My Taekwondo Romance

It's fair to say that, when you're getting involve in something for about 12 years or so, you might had seen it all, or at least say to someone else that you're already "Been there, done that!". Professional footballers, after involving in the sport for 12 years, must have been thinking of about their retirement already...

Well, unless you're Ryan Giggs, of course!

Then, I'm already in my 12th year in Taekwondo, and once I thought I could already saying, in my own group-age's standard, that I've seen it all, and 'been there and done that', events keep occur to deny me such claim!

I thought, that during my undergraduate years + RAship years (about 5-6 years altogether), there were surely not much more that I've didn't seen in Taekwondo. I'm on my 3rd Dan Blackbelt level, with some refereeing, competitions, training, grading and coaching experiences. I've already trained, or assist trainings for middle school students, University students, staff and even professors! Coaching University students for many competitions on many levels...

But still, I've learned or see something new, [Taekwondo related] on occasions...

Well, trying to make it as short as it can, I'll put it on bullet point. The experience might not be unique to some, though, but I'm sure that some others, however, would never meet such experience, even if they were in their 24th years in Taekwondo already...

1. The training that doesn't supervised by any blackbelts... (Blue belt wearing green was in charge... and it was me!! [first time ever taking charge for a class])

2. The unbreakable plank! [about 3 to 4 people tried to break it, none succeed, including a 7th Dan Master/Grading referee once]

3. Bloody grading! [grading that involved blood in 'free sparring' section]

4. Electric marking system that was so poor, its only count up to 7, and after that, manual marking must be re-install...

5. Electric marking system's monitor went blank coz someone tip over its power's plug...

6. An exponent who KOed by a single kick that actually never touched him...

7. An exponent, who after he was kicked on his face, he went crying and forfeit the fight because of it, even though he's leading the match...

8. Got a kick on my head that was so fast I couldn't even think of blocking or dodging it, and so hard its actually make my mind [and view] clearer!

9. A cocky opponent who promise his team mate to 'KO' his next opponent [me] but in the end, couldn't even lay a kick on me... [more because of he's suck, rather than I'm too good, but thanks to him though, I won my first (and only) gold medal in sparring :p]

10. A player [180-190cm height], who bend down in agony after ref stop the match because he was fouled, being kicked [during the time-out] on his head and KOed [with temporary amnesia...]

11. A fighter who went all the way to the final of sparring event, even though he got a 'minor' injury from a motorcycle accident. By minor, I mean he tear up enough skin to show his 'whitey' bone... [f*cking scary!!] He lose the final eventually, but the spirit and resilience that he showed was really inspiring!

12. A fighter that I sure would never go pass his next round of match because he suffered some injuries on his feet, played another matches, up until the final match... and actually won it! Gold Medal... He is a superman!!

13. A poomsae [pattern/art] event that consist of too many 'bow down' to the referee... [At the start of poomsae, at the end of poomsae, at the end of the round, for every round (about 2-3 rounds), for every categories (5)!! ]

14. A freaking marching Taekwondoist!!

15. A national demonstration tournament's winner team consist of undergrads!

...and many more!!


T/t: they wanna Hero out there today! Ready to make that hard earned, once in a lifetime play!