II dan certificate lost - United Tae Kwon Do Union

[Jona.smith]

Hi, so I received my Il dan back in 1986 and lost my certificate. The school has since closed and instructor has passed away (moved back to Korea in 1988/89). I took lessons in Baltimore, Md at United Tae Kwon Do Union and am looking to start back up and take it with my daughter, anyone know how I can obtain a replacement certificate, as I don’t they had a database to enter it in back then. Any suggestion is appreciated!!

 

[WaterGal]

Do you recall what federation/organization name was on the certificate? (Kukkiwon, ITF, ATA, etc)

If you got a Kukkiwon dan certificate, you should be able to go on their website and look it up in their database. However, you have to spell your name exactly the same as it was spelled on your certificate. (i.e. if you applied as Jane Mary Smith, and you type in Jane M Smith, it won't find you.)

 

[Jona.smith]

Do you recall what federation/organization name was on the certificate? (Kukkiwon, ITF, ATA, etc)

If you got a Kukkiwon dan certificate, you should be able to go on their website and look it up in their database. However, you have to spell your name exactly the same as it was spelled on your certificate. (i.e. if you applied as Jane Mary Smith, and you type in Jane M Smith, it won't find you.)

I don’t remember, it’s been awhile. I could reach out to them and see if I am in one then maybe I will luck out.
I did a lot of moving and don’t have any documentation from back then. Do I just look up each organization?

 

[Dirty Dog]

Or you could just not worry about it, go sign up with your daughter, and train. There's a pretty good chance the school you sign up with will have a different curriculum anyway. And how much of the curriculum do you remember after some 35 years?
Which would you rather be, the guy in the black belt and everybody wonders why, or the guy in the white belt and everybody wonders why?

 

[skribs]

Or you could just not worry about it, go sign up with your daughter, and train. There's a pretty good chance the school you sign up with will have a different curriculum anyway. And how much of the curriculum do you remember after some 35 years?
Which would you rather be, the guy in the black belt and everybody wonders why, or the guy in the white belt and everybody wonders why?

The only problem with this is if you want to start teaching, you have to wait until you get your black belt. While a transfer student might not know the curriculum, they will know a lot of the basics (how to properly kick, punch, do a front stance, etc.).

 

[Dirty Dog]

The only problem with this is if you want to start teaching, you have to wait until you get your black belt. While a transfer student might not know the curriculum, they will know a lot of the basics (how to properly kick, punch, do a front stance, etc.).

Not necessarily, because there are differences between systems. Doing a front stance as it is taught by the KKW will be considered wrong in a MDK school.
If you want to teach, and the instructor thinks you know enough to teach newer students, then your belt is irrelevant.
If you want to teach independently, in a system you studied 35 years ago, your belt is also irrelevant. Because get real.

 

[skribs]

Not necessarily, because there are differences between systems. Doing a front stance as it is taught by the KKW will be considered wrong in a MDK school.

An experienced student (with an open mind) can generally fix these differences easier than a new student can learn them. Even then, there's going to be less differences between the MDK front stance and KKW front stance, than there will between either of them and what students do when first learning. Students will get most of the details "right" with either teacher teaching them.

If you want to teach, and the instructor thinks you know enough to teach newer students, then your belt is irrelevant.

Depends on the culture of the school. We have plenty of students that could have coached even at white belt (considering prior experience) and haven't had the opportunity to. I was able to start teaching officially at blue belt, but I think that was more a lack of availability of any higher belts (all were either kids or had kids and the obligations that go along with them).

 

[Dirty Dog]

An experienced student (with an open mind) can generally fix these differences easier than a new student can learn them. Even then, there's going to be less differences between the MDK front stance and KKW front stance, than there will between either of them and what students do when first learning. Students will get most of the details "right" with either teacher teaching them.

Regardless, the decision on whether to let him teach will be based on how he is doing in that school, and a belt from another school should have zero impact on that decision.

