Waikato Sejong Taekwondo

Hi everyone, we hope you're having a good weekend so far.

With Grading just around the corner there is the obvious question of when are you able to pre grade? Starting next week as long as you feel you are ready you will be able to! You may think that you are not yet ready and would like a little more time before trying, but think of it this way . . . if you try early you will be able to improve on what you may get wrong without the pressure of time and then try again.

If you have any questions or worries feel free to ask the instructors in class and we will give you whatever information we can.

WTKD Team.

Dear members,

We hope you are learning new things in TKD and enjoying action as much as we do! With Easter holidays approaching, we'd like to inform you that the normal class on Monday, 1st April (Easter Monday), will be canceled.

Additionally, the Saturday HPT high-performance training for this Saturday 30 Mar will also be canceled due to the Easter long weekend.

We wish you all a wonderful Easter holiday and safe travels if you are heading out.

Looking forward to seeing you all back in training after the holidays!

TKD committee

Dear Members,

Happy new year. We will be starting back at training on Monday 12th February.

We will be running three classes:
- Kids Class: 5pm - 6pm (age 7yrs - 10 yrs)
- Advanced Kids / Young Adults: 6pm - 7pm (age 10yrs - 14yrs)
- Adults Class: 7pm - 8.20pm (teenages & adults).

This year, please ensure you bring your sparring gear to every training session if you are green belt or higher. Otherwise, we look forward to another awesome year of kicking and punching!

TKD Committee

Well . . . another year comes to a close.
From all of us at the club, have an awesome holiday and keep an eye out for emails/Facebook posts to do with our starting date for the new year. Hope to see you all back next year safe and sound.

Happy holidays,
WTKD Team

Celebrating Our Champions Again!

We're thrilled to share some fantastic news with all of you! In the past three months, our incredible members participated in not one, not two, but THREE tournaments and gave it their all! It's a testament to their dedication, hard work, and unwavering spirit!

Let's take a moment to recognize every member who took part in these tournaments and demonstrated their commitment to their Taekwondo journey:

Kukkuwon Cup-
Charles – Sparring 🥈
Elanie – Sparring 🥉
Yuna – gave her absolute best in the big pool of poomsae group.
Seoyeon – Poomsae 🥈
Carlos – Sparring 🥈, Poomsae 🥈
Kerry – Poomsae 🥉
Taniora – Poomsae 🥉
Ray – Sparring 🥈, Poomsae 🥉
Ron – Sparring 🥉

Bay Tournament

Seung – Poomsae 🥈
Jesse – Sparring 🥈
Shania – Poomsae 🥇
Julie – Poomsae 🥇
Seoyeon – Poomsae 🥇, Sparring 🥈
Gyuyeon – Poomsae 🥇
Hayden – Poomsae 🥈
Taniora – Sparring 🥇, Poomsae 🥇

While some of our members proudly brought home medals 🏅, it's important to remember that every member's effort counts. Each match, each tournament is a chance to learn, grow, and become better versions of ourselves.

To all our members, remember that the essence of these games lies in self-growth and continually challenging ourselves. Every step, every match, and every tournament is an opportunity to become better than we were yesterday.

So, let's celebrate all our champions and use their journey as inspiration. Set your goals high, believe in yourselves, and keep pushing your limits. The path to success is paved with dedication and an unyielding spirit!

🌟 Celebrating our Taekwondo Champions at the North Island Championship! 🥋🏅

We are incredibly proud to announce the outstanding achievements of three of our club members who competed in the North Island Championship last weekend. Let's give a huge round of applause to Taniora, Shania, and Seung for their remarkable performances!

🥇🥉 Taniora brought home the gold medal in poomsae and he secured a bronze medal in sparring, he demonstrated exceptional courage as he fearlessly taking on opponents who were much older and taller.

🥉 Shania displayed huge improvement and poomsae technique, earning herself a bronze medal in poomsae.

🥈 Seung's remarkable bravery was on full display as he fearlessly faced a 21-year-old opponent for two intense rounds, earning a well-deserved silver medal in sparring.

These accomplishments serve as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through dedication, discipline, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Taniora, Shania, and Seung for their exceptional performances.

We encourage all our members to consider participating in future competitions. It is not just about the medals; it's about personal growth, building resilience, and becoming the best version of ourselves. Remember, every step taken towards competing is an opportunity for growth and an investment in your own journey.

