However, Tae Kwon Do probably will not and cannot be standardized because of its fragmentation. Each instructor and organization will teach its own variation of technique and how to apply it. This is what happens when you don't have a dominant figure at the top. It will happen with the ITF and ATA since Choi and Lee are, if it is not happening already, and is happening with the WTF. No one man is strong enough to say "Teach this way".
I have to half-way agree with you MichiganTKD. I will use ATA as an example for standardization of TKD because of it's size and growth.
I think as far as an organization goes, fragmentation can be avoided. The founder of the ATA passed away in 2000 and his brother took over without a hitch and the ATA is still experiencing growth. I think this is not only because the late Lee was a strong, charismatic leader, but because he built a vision and was able to make others believe in that vision. Before he died, he figured out how to divide the power so all the senior ranks would be satisfied. It will be interesting to see what will happen when this Grand Master passes away, but I can easily see a situation where everything continues to run smoothly because of the strong dedication many of the instructors have up the direct chain-of-command. While I have heard of schools leaving the ATA, I think the ATA has strong incentives for an instructor to stay with our program.
As far as the break down of technique, I agree to an extent. Not all ATA schools teach all the same material and teach it the same way and no one in the organization will say "DO IT THIS WAY!" I believe this is a good and bad thing. Bad for obvious reasons because the organzation can lose cohearancy, but good because it allows our techniques to continue to evolve. The ATA has been cracking down on "errant" instructors now. Every instructor must be certifed through a representative of our HQ. Every 4th degree must test before our Masters at a National event. In order to compete at our touranments, students need to do set forms and be judges by different instructors. So while instructors are allowed to teach their own material and teach it in their own way, the ATA has a base line that every instructor MUST teach and it has to be taught the way the ATA wants it taught or else you will fail your testings and you will have your instructor credientials removed. Not only that, your students will start failing at tournaments and when they start testing at higher ranks. I personally do not see the ATA fragmenting, but anything is possible.
I did not mean this as a rant to defend the ATA, but I do want to use the ATA as a possible model to standardize TKD, regardless of opinions of the organization itself. It has a strong buisness model, the organzation maintains a standardization of technique through closed tournaments, instructor certifications, and national testings, and it allows variation of technique. I believe that if we want to standardize TKD, we would need to have a dire reason to standardize everything.
I think one way to standardize TKD would be to revamp the material. Get the heads of the TKD organizations together and work out a set rank system, modified forms to be used at each ranks and basics that must be taught at that rank, including rank requirements. From there integrate the students and seniors from both sides into that ranks system and create a "Master's council" made up of the senior ranks. This way nobody gets "demoted". Slowly implement instructor camps, national testings, closed touranments for the first few years, etc. in order to get the new curriculum spread and taught. You would lose a lot of schools, but once the organization gets on it's feet and starts expanding, it would become strong and big enough to make it an attractive option for independant TKD schools.
Just my thoughts though.
