USOC Slaps Down USAT- Link to Ruling

[mastercole]

Dear Mr. Eric Parthen

There are many state association presidents and officers (myself included) who are confused and some very upset at the latest email received from USAT regarding USAT Martial Arts Commission (MAC) organization. I am writing to you to explain my reasons and opinions and I hope you are willing to understand.


We received the email information for the USAT Martial Arts Commission (MAC) poomsae and dan certification seminar taking place at US Open. The MAC contract/term with USAT expired in December 2011. Did you sign and renew their contract? If you did, please tell me where this was published or announcement to the public. Please tell me your reason on continuing their term? I am disappointed that you do not recognize the enormous mistake you are making by keeping MAC association part of USA Taekwondo. MAC is a cancer to USAT that will slowly hurt our NGB and eventually lead to the demise of our state association. You said in our last state president meeting that state associations are vital to the success of USA Taekwondo but this MAC organization is hindering our growth and success.


I know you are new as CEO but you must know this upfront, other state associations will not be pleased with news that you are continuing to work with USAT MAC. If MAC was like a Referee Committee or Tournament Committee and did only committee work, that would be acceptable, but they are taking over State Association roles and preventing state associations to grow. WHY would you support an organization that hinders our states to grow? If MAC wants to host an event in a state, they should be required to contact that state association for support and work together. There is major conflict having two separate state assocations MAC and of the official assocation. WE NEED TO UNITE AND SUPPORT USAT NOT CAUSE CONFUSION AND SEPARATION.

Please review everything USAT MAC has done in the past and you will find that they have not had much success. In fact, due to MAC our State Associations have had many problems. Due to MAC affiliation with USAT, people are confused about which association is the official USAT State assocation. Last year, MAC in Michigan held their own state championship and competed against the official State Championship qualifier and both were unsuccessful. MAC should not be allowed to host official state championships.

I don't know if you are aware, but because USAT MAC conducted a Kukkiwon seminar last year, many Grandmasters and Masters had bad experiences from that seminar at US Open and USAT reputation was tainted. Former President Sang Lee is having legal fight with Kukkiwon for over $2 million because of a breach of contract due to MAC holding that dan seminar. The reason why I bring this to your attention is because I want you to understand, MAC does not think or care about rules and repercussions- only about making a few dollars. I fear that they will make a mistake and bring problems for USAT too.

There are many things that I would like to address regarding the USAT MAC invitation for the USAT National Dan Certification Test taking place on February 23 at US Open.


The picture of a black belt on the information packet has "USAT - MARTIAL ARTS COMMISSION" in English and above in Korean is written "USA Taekwondo Martial Arts Union" making it look like it's an official organization like USTU/USAT- NOT a martial arts commission. It gives people the wrong impression and is falsely misusing the korean words. The invitation letter is signed, "Eric Parthen, CEO, USA Taekwondo" and "Senior Grandmaster Joon P. Choi, PRESIDENT, USAT Martial Arts Commission, Board Member USAT." How is Joon P Choi a "President" position when he is not a state association, his title should be martial arts commissioner or chairperson. I asked Joon P Choi and David Askinas in front of everyone in a state association meeting last year why he was using the "president" term and he even said he is not President but "commissioner." I am explaining this to you so you can understand how MAC is overstepping their boundaries and created a false impression to the public. This is very disrespectful in the martial arts community and taints the image of USAT for associating with them.

Another issue I have with USAT is promoting their own black belt dans. I would like you to understand how this will effect many schools and how it can effect USAT's future. Many schools use Kukkiwon dan promotion as part of their business and this will interfere with their livilihood as more people become aware of the USAT Dans. Instead of thinking of immediate ways of making a few dollars like producing your own dans, why not think of working out a plan with Kukkiwon to make THOUSANDS of dollars by partnership instead? By supporting the World Taekwondo Headquarters Kukkiwon USAT establishes a positive relationship overseas. This is the kind of ideas and plans that I have for USAT to help our NGB get out of debt. You need people to work for USAT who are not not there for personal financial gains. I asked you in our last meeting HOW you were planning on getting USAT out of our financial debt and I will tell you sir your recent actions is going backwards like old CEO Askinas.

In order for USA Taekwondo to get out of our financial debt and to rebuild our membership growth and be successful, you cannot make the same mistakes the old CEO David Askinas made. There needs to be a change in your plans and communication with state associations for their advice and support are vital for the success of USAT. If you are going to sit as CEO and continue to do things the same as Askinas then we (state association) will be forced to confront the USOC and demand a change. With new social media like mobile technologies and websites it's very easy to get the public informed on what needs to be announced.