Once again, let's congratulate Taniora, Shania, and Seung for their remarkable achievements! We are proud of you!

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the families of our members for their unwavering support!

🎉 Keep up the fantastic work, and may your success inspire us all to reach for the stars! 🌟

Everything is on the web
2023 New Zealand Kukkiwon Cup - Keeping up to date

I have created a web-post for the Kukkiwon Cup (it is on the budosouth.co.nz server) - https://budosouth.co.nz/kukkiwon-cup/ - On the post you will find:
• The Draw (this will update as we go)
• Tournament Information pack and Team Registration spreadsheet
• Updates (latest news)

I will post to the Kukkiwon NZ Office page (https://www.facebook.com/KukkiwonNZOffice) whenever changes are made - so please "Like" the FB page to stay up to date.

Dear members,

We would like to inform you that our trainings will continue to run during the school holidays!

We typically only take a holiday at the end of year the summer break. Therefore, you can still participate in our training sessions and make the most of your time off from school. We look forward to seeing you there!

Grading this Saturday - Change of location - Fairfield College - 1.45pm

Dear Members,

Grading is this Saturday (17th June) starting with a warm up at approximately 1.45pm.

Please note the location has changed to Fairfield College Gym, not where we usually train, but Fairfield College at 25 Bankwood Road.

Also please note the grading fee is $55 per person for all belts (except black belt). You can pay the fee into our usual bank account where monthly fees are paid.

If you have any questions about the grading, please feel free to email us at [email protected].

Thanks.

Warmest regards,
Waikato Sejong Taekwondo

Hello members, just a friendly reminder that there won't be any TKD training tonight as the gym floor is still being resurfaced and needs time to dry. We hope to see you all back in action on Wednesday!

Dear Members,

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this weekend's High Performance training session will be cancelled.

We will update you as to when the next High Performance session will take place.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

Warmest regards,

The Team

Dear Members,

School Holidays:
Please note there will be no TKD training over this school holidays as the gym floor is being resurfaced. The last training will be on the 5th April and then we will start back again on the 26th April.

Fees For April:
- As we will be training for only half of April, please feel free to pay half the normal monthly fee for TKD.

Dear members,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you that Fairfield school will be hosting the Science Roadshow in the gym on Monday and Tuesday next week. As a result, the gym will be out of bounds for our Monday (13 March) night training session. Unfortunately, we will have to cancel our training session on Monday due to this. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope to see you all at our next training session.

Best regards,
TKD committee

Kia ora - As you all will be well aware the north island is set to experience a significant weather event, Cyclone Gabrielle, With the worst weather set to hit, we have decided to cancel class today.

Thank you for your understanding.

From the Team

Dear Members,

As mentioned in the last email, Tae Kwon Do starts back on Wednesday 8th February.

In the first term we will have three classes:
- Kids Class: 5pm - 6pm (age 6yrs - 10 yrs)
- Advanced Kids / Young Adults: 6pm - 7pm (age 10yrs - 13yrs)
- Adults Class: 7pm - 8.20pm (age teenages & adults).

Those students who were previously in the 4pm - 5pm class are welcome to join the Kids Class from 5pm - 6pm.

We look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday.

Dear Members,

I hope you all had a great summer break.

Tae Kwon Do will be starting again on the 8th February.
We are currently working through class times for the different age groups and will email again next week with exact days and times.

December 3rd - End-of-year celebration training, prize-giving & shared drink:

Our 'end of year' celebration training, prize-giving and shared drinks will be held on Saturday December 3rd starting from 3pm at the gym where we normally train.

We will have a 'family-fun' training. Mum's & Dad's are eagerly invited to train with their kids. It will hopefully be fun for all.

Following the training there will be a price-giving and some drinks provided for by the club. Please note there will not be shared food this year due to the risk of Covid.

If you have any questions about the celebration training and prize-giving, please email or ask one of the instructors during class.

Grading:
We will be holding our final grading for the year on Saturday 26th November between 2.30pm and 4.30pm. The grading will take place in the gym where we normally train.

Warmup will start at 2.30pm and grading proper will start at 3pm precisely.

You can grade if you passed pre-grading on Monday. A few of you are having a final attempt on Wednesday and will know by the end of class.

Please note we have set the grading fee at $55 for all belts (except black belt).

