Wow

[troubleenuf]

OK... so I have this young 18 year old girl who is all of 115lbs and about 5'2 if that. She goes to a local college in town that has a TKD club/class. The teacher of this class has never met me (that I know of?) but he belongs to the organization I used to belong to a long time ago (12 years and counting). She decides to stop by and see what their class is all about. She is very polite and well mannered so of course she introduces herself to this guy. He proceeds to tell her that he cannot teach her anything and that she cant even watch his classes. Now I realize that he was telling her the truth... he really cant teach her anything, they havent changed their techniques or program for 30 years so I am pretty sure that he cant teach her anything. But what are these guys so afraid off? This little girl (of course Ill guarantee she can kick harder than most of his male students, she is EXCEPTIONALLY talented, but he didnt know that.) Its kind of funny to me that they would be so scared of this. If one of their black belts showed up at my college class or gym I would tell them to get their uniform on and come on out (in fact I have on several occasions). Now I understand their problem with me. I stand for someone who decided what they have wasnt good enough. But realy... they should welcome the chance to "steal" on of my black belts.

 

[dancingalone]

But realy... they should welcome the chance to "steal" on of my black belts.

I'll play Devil's Advocate. What would he gain by 'stealing' one of your black belts? His training method didn't produce her, so her skill is not a reflection of his system, the one he teaches and is promoting. Presumably even if your student played assistant instructor for him, some of her ideas might deviate from his own, causing disharmony in his dojang.

Now granted, not permitting her to watch his class at all does seem a bit extreme, but I could very well understand the unappealing notion of taking in an advanced student from another system. I run into this from time to time with people coming into my karate style with prior experience in a different martial art. It's a pain to get them to do things our way.

 

[terryl965]

Maybe you need to be enrolled at the college to take classes or something, but I understand what you are saying.

 

[Carol]

That strikes me as out of line for a college club.

The clubs are paid for by the students, via the mandatory activity fees that are charged each semester along with their tuition. The students pay for these clubs, to bar a student from even watching a club that they helped pay for seems WAY off the mark to me.