous but show great techniques and poise. Below are a few words from Ella about Taekwondo. Becoming a Black Belt would be a big achievement for me. After nearly 7 years of participating in Taekwondo I feel I am ready to become a Black Belt. I have been training to my fullest potential and I think it has improved my self-confidence, as well as developing my Taekwondo techniques. A further benefit to this is my balance is much better. I have taken this journey with my father as my instructor. I look up to my Dad and see the passion he has for Taekwondo. Even though, at this stage I cannot feel the same way. I am beginning to understand why he feels the way he does. Along with Dad I look up to Chrissie Bowie. Chrissie is inspiring and I hope to be as good as her one day. I could do this by continuing my training and striving to be better. I believe my responsibilities as a Black Belt are to help other students reach their goal of becoming a Black Belt, instructing and listening to their needs, I will make sure I am polite and respectful when they ask me a question. Becoming a Black Belt would make me proud, my instructors proud and my family proud. I think the most proudest person [...]
Tan's Currumbin performed a number of Taekwondo demonstrations for the opening week of the new movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Premier was held at VMAX Events Cinema Robina on the Gold Coast. Song: Shell Shocked
Chelsea Hobday has just returned from the 1st Word Cadet Taekwondo Championships in Baku Azerbaijan. The inaugural cadet championships, which are for the youth aged between 12 and 14, had 578 athletes and 286 officials from 63 countries. Chelsea was one of 2 Australian girls which made it though to the Quarter finals and narrowly missed out on a medal. With only seconds to go, Chelsea appeared to score with a kick to the head of the French girl. That would have put the score 14-12 in Chelsea's favour. After a video replay, the kick was too close to call and the initial decision was upheld. Some would argue that if the kick had have scored and the other side protested, then the point would have remained. Chelsea is now in training for the Australian Open in Sydney on 16 & 17 August. To view both of Chelsea's fights you can go to the following links. Chelsea vs Jordan Chelsea vs France
Taekwondo exponent, Chelsea Hobday leaves this Saturday for the World Cadet Taekwondo Championships. For 14-year-old Chelsea, this will be her first international competition. The 1st Cadet World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan is the biggest Taekwondo event for Juniors 12 – 14 years. Over 1000 athletes from some 100 countries will take part in the inaugural Championships from 24 – 27 July 2014. Taekwondo, which had been an Official Olympic sport since 2000, has added the Cadets to the Junior, Para and Seniors World calendar. Chelsea trains 5 times per week - 3 nights at Coorparoo and 2 nights at Tans Currumbin. Chelsea started Taekwondo 3 years ago after earning a black slash in Kung fu. Through hard training, Chelsea has made a successful transition and a rapid rise to the top of her division. She is undefeated in the Cadet ranks of Taekwondo in Queensland. The club is right behind Chelsea and is currently holding a KickAThon to assist with the cost of her trip.
Life skills through Taekwondo 7th Dan Taekwondo essay by Michael Tan 2005 Preface For many years I wondered why the length of time in each Dan increased, as you got higher. Initially I thought it was purely to keep the Dans in perspective. Where would it end if people were allowed to grade every year or so. I always new the time in the grade gave you experience and knowledge. It is only after reflecting on this time that one realises this knowledge is something no practical grading can ever test. This is one of the reasons why we should always respect our seniors. They have a wealth of knowledge; which one should explore. This essay is about what has kept me doing Taekwondo when all around me have quit. In writing this essay I will endeavour to give an insight as to what I have learnt from Taekwondo. I shall touch on the challenges, the set backs and the future of Taekwondo for me. There is not a day that goes pass where Taekwondo has not entered my life. It has been that way for some 20 years since the opening of our own club and taking on the responsibility of instructing others. Now at the age of 40, Taekwondo has given me great pleasures for more than ¾ of my life (33 years). Taekwondo is many things to many people; it has so many mystical powers that it becomes part of your life. I was first introduced to through my father and his friends. They had started in 1971 and were blue belts by the time I started. Back then Martial Arts were just starting to boom in Australia as a [...]
Grand Master Sung Soo Lee (9th Dan) came to Brisbane to conduct Dan gradings in both Hapkido and Taekwondo. Among those grading was Head Instructor Michael Tan who was grading for 6th Dan Hapkido with Gabriel Estay. Michael and Gabriel were successful and are now Masters of Hapkido with more than 20 years experience. For Master Tan this is his 2nd higher dan to go with his 8th Dan in Taekwondo. Each Hapkido grading consists of rolling, self defence sets and weapons. All grading are recognised by the Korea Hapkido Federation and the Australia Moo Hak Kwan Association. The following students successfully passed on the weekend. HAPKIDO Michael Tan 6th Dan Gabriel Estay 6th Dan Shane Hartmann 3rd Dan bo Carlos Lakerdis 2nd Dan Allan Coggins 2nd Dan Chrissie Bowie 2nd Dan bo Andrew James 2nd Dan bo Werner Piehler 2nd Dan bo Stephen Clark 1st Dan Dustin Howlett 1st Dan TAEKWONDO Louie Beatty 3rd Dan Josh Halter 3rd Dan bo Leigh Crowley 3rd Dan bo Lachlan Crowley 3rd Dan bo Jack Willsher 2nd Dan Zac Biddle 2nd Dan
During the holidays we run a modified time table. Monday & Wednesdays 10am Little Tigers 10.30am Games (all) 11.00am Juniors Tues, Thurs and Fridays 4pm Little Tigers 4.30pm Games (all) 5.00pm Juniors Saturdays 9.30am Little Tigers 10.00am All Others. Closed Good Friday to Easter Monday. And Anzac Day. Have a happy Easter. Please download the following timetable here.
In February we traveled to the US to attend one of the largest international competitions in the world. The last time I was at the US Open was in Hawaii in 2000. That was when I was single and part of the Olympic program. Apart from the Olympic team, our club entered 5 players in their first major international. Now some 14 years later some of those players are coaches taking a new breed of competitors from Tans to the US Open. Its a proud moment to see the legacy remains and the passion for Olympic sparring continue. I was also lucky enough to bring the family to Vegas to see the competition and catch up with friends. For our sons Liam and Nathan, it was their first trip to the US and we took in most of the sites such as Disneyland, Hollywood and Skiing. Apart from the big cities, it was great to show them the country as we traveled some 18 hours by car from LA to Vegas to Mammoth and back to LA. Two weeks was long enough, and we are now back at the club and preparing students for gradings and competitions. 2000 Team Roaster Manager - Shane Hartmann Coach -Michael Tan Referee -Darryl Gowlett Players Ben Hartmann Daniel Hartmann Byron Coleborne George Carmichael Luk Wolfe 2014 Team Roaster Head of Team - Michael Tan Manager - Jo Hartmann Coaches - Ben & Daniel Hartmann Players Sam Northey Billy Crean Kyle Nolan Zhanna Sattsaeva Jack Willsher Presley Johnson Travis Richard Arden Lovis
