Newsletter 3/2006 Fantastic Summer Camp In Norway
Newsletter 3/2006 Fantastic Summer Camp In Norway
The 18th summer camp in a small place in the middle of Norway, called Surnadal, is now once again over. And with more than 460 participants and 25 instructors, the camp can be called an enormous success. For the organizers the camp was a big challenge, because a lot of the elements were changed compared with earlier years, and Nordmøre Folk High School with Kjell Gunnar Polden in the lead, has again done a fantastic job.
Sunday July the 30th, Surnadal was invaded by a herd of white dressed Taekwon-Do practitioners. Nordmøre Folk High School was again the organizer for the NTN- summer camp, and 460 practitioners was a new record in the camp’s 18-year-old history.
The week passed by in a second. The first day was started of with training for all cup’s and dan’s in the village’ largest sports hall. It’s a beautiful sight when you observe so many people in dobok doing Taekwon-do-moves simultaneously, just like a white wave…Beautiful! Sunday evening it was grading for the black belts. Some has to try again later, but the most of the candidates did an impressive effort, in front of 12 senior instructors at the examiners table, and all of the camp’s participants at the tribune.
There were a whole lot of things happening this week. The training sessions were being held from early morning until late evening, and the sweat was poring, since we were blessed with a beautiful and hot weather all week. A new thing on the camp this year, was that everybody got to go on a mountain-trip. Surnadal has a fantastic nature, and a lot of the participants got a great experience up in the mountains.
The instructors on the camp were very pleased with the student’s effort and willingness to learn. The Swedish national team coach, Swavek Dydiszko, 6.degree was invited with his wife Petra, 3. degree. As a part of the Nordic Taekwon-do friendship, also the Finish president Mariusz Steckiewicz, 5.degree and his wife Saija, 4.degree, were invited as guest-instructors.
Some of the new activities that were offered, were obviously popular, yoga for those who is up early in the morning, from 0700 am, gathered ca. 100 students each morning. After lunch on Wednesday everybody could choose their activity; training in the nature, self-defence for girls, aerobics kick-pulse, or traditional Taekwon-do training. The ones, who are most fit, chose interval training in the mountains, with rappelling and bathing in the waterfalls. For the black belts it was possible to do alternative training every day, and that was popular among the 125 black belts attending the camp.
Every evening after dinner was also booked with activities. Disco, a lesson on what food to eat as a Taekwon-do practitioner, we had a "get-to-know-each-other-trip" for everybody over 25 years old, and also a theory lesson for those who were trying to get a new grade on Friday.
The national team was also gathered during the summer camp, and they had a lot of extra training this week. They got a lot of good help from Mr. Dydiszko, who has a lot of experience as the Swedish national coach. Also NTN’s first junior national team was selected, in an Idol-like stile, where the candidates had to show what they could do. The selection was ended with a push up contest, to check the candidate’s endurance, and the best junior did 115 push-ups…. Impressive!
Saturday morning one bus after another left Surnadal after some hugging, waving and some kissing. New bonds of friendship were made across the country, and we are looking forward to meet again next summer.
The instructors at the camp was:
