8.5.2023 / Special technical course for umpires and coaches (on-line)

Education of referees and coaches

The Czech Taekwon-Do ITF Association, at the request of Grandmaster Hwang Ho-yong, organized another online training course, this time focused on the education of referees and coaches in Taekwon-do. The event was free of charge for all participants and aimed to unify the view on the correctness of techniques in routines during international competitions. The above parameters attracted a large number of participants and the final number stopped at 374 registrants. However, the number of connected was around the figure of 220, but it is true that we recorded 2-5 attendees for a considerable number of cameras.

The course was originally designed in four blocks, however it worked out in the end in terms of timing so that the last part dedicated to special techniques and power breaking was added by Grand Master Hwang to the Sunday morning block. And how was it all conceived? Three blocks of three hours each included a reminder of the basic theory - the theory of power, the secrets of training and the composition of Taekwon-Do. From the basic techniques we moved on to individual patterns, from Chon-Ji to Tong-Il. Each pattern was practiced first without command and then after each technique, with Grand Master Hwang giving a detailed explanation. All the time the Grand Master was assisted by Masters Martin Zámečník and Ondřej Vrábel. Support, especially in searching information in the Taekwon-do Encyclopaedia, was also provided by the President of the Czech Federation Dr. Petr Parik. The whole thing would not have been possible without a number of high quality pre-practitioners from Sonkal, GBHS, Tong-Il and Na-Mu schools - Ondřej Faltin, Hubert Skála, Tereza Simandlová, Jiří Novák, Tereza Štekerová, Aneta Vostrá, Jana Odstrčilová, Přemysl Šesták and Lada Weidlichová.

It is worth mentioning the presence of 12 other Taekwon-Do Grand Masters who contributed with their questions and knowledge to the high level of the event. Very valuable input was provided by Grand Master Michael Prewett (until recently Chairman of the European Federation's Referee Commission and still a member of this Commission in the ITF).

We must not forget the traditionally excellent work of Alexander Mach who provided the entire on-line broadcast!

We believe that this course will contribute significantly to the unification of our martial arts techniques and will increase the quality of the patterns performed as well as the level of the judging itself.