Between now and Saturday, please keep practising. To help, you can take a look at the grading criteria for your belt and check you know all the necessary elements you will be tested on. The grading criteria can be found at: https://waikatotkd.nz/grading-criteria/

Also to help with your poomsae and self-defense, we have various videos posted on our website that you can watch. They can be found at: https://waikatotkd.nz/grading-resource/. For the self-defense, please click the 'playlist' to watch the other self-defense moves.

If you have any questions about grading, please message us, or ask one of the instructors during class.

Grading Criteria - Waikato SeJong Taekwondo Please notice, training fees must be up to date to be able to grade. Korean TKD Terminology 10th Keub White Belt 9th Keub Yellow Tip Belt 8th Keub Yellow Belt 7th Keub Orange Belt 6th Keub Green Belt 5th Keub Blue Belt 4th Keub Purple Belt 3rd Keub Brown Belt 2nd Keub Red Belt

Dear Members,

Just a reminder that there are no Taekwondo classes during the school holidays. Enjoy the holidays and see you in the new school term.

Dear Members,

I hope you are all well and surviving this wet winter.

Please note that the 1st Class next week is cancelled as Master Kyungtae is unable to instruct (Covid). All 1st class members are welcome to train in the 2nd Class.

Black belt training will still be going ahead, with another instructor taking the class. So all black tips, please attend.

Warmest regards,
Paul Kennel.

All classes cancelled on Wednesday 3 August.

Dear Members,

Fairfield Intermediate is holding an Information Evening / Open day in the Gym & Auditorium this Wednesday 3 August, so as we can not use the gym all classes will be cancelled.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Dear Members,

I hope you are all well and surviving this crazy wet weather.

We have planned a number of changes for the club and this email outlines the changes, they include:
- Changes in class times from the 4th of July,
- Additional Black-Tip training sessions (in preparation for Black belt),
- Promotion of senior belts to the fifth class, and
- Use of sparring equipment.

Changes to Class Times:
Starting from the 4th July we will be training at new class times. The times are:
- 1st Class: Time 4:00-5:00pm,
- 3rd Class: Time 5:00-6:00pm,
- 4th Class: Time 6:00-7:00pm, and
- 5th Class: Time 7:00-8:20pm.
The 2nd Class is still on hold as the number of students has not bounced back sufficiently following the lockdowns last year.

Additional Black-Tip training sessions:
Those Red Belt Black Tip students who are planning on grading at the end of the year now have three additional training sessions they can attend in preparation for their Black Belt Grading.

We would strongly recommend they attend at least one of these training sessions per week. They will be held on:
- Saturday morning starting at 7am in the gym where we normally train, or
- On Monday & Wednesday from 6:00-7:00pm at the back of the gym during the 4th Class.

Students can attend either training sessions, however they must also still attend their normal Monday & Wednesday classes. Therefore if students are normally in the 4th class, we would recommend they also train in the 5th class after the Black Tip training or attend the Saturday morning Black Tip training.

Please note that if you attend the Saturday black-tip training session there is an additional training fee of $25 per month to cover the gym and instructors. There will be no additional fee for the Monday or Wednesday black-tip training sessions, however a small 'koha' for the additional training would be appreciated (but is not compulsory).

Promotion of senior belts to the 5th Class:
Following the recent grading there are a number of Brown, Red and Red Belt Black Tip students in the 3rd and 4th classes. We would like to invite these students to train in the 5th Class as they are now senior belts. This is an invitation only, and we understand if students wish to stay in their current class due to time clashes or other commitments.

Use of Sparring Gear:
Sparring is an important component of Taekwondo. Therefore we would strongly encourage all students who are Green belt or higher to purchase their own sparring equipment (body protector, shin & arm guards and head gear). You can purchase the equipment through our club or directly from Auckland Martials Arts Supplies.

If you have any questions about any of the changes, please reply to this email or ask an instructor after class.

Warmest regards,
Waikato Sejong Taekwondo
www.waikatotkd.nz

Dear Members,

Grading is this Saturday 28th May at the Fairfield Intermediate School Gym where we normally train.

Please note you can only attend grading if you have passed pre-grading.

This year the different classes will be grading at different times, as follows:
- 1st and 3rd Classes: grading will start at 2.30pm, but please arrive at 2.15pm for warm-up.
- 4th and 5th Classes: grading will start at 4.15pm, but please arrive at 4.00pm for warm-up.

Please arrive 15 minutes before the grading starts, so you can warm-up. Please do not be late!

Between now and grading please ensure you pay the grading fee, plus keep practicing your poomse, self-defence, combination kicks and your other grading curriculum.

