What about grassroots? This has become the battle cry of the disenchanted taekwondo practitioner and keyboard warrior alike. How can our NGB not care about little Johnny green belt (our future Olympian), his parents (The Cash) and of course his teacher (Who fought once at a real USTU/USAT tournament)?
Membership is down because all the USAT does is work with elite athletes; how dare them. In fact, many of the athletes on the US Team all come from the same schools. Those athletes left their homes and moved to Miami or Texas to devote their time and effort and train with former world level athletes, how can they do that? What can they learn from them that I cannot teach? It is not fair to little Johnny cause he does not have that kind of time and cannot afford to do that.
What about the old masters; they threw them out. Sure they were self serving and did get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar but that is just Korean .right? I have to do what they say, even if they used to HAND PICK the US Team by getting athletes to bow out in the finals you know, cause that is what you do for seniors.
I could continue my sarcastic diatribe intended to poke fun at the complaints, but in reality some of the problems with the USAT are real - welcome to the world of sports.
Our NGBs primary job is the field the best US Team in taekwondo sparring and now poomsae. Whether you believe it or not, they try to do this. It is not perfect but I beg the readers to actually do some homework and compare and contrast the current USAT methodology with other Olympic sports. This trend is not just used by taekwondo administrators, but rather seams to be a popular sports management style pervasive in the USOC. This is not my specialty but I work with other educators who do research and coach in several other Olympic sports. Reading sports management papers and even finding other forums, like this one, about other sports might enlighten one the fact that we are not alone.
All that being said, my real point is to grassroots. I assume that when people speak of grassroots they are referring to the non-elite, ordinary and non-pro taekwondo practitioners. The $25,000 question, How is your NGB hurting you? Be careful how you answer because 99% of what I read from you does not even apply to you specifically. Remember we are talking about grassroots. Question two, What do want from the USAT, SPECIFICALLY, to help grassroots?
Though I ask these questions rhetorically, I hope that some real thought can occur. I believe that grassroots has nothing to do with the USAT at all. Grassroots, however, has everything to do with YOU! What have you done for grassroots beside cry about it on the Internet? Are you not an instructor, participant and advocate? Grassroots is our responsibility and do you really want the NGB to tell you how to teach, motivate and develop taekwondo students?
In Michigan, our state organization is on the front lines when it comes to grassroots. We offer free training, for state members, in both sparring and poomsae. One of our vice-presidents brings in successful US fighters/coaches to give clinics to elite and non-elite alike. As a US Team member I also give seminars on improving poomsae performance for practice, testing and competition. We have a couple of International Referees and they help train future refs. Our goals are not to make champions but rather encourage and promote the practice of taekwondo. This is grassroots and we do not need the USAT directly to help us; they do their job and we will do ours.
Bad mouthing, complaining and promoting negative actions do not give any future students the tools to become successful taekwondo practitioners or become an elite athlete. Get out there and get involved as a member of the USAT and take responsibility for grassroots yourself. If you do not have the connections or talents to motivate and educate your students just ask. We are all in this together and with or without the NGB we should promote good taekwondo. If you or your students have elite aspirations then embrace your NGB and help change it from the inside; it is going to be tough but we need soldiers not talkers.
Membership is down because all the USAT does is work with elite athletes; how dare them. In fact, many of the athletes on the US Team all come from the same schools. Those athletes left their homes and moved to Miami or Texas to devote their time and effort and train with former world level athletes, how can they do that? What can they learn from them that I cannot teach? It is not fair to little Johnny cause he does not have that kind of time and cannot afford to do that.
What about the old masters; they threw them out. Sure they were self serving and did get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar but that is just Korean .right? I have to do what they say, even if they used to HAND PICK the US Team by getting athletes to bow out in the finals you know, cause that is what you do for seniors.
I could continue my sarcastic diatribe intended to poke fun at the complaints, but in reality some of the problems with the USAT are real - welcome to the world of sports.
Our NGBs primary job is the field the best US Team in taekwondo sparring and now poomsae. Whether you believe it or not, they try to do this. It is not perfect but I beg the readers to actually do some homework and compare and contrast the current USAT methodology with other Olympic sports. This trend is not just used by taekwondo administrators, but rather seams to be a popular sports management style pervasive in the USOC. This is not my specialty but I work with other educators who do research and coach in several other Olympic sports. Reading sports management papers and even finding other forums, like this one, about other sports might enlighten one the fact that we are not alone.
All that being said, my real point is to grassroots. I assume that when people speak of grassroots they are referring to the non-elite, ordinary and non-pro taekwondo practitioners. The $25,000 question, How is your NGB hurting you? Be careful how you answer because 99% of what I read from you does not even apply to you specifically. Remember we are talking about grassroots. Question two, What do want from the USAT, SPECIFICALLY, to help grassroots?
Though I ask these questions rhetorically, I hope that some real thought can occur. I believe that grassroots has nothing to do with the USAT at all. Grassroots, however, has everything to do with YOU! What have you done for grassroots beside cry about it on the Internet? Are you not an instructor, participant and advocate? Grassroots is our responsibility and do you really want the NGB to tell you how to teach, motivate and develop taekwondo students?
In Michigan, our state organization is on the front lines when it comes to grassroots. We offer free training, for state members, in both sparring and poomsae. One of our vice-presidents brings in successful US fighters/coaches to give clinics to elite and non-elite alike. As a US Team member I also give seminars on improving poomsae performance for practice, testing and competition. We have a couple of International Referees and they help train future refs. Our goals are not to make champions but rather encourage and promote the practice of taekwondo. This is grassroots and we do not need the USAT directly to help us; they do their job and we will do ours.
Bad mouthing, complaining and promoting negative actions do not give any future students the tools to become successful taekwondo practitioners or become an elite athlete. Get out there and get involved as a member of the USAT and take responsibility for grassroots yourself. If you do not have the connections or talents to motivate and educate your students just ask. We are all in this together and with or without the NGB we should promote good taekwondo. If you or your students have elite aspirations then embrace your NGB and help change it from the inside; it is going to be tough but we need soldiers not talkers.