My mission, whether CUTA President or not, will always be to support our NGB and help promote the future growth of USA Taekwondo. The mistakes made in the past by previous USAT CEO's who came from soccer, volleyball and now boxing is that there is a difference between those sports and our Taekwondo martial arts and sport. There are lines of respect and culture and etiquette that is developed through Taekwondo that is dismissed with CEO's who make "business decisions" without knowing the history. This can create not just problems among us (Grandmasters and Masters) nationally but Internationally as well. Please know you are welcome to contact me for any questions or if you would like my opinion on any matter I am always willing to help.


Please send me your response as soon as possible. I am in discussion with state association presidents and officers and we need to know what the news is for the status of MAC with USAT.

Mr. Parthen, your CEO interim contract ended January 31 last month but you are being introduced at US Open as the new USAT CEO. Please tell me your plans to help USAT recover from the financial debt.

Thank you

President Young In Cheon
California Unified Taekwondo Association

CC: CUTA officers and State Association President and Officers of Utah, Colorado, Michigan, Kansas, Illinois, Oregon, Washington

 

[puunui]

When it comes to business you can't survive with out a good attorney.

Or a good CPA, and for an organization like USAT, one or several who are experienced on the auditing side. Which we have lined up by the way, at least one who is willing to volunteer his time, knowledge and experience to the cause.... First thing that needs to be done is to fire all of the financial people in the office and outsource most of the accounting work. USAT is a relatively simple and small organization, one that does not need a full time person or staff to handle the books. The only thing we may need is a part time accounting clerk to organize things, or maybe a combination accounting clerk/receptionist who can answer the phones. Doing this one thing should save us over $100k per year. Perhaps when the organization grows, we can think about getting one full time person, maybe, but not now.

 

[Gorilla]

The smaller the staff the better. I would like to outsource nationals also many things could be done on a contract basis. The primary focus should be on funding for the athlete.

Revenue generation and expense reduction in my mantra. We need to think out of the traditional TKD Box and think more like a business.

 

[puunui]

The smaller the staff the better. I would like to outsource nationals also many things could be done on a contract basis. The primary focus should be on funding for the athlete. Revenue generation and expense reduction in my mantra. We need to think out of the traditional TKD Box and think more like a business.

If revenue generation and expense reduction is your mantra, when why would you want to eliminate or severely limit what has been traditionally our second largest revenue generator for our NGB? We used to outsource both Nationals and JOs. Then in I think 1997, we took it in house and it quickly became one of our most important profit generators out there. The profits we got from JOs for example, would pay for the last six months of our organization's expenses. Outsourcing our events is NOT the solution to our problems.

I also disagree that our primary focus should be on funding for athletes. That perspective fails to take into account all of the other areas of the organization. Instead, I believe a focus must be to develop the four key elements of our structure: athletes, coaches, referees and leaders/administrators. We need to have grass root pipelines for all four areas. Athletes, coaches and referees are a no brainer. Each of the four areas is essential for our continued development towards excellence.

The fourth area, administrators and leaders, is the one most likely to be overlooked. One of the main problems with USAT for the last eight years is that people who had little or no prior experience in leadership or administration were suddenly thrust into positions of power. The top layer was removed, the middle layer minimalized, and resulting in low level types being advanced to positions which they were ill equipped to handle. As a result, they made rookie mistakes which have proved fatal. These neophytes put all their poorly conceived ideas into motion, which failed miserably, which of course, caused the membership to leave. We need to develop an organizational structure which allows our members to practice their leadership skills, as administrators, and even as athletes, coaches and referees. That is where *one* of our main focuses should be, bringing people up who can eventually take over, as referees, coaches and administrators.

It is relatively easy to determine our future leaders in the referee and coach corps. The big wild card at the moment is the development of future leaders for USAT. Hopefully, the resurrection of state associations will give us a clearer picture on that. Traditionally, our national leaders have come from state associations, in much the same way that Presidents, members of Congress and the US Senate got their start in local and state politics.

 

[Gorilla]

We have not had allot of revenue generated as of late if we contract it out we might actually make a profit. I agree athletes, referees, coaches and leaders. I should not have left them out of my post.

The NGB could work with multiple national organizations.

 

[puunui]

We have not had allot of revenue generated as of late if we contract it out we might actually make a profit.