We realise many students are struggling with their poomsae, self-defence and other grading curriculum partly as this is their first proper grading since before lockdowns. Please keep up the good work and realise if you didn't pass pre-grading there will be another opportunity to grade in three months time.

If you have any questions about the grading, please feel free to reply to this email or ask one of the instructors.

Warmest regards,

Paul Kennel
Waikato Sejong Taekwondo

Dear Members,

I hope you are all well and enjoying a return to TKD training.

This post discusses the upcoming grading and also asks you to please email us if you are currently training or are planning to return to TKD so we can estimate class student numbers.

Grading:
We will be holding grading on 28th May at between 2pm and 5pm depending on your class. The grading will take place in the gym where we normally train.

The different classes will grade separately. We will email you the exact time closer to the grading date. In terms of the pregrading, that will be held during classes starting from the week of the 16th August.

If you wish to grade then please download and complete a grading form, you can find them at:https://waikatotkd.nz/grading/. Please note we have set the grading fee at $55 for all belts (except black belt).

To ensure you are ready for grading and in particular pre-grading, please take a look at the grading criteria for your belt and check you know all the necessary elements you will be tested on. The grading criteria can be found at: https://waikatotkd.nz/grading-criteria/

Also to help with your poomsae and self-defense, we have various videos posted on our website that you can watch. They can be found at: https://waikatotkd.nz/grading-resource/. For the self defense, please click the 'playlist' to watch the other self defense moves.

Class student numbers:
Now that things are hopefully getting back to normal and we are seeing students returning to TKD, we wanted to confirm the exact number of students who want to train so we can manage class numbers.

It would be appreciated if you could please email us and tell us if you are currently training or are planning to return to TKD. Also please indicate what class you are training in or used to train in.

Thanks.

Video resources - Waikato SeJong Taekwondo Poomsae (to see self-defense video. please scroll to the bottom ) Taeguk 1 Taeguk 2 Taeguk 3 Taeguk 4 Taeguk 5 Taeguk 6 Taeguk 7 Taeguk 8 Self-defense (Click the playlist for more.) Please move to Grading criteria page 🙂 All video material has been merged into the same page.

Dear Members,

Happy Easter 🐣

Just a reminder there is NO training today.

I hope you are all well and coping with the rapid spread of Omicron Covid-19.

The events associated with Covid-19 have also affected our club. Currently the class numbers are very low with only about a third of students attending class, plus now Kyungtae who teaches the 1st and 2nd Class needs to isolate for possibly up to 10 days.

So until Kyungtae returns from isolation we are cancelling the 1st and 2nd class. We hope this will only be for this week and next, but will email you all with an update once we know the exact date when the 1st and 2nd classes will resume.

Students from the 1st and 2nd class are very welcome to attend the 3rd and / or 4th classes. Otherwise we are happy to credit any fees from cancelled classes.

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected] or talk to one of the instructors after class.

Reminder that there is no training today. We will be back to normal on Wednesday.

Please remember if you are sick or feel unwell, please do not attend training, the safety of our members and instructors are our priority

Just a reminder there is no training today (Auckland Anniversary). We will see you on Wednesday!

Dear Members,

Just a quick update to say classes will continue (pretty much) as normal during Covid-19 alert level red. So see you all this afternoon.

However we may need to adjust how we teach during class to allow for distancing of 1m between students.

Thanks.

Warmest regards,
Paul Kennel.
Waikato Sejong Taekwondo

Dear Members,

As you may be aware the government has introduced the Covid-19 Protection Framework / The Traffic Light system in response to Covid-19. This framework restricts how we operate our club, the number of students and parents who can participate, and the social distancing required relating to training.

As part of this framework we are required to check that our members (over 12 years old) and anyone else (over 12 years old) who wishes to access our club, is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and preferably presents a My Vaccine Pass.

To that end, it would be appreciated if you could reply to this email confirming whether or not you are fully vaccinated (a screenshot of your My Vaccine Pass would be great), or instead can you please show one of the instructors your My Vaccine Pass when you attend class.

We also realize that vaccinations are a personal choice and not everyone may choose to be vaccinated. If you are currently over 12 years old and not fully vaccinated, please discuss this with one of the instructors (or reply to this email) so we can possibly arrange other options for training.

If you have any questions or concerns relating to this email, please feel free to discuss any issue with one of the instructors or email [email protected].