Black Belt Essay

I’ve been training now for about seven, eight years, I’d never thought when one of my friends asked me to come along to Tae Kwon Do that I would not only achieve a black belt, but also end up being an instructor as well.

I would, without a doubt, say that Tae Kwon Do has made my life more controlled and richer for the experience. When I first started to go along to training I was self conscious of making myself look like a fool, which at first, I think, most people feel until the ice is broken and you get some confidence.

No matter what art you decide to undertake you will always have self doubt at the start. You will always get a few people who will slot right on in there because of their natural abilities. I was quite fortunate to have started in the club and my instructor, Mr P Kawharu, who took me right though to the first degree. He’s one of the people I owe to making me the instructor that I am today which is probably a nervous one to people I don’t do very well. I was quite lucky that lot of the people I trained with were not only friends but work mates as well. A couple in particular, Mr D Spencer and Mr P Thompson, which was a big bonus to my training as I tend to procrastinate at the best of times.

When I first took over the club, I thought it would be a nightmare but I have since learnt that it is what you put into your students is what you get back , with added bonuses. A certain amount is the students learning to apply themselves in a different manner and being more controlled within. I don’t think there is any real answer to being a good instructor, it is a case of being able to teach the values of Tae Kwon Do , to boost moral, and to be there for them at all times. As time is going on I have learnt you must make the best of the skills you have and the devotion to art . By the students seeing this, they will realise you just have to do the very best. You can be happy with the fact you are still contributing to brining out the best in people, building their confidence and all the other traits which go to making a good martial art exponent.

Since I first participated in training my list of friends has increased tenfold, not just in South Island but in the North Island as well. These people I have only corresponded with and have yet to meet, I am still young and have time to meet these people and time for plenty more training. I think as an instructor one of my most gratifying experiences was one of my students winning a Gold medal at the South Island Nationals. The lead up to the Nationals was very nerve wracking for all of us. We were all encouraging him to try a little bit harder. When it came to sparring he was a little stand-offish, but on the day nerves were forgotten and Gold was in slight. To me that was very rewarding, having never been involved in sport generally before. But in saying that, I think all Instructors get a kick out of seeing there students do well.

This year Nationals were held in the South Island, even though the trophy went to Auckland the mere fact of having the event in our home town was awesome. Mrs Grey put in untiring effort, which I could imagine would be very stressful as did the other organisers, well done.

Now I have been doing some regular instructing for the past year and have a greater knowledge of the effort and stress that went into the running of club. My club is small compared to others around the country. I think some of the younger students do not realise the work you try to put into them, how hard they try is reflection on the Instructor.

I myself really don’t worry about how they perform, well I do worry, but as long as I can see them applying themselves, trying to better themselves and felling good when they do well, gaining confidence from fellow students and peers always helps the spirit along. I think that younger students, especially, need that boost. I have seen young students grade a number of times with no real support from parents and that makes me fell sorry for them. When you are younger that sort of support can make all the difference to training. I can’t imagine myself leaving training in the future, for it is also my time out from all the other things in my life, like work and family. I am a firm believer in people having something they can go and do, whatever it may be. Everything I have written is only my opinion and may not necessarily be correct, that is why it is titled RAMBLING’S OF AN INSTRUCTOR, I hope other students in the organisation will maybe sit down and have a bit of a ramble themselves.

Yours Sincerely

K.R.Flood

Springcreek T.K.D.