# Tae Kwon Do college sport?



## whitetigertkd (Apr 14, 2008)

Do you think tae kwon do will be a colligete sport in the near future? Because it is an olympic sport soo the next step would be college, right? And if it does become a colligete sport do you think  a lot of scholarships would be handed out in the begining?


----------



## IcemanSK (Apr 14, 2008)

whitetigertkd said:


> Do you think tae kwon do will be a colligete sport in the near future? Because it is an olympic sport soo the next step would be college, right? And if it does become a colligete sport do you think a lot of scholarships would be handed out in the begining?


 

Several universities do have team & university TKD is one of the ways to big TKD recognition. Stanford, UCLA & USC (to name a few) have teams. I don't know about scholarships, tho.


----------



## terryl965 (Apr 14, 2008)

Also like Michigan State, Texas AM, Texas there is over 2000 colleges that offer TKD programs. Scolarships are in the works for alot of them and some of them are already offerring partial ones.


----------



## Fluffy (Apr 15, 2008)

I think it would be hard for most colleges to have any real scholarships available.  Seems that the preference goes to the sports and generate money first, then your womens activities (generally do not generate all that much in profit) then the feel good sports - finally you have the chess, debate clubs.  I unfortunately think that TKD would be competing with those.  This is a good topic.


----------



## matt.m (Apr 15, 2008)

Yes this is a good topic indeed.  Hey if you get scholarships for cross country, football, basketball etc. then I don't see where TKD would not make money.  If marketed correctly then you would be able to put butts in the bleachers.

I haven't seen a lack of interest in viewing martial arts competitions.


----------



## YoungMan (Apr 15, 2008)

Taekwondo as a college sport? Sure. On the same level as other college sports like football, baseball, or basketball? Nope, and never will be. The interest other than a small built in fan base just isn't there.
Remember, colleges get their athletes from high schools who provide the sports students play before they get to college. How many high school Taekwondo programs that could act as feeder systems for college are there? Very few.


----------



## WMKS Shogun (Apr 20, 2008)

It would be nice to see some recognition, but at them same time, do you think colleges would place emphasis on the virtues and values that make Taekwondo different from say, boxing? It would likely turn into little more than college athletes trying to knock each other stupid. (I know, I am selling it short, but that is how it would likely be viewed).


----------



## mango.man (Apr 20, 2008)

Here is a short video on UCLA's program:

http://www.mookas.us/media_view.asp?news_no=1329


----------



## Twin Fist (Apr 20, 2008)

it would be interesting to see a college program really take off.


----------



## Laurentkd (Apr 21, 2008)

I started a Taekwondo club at the university I went to, which really helped me deal with being away from my dojang.  I had hopes that it would one day be on the level of rugby or ice hockey (a university sponsored competing club, but never on the level of football, basketball, baseball).  Unfortunately, I think you need an instructor who is there permanently for something like that to really succeed.  When it is student run and students leave after four years it is hard to make it really grow.  But there are schools out there that are successful.
You may also want to check out the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA) page.  http://www.ncta-usa.com/index.html


----------



## YoungMan (Apr 21, 2008)

One of our black belts did that years ago while attending Harvard. He was dissatisfied with Harvard's program so he started his own. Unfortunately, it's very hard to sustain a program like that if you're not faculty because you know you'll be moving on. Also, as a student, you have too many other things to worry about.


----------



## cflick (Apr 21, 2008)

At my university it's student ran/organized but the class is actually taught by 8th Dan Grandmaster K. Young Chai.

We have a fair amount of students that attend class. 
I'd say about 30 who are regular. 
And about 30 more that show up randomly.

We participate in a few collegiate tournaments around the area, and even host one. 
But they aren't like the tournaments most the board seems to participate in.
I mean the judging isn't "official" by any means.
The black belts judge the colored belts.
An the Instructors judge the black belts.

And of course there's never enough tournaments


----------



## cy1982 (Apr 21, 2008)

In Japan, we have many people who learn from university, and they get good people there.