We did not make revenue from event recently because the regionals and rocky mountain open, which are poorly attended, drags the whole thing down. That and the fact that numbers in general are very low. Back at USTU, Nationals ran 1500 competitors and JOs was 6000, or 7500 total. Today it is 2000 total Nationals/JOs. That is why it is no longer generating revenue. The numbers are not there. And again, outsourcing isn't the solution, bringing back members who compete nationally is.

The NGB could work with multiple national organizations.

Those other organizations grew at USAT's expense. However, when this thing turns around, there are many who are ready and willing to make the jump back to USAT. AAU was the organization that gained the most from USAT demise, and it will also be the organization most hurt by USAT's looming resurrection.

 

[Gorilla]

The USAT will only grow if it provides quality service to it's customers. Working and partnering with other organizations could be away to do that. People will only leave AAU if another organization is able to provide a superior product. It has been a few years since anyone has been able to do that. We have been involved at one time or the other with all the current TKD orgs and AAU is the best org currently. This is the one that our coach currently supports and we will follow her advice. We did attend our fist USATevent in sometime and as you know current leadership did not impress. I only speak for me but if you look at recent letters he did not impress GM YIC.

If GM YIC became the head of the org many people would relook at the USAT. He is one of the most honest men I have met in TKD. He has great deal of respect from our coach.

 

[leadleg]

I am not sure why any one would leave the AAU in favor of USAT or the other way around. I mean a lot of high level coaches that went to AAU still compete in both venues, most of the coaches I know are into competing more. It does not cost much to join both org's. The competition aspect would be much better if their respective nationals were not so close together.

 

[Gorilla]

back to the topic when do you think that the usoc will pick a plan and what will that look like.


Puunui are you a lawyer?

ustu v dae sung lee

 

[puunui]

I am not sure why any one would leave the AAU in favor of USAT or the other way around.

For the recreational dojang, they don't like certain aspects of the local qualifier participation requirements, which are absent from USAT events.

I mean a lot of high level coaches that went to AAU still compete in both venues, most of the coaches I know are into competing more.

If all goes well, they won't need to go to AAU to "compete more".

It does not cost much to join both org's. The competition aspect would be much better if their respective nationals were not so close together.

Can't help that one. Both organizations have traditionally held JOs during the fourth of july weekend. We can, however, break up Nationals and JOs into s eparate events, like it used to be at USTU/USAT.

 

[puunui]

ustu v dae sung lee

Actually, it's Dae Sung Lee vs. USTU, USOC, et.al. GM Lee was the plaintiff in that case and sued USTU and USOC, not the other way around.

 

[puunui]

The USAT will only grow if it provides quality service to it's customers. Working and partnering with other organizations could be away to do that. People will only leave AAU if another organization is able to provide a superior product. It has been a few years since anyone has been able to do that. We have been involved at one time or the other with all the current TKD orgs and AAU is the best org currently. This is the one that our coach currently supports and we will follow her advice. We did attend our fist USATevent in sometime and as you know current leadership did not impress. I only speak for me but if you look at recent letters he did not impress GM YIC.

At this point, very few continue to support or defend the current USAT administration. Everyone knows that it is screwed up there. Also no one thinks that AAU members will switch organizations under the current administration. At some point in the very near future, things will change at USAT.

If GM YIC became the head of the org many people would relook at the USAT. He is one of the most honest men I have met in TKD. He has great deal of respect from our coach.

GM Cheon doesn't want to be the head of the organization.

 

[Gorilla]

Puunui on what side of that case did you fall.

 

[puunui]

Puunui on what side of that case did you fall.

Which case, GM Lee's? GM Lee is my friend and senior for more decades than I care to think about. Of course I was on his side, and against the current administration who was responsible for what happened to him. But that doesn't mean I am going to let emotion get in the way of what needs to be done now. We will not be engaging in any heckling witch hunts, lynchings, mob mentality or mob behavior at this critical juncture in taekwondo's history, at least if I can help it. We are better than that. That type of behavior is what got us to the place we are at presently in USAT, and it will not be the thing that gets us out.

 

[Gorilla]

Which case, GM Lee's? GM Lee is my friend and senior for more decades than I care to think about. Of course I was on his side, and against the current administration who was responsible for what happened to him. But that doesn't mean I am going to let emotion get in the way of what needs to be done now. We will not be engaging in any heckling witch hunts, lynchings, mob mentality or mob behavior at this critical juncture in taekwondo's history, at least if I can help it. We are better than that. That type of behavior is what got us to the place we are at presently in USAT, and it will not be the thing that gets us out.

Ok you know what I am going to back off and look at the big picture. Let the Lopez ride off into the sunset but it needs to end.
Sorry about that BRAZIL.




I hope the TKD leadership can make this work