It was a night of sparring, high kicks and self-defense moves as Lac La Biche Premier Martial Arts taekwondo students tested for their belts last Wednesday night at the Bold Center.
Like other forms of martial arts, taekwondo uses different coloured belts to determine skill levels, with black belt being the highest and the white belt being the lowest. Striped belts are used to mark skill levels in between solid colours.
Several of the younger students received yellow-striped belts, but some of the participants like student Chachi Macor have moved up fast through the taekwondo ranks and tested for higher skill levels. The 10-year old competed for his red-striped belt last week, but says he wasn’t sure if he would get it.
“I thought I didn’t have it, so it was pretty surprising when they called my name,” he said, adding that he wants to continue taekwondo next year. “It’s so much fun and I hope to get my black belt one day.”
Coach Glenn Doubt says that this year’s testing was one of the best years he has seen since he first started teaching 12 years ago.
“I was very impressed with their skill level. It was one of the best tests ever, and I could tell the kids worked very hard,” said the coach, who judged all of the students.
Twenty-five students participated in taekwondo this year with the club, including older students Colleen Kaufman, Karen Kaufman and Sarah Lewiski who are all testing for different levels of black belts.
The three older students also help Doubt with Lac La Biche taekwondo testing and lessons. Lewiski says that although most people are taken aback when they find out she is a black belt contender, she thinks that taekwondo is so much more than just a sport and has made her a stronger person.
“Since I’ve started, I have built my self-confidence and I find I am more outgoing and respectful to people in general,” said the 19-year old who celebrated her last taekwondo class in Lac La Biche last week before her move to Vancouver. She added that the sport is something you can take with you for life, and it encourages you to never stop learning. “It’s always changing and forces you to get out there if you want to learn.”
Taekwondo is a relatively young martial arts form, and made its first debut in the Summer Olympics in 2000, said Doubt. The art is constantly being updated, which is why the local taekwondo teacher is still training himself and is halfway through his Master training, the highest level of skill in taekwondo.
“You have to continuously train. It’s a new martial art and it’s always expanding and changing,” said Doubt, who trains three to four nights a week and recently went to Edmonton to train with Korean taekwondo Master Rim.
The local coach told parents and students last week that although everybody won’t be Olympic taekwondo champions by the time they finish their training, taekwondo students can aspire to their own personal goal.
“It’s not what they do, it’s how they progress. Not all of us are going to be Olympic contenders–I know I’m not– but it’s important they reach their potential,” he said.
