Newsletter Newsletter 1/2007 ITF Taekwon-Do in Finland Regains Its Position
A.E.T.F. REPORT
Newsletter 1/2007
ITF Taekwon-Do in Finland Regains Its Position

Last year had been full of action for ITF Taekwon-Do Finland (Suomen ITF Taekwon-Do Ry). Spring traditionally was occupied in vast majority by competitions.

We have recorded very good number of participants to all the main events: National Team Camps, Finnish Championships, Viking Cup, European Championships and in autumn World Cup.

Especially World Cup 2006 in Spain has proven that ITF Taekwon-Do Finland is on the right path. Among over 1000 participants Finnish athletes hit 3rd position in the general country classification with 10 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze medals.

Within last few years our activities regained stable stage. Regular twice a year technical camps attract each time over 100 participants. Good feedbacks are received for the high level of the technical teaching and wide range of training aspects, including teaching the “Do”, being taken care of. Annual self-defence camp in Tampere being led by professionals in the field of practical self-defence is gaining high reputation. Very well prepared classes and groups adjusted according to the advancement level and needs guarantee every time good and informative weekend.

Two coaching and two umpire courses each year educate new assistant instructors and umpires in order to maintain high teaching and judging standards throughout the country.

   
   

National panel grading is another element of the ITF Finland strategy keeping the standards equal among clubs and practitioners. Despite over 10 instructors having individual rights to conduct black belt promotions in our federation most of the clubs decide to participate to the National panel grading to support the equal growth.

Another big step in the ITF Finland development concerns juniors’ programs. Few clubs have started pilot projects offering Taekwon-Do programs for children. In December the sport system for juniors has been launched. Within 2-3 years we expect rapid growth in the numbers of youngest students. The program being now tested will include teaching programs, promotion system and competition system designed to meet need of the youngest practitioners. The pilot projects will hopefully result in introducing a complete system for whole Finland ready to implement in every club.

A turning point on the Taekwon-Do map in Finland came last autumn. After few years of separation the biggest Taekwon-Do club in Finland has rejoined our federation. TKD-Akatemia covers with its nearly 50 localisations most of the Northern territory of Finland.

   

Year 2007 has begun with other big comeback. Four former SITF member clubs rejoined the original Finnish ITF Taekwon-Do Federation. On the extra-ordinary ITF Finland General Assembly on 3.2.2007 member clubs have officially accepted full memberships of the Black Eagle, Vantaa ITF TKD, Sipoo and Hameenlinna clubs led by two 6th degrees instructors: Sabum nims Ismo Kukkonen and Thierry Meyour.

Those few years of turbulences has shown that real Taekwon-Do is something more than papers and administrational struggle. Friendship, passion, devotion and vision shared among members make the federation strong and united. And as in every family sometimes we think different but as long as we have the same goal and honesty in our hearts, we are united.

We can finally say that our hard effort to bring our true members back to one table has succeeded. I look to our future with hopes.

With regards,
Mariusz Steckiewicz,
President
ITF Taekwon-Do Finland



go back