I've taught for a couple years now (possibly longer than you have been alive), and in my experience, students that come in from another system and want to wear their rank don't last long. Because when you're wearing a black belt and can't perform the material, you look a fool. And people don't like to look foolish.

And, of course, the OP wasn't about teaching...

 

[dvcochran]

The only problem with this is if you want to start teaching, you have to wait until you get your black belt. While a transfer student might not know the curriculum, they will know a lot of the basics (how to properly kick, punch, do a front stance, etc.).

I suppose, but the OP had nothing to do with teaching.
It would be much better for her and a great impression to make on her kid to start at the beginning. She may advance quicker, may not. That is a big gap in time to deal with, especially with a likely different curriculum.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

To the original poster, how long has it been since you actually trained regularly? If it’s been 30+ years, then I’d second the recommendation to just start over at the beginning. You’ll probably be able to pick things up more quickly the second time around. However the odds of you still being able to perform at a black belt level right away if you haven’t trained for decades is rather low.

 

[Jona.smith]

I have already talked with the instructor and was going to register as White Belt due to the time and he recommended checking and he would work directly with me to get me back up to speed.

Watching the forms in class and some of the curriculum seems very familiar to me...and I know and understand that I would not be anywhere close to how I performed back then (a lot older and not in the same shape...lol.

I appreciate everyone's comments and recommendations

 

[skribs]

And, of course, the OP wasn't about teaching...

Maybe not right now. But goals and aspirations change.

 

[dvcochran]

Hi, so I received my Il dan back in 1986 and lost my certificate. The school has since closed and instructor has passed away (moved back to Korea in 1988/89). I took lessons in Baltimore, Md at United Tae Kwon Do Union and am looking to start back up and take it with my daughter, anyone know how I can obtain a replacement certificate, as I don’t they had a database to enter it in back then. Any suggestion is appreciated!!

To add to my previous post and better answer your question, unfortunately I seriously doubt there is anyway to research and find your belt history/information. Especially if you trained at a local school with a small organizational affiliation or no federation affiliation at at all.
I know this is a bummer but I am certain when you get back to training and shed the trappings of the past you will be better for it.
If you get into a good program with a good instructor have a talk with him/her about your old belting. If things come back to you quickly and you are exceeding your current level you may be able to jump a few belts. That said, just like in your original training, don’t be in a rush and enjoy the journey.

 

[skribs]

To add to my previous post and better answer your question, unfortunately I seriously doubt there is anyway to research and find your belt history/information. Especially if you trained at a local school with a small organizational affiliation or no federation affiliation at at all.
I know this is a bummer but I am certain when you get back to training and shed the trappings of the past you will be better for it.
If you get into a good program with a good instructor have a talk with him/her about your old belting. If things come back to you quickly and you are exceeding your current level you may be able to jump a few belts. That said, just like in your original training, don’t be in a rush and enjoy the journey.

@Jona.smith The only thing I could think is maybe if you had some of your old classmates on Facebook and they have their certs.

 

[Hanshi]

I'll just jump in late with a sorta "example" or two. I've belonged, a very long time, to an organization that is very inclusive. For someone such a yourself who's been out of training the organization would bring them in, sometimes at their original belt level or maybe at white belt - An evaluation was used to assign a rank - in a "probation" status. As soon as the candidate trained up to their original rank a certificate would be awarded for that rank.

After I had to retire I found a taekwondo/hapkido school that had very good "vibes". I was the same rank as the grandmaster/owner, albeit in a different art, yet I still had substantial in those two styles. We became close friends and I was able to teach some plus got to train same as any of the teaching staff. I had no interest in any kind of ranking I just wanted to stay in shape. He did get me registered at shodan level at the Kukiwon in his tkd style/tradition. He told me I needed a "real" grandmaster belt and had one made up like his. I moved a few years ago but still stay in contact with my friends there.

I guess what I'm saying is that you will likely be fairly evaluated, brought up to snuff and recertified. Been there, done that.