----------



## Steel Tiger (Apr 21, 2008)

whitetigertkd said:


> Do you think tae kwon do will be a colligete sport in the near future? Because it is an olympic sport soo the next step would be college, right? And if it does become a colligete sport do you think a lot of scholarships would be handed out in the begining?


 
Well as you can see from the various post above TKD is well established in university's and colleges.  As to scholarship programs they will come simply because this is a 'sport' in which you can win an Olympic medal and that's an excellent promotional tool for any school.  

I think the best comparison to make for TKD is with Athletics.  It is not a massive generator of money but there are plenty of scholarships all because of the Olympics.


----------



## YoungMan (Apr 22, 2008)

Better enjoy Taekwondo as an Olympic sport while it lasts, because I think if the Kukkiwon/WTF undergoes serious problems in the next couple of years that may change. The IOC may very well say that if TKD cannot get its own house in order, it cannot stay in the Olympics.
If TKD loses its Olympic eligibility, then the ability to market that aspect to colleges in America will disappear.


----------



## dancingalone (Apr 22, 2008)

whitetigertkd said:


> Do you think tae kwon do will be a colligete sport in the near future? Because it is an olympic sport soo the next step would be college, right? And if it does become a colligete sport do you think  a lot of scholarships would be handed out in the begining?



TKD could be a niche NCAA sport for women in light of the Title IX policies.  I imagine the football factory schools would be interested in fielding a ladies TKD team (cheaply) to help offset the scholarship numbers consumed by football every year.


----------



## tkd1964 (Apr 22, 2008)

Steel Tiger said:


> Well as you can see from the various post above TKD is well established in university's and colleges. As to scholarship programs they will come simply because this is a 'sport' in which you can win an Olympic medal and that's an excellent promotional tool for any school.
> 
> I think the best comparison to make for TKD is with Athletics. It is not a massive generator of money but there are plenty of scholarships all because of the Olympics.


 
I honestly don't see a potential for scolarships unless it brings money to the University like Basketball or football. Plus, unless the competition can attract more viewers, I don't think TKD has long to be in the Olympics.


----------



## Steel Tiger (Apr 22, 2008)

YoungMan said:


> Better enjoy Taekwondo as an Olympic sport while it lasts, because I think if the Kukkiwon/WTF undergoes serious problems in the next couple of years that may change. The IOC may very well say that if TKD cannot get its own house in order, it cannot stay in the Olympics.
> If TKD loses its Olympic eligibility, then the ability to market that aspect to colleges in America will disappear.


 


tkd1964 said:


> I honestly don't see a potential for scolarships unless it brings money to the University like Basketball or football. Plus, unless the competition can attract more viewers, I don't think TKD has long to be in the Olympics.


 
You guys surprise me with these suggestions that TKD may not be long for the Olympics.  Is it a position that is becoming more common in the TKD world?  

And just as a counterpoint, it seems harder to get out of the Olympics than in these days.  Back when it was necessary to be an amateur sport, disciplines came and went (the US are still the reigining Rugby Olympic champions), but now, in the era of the professional sportsman?.  If athletics, cycling, and weightlifting with their astonishing drug issues continue to be considered Olympic sports then TKD has nothing to worry about.


----------



## YoungMan (Apr 23, 2008)

The sports you mentioned are also western sports that Americans care about. Much like judo, Taekwondo as a sport appeals to a niche segment of Americans who care about it. Most Americans really couldn't care less. There is a reason why Taekwondo sparring is relegated to 3:00 AM time slots and the western sports are not: they don't draw the prime crowds.
As more sports are added, others will have to be taken away so that the schedule is not overloaded. I really think that with the troubles the WTF and Kukkiwon are undergoing, lack of mass market appeal in America, the lack of feeder programs from high schools to colleges, and the entry of newer sports (including wushu), Taekwondo's days in the Olympics are numbered.
If I'm wrong fantastic.


----------

