Laying down the five core principles of Taekwon-Do

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

Mention martial arts and you think of frightening speed of hand and foot, cat-like agility and explosive power. However, there is also a certain romanticism about these disciplines, with values such as honour and integrity an integral part of their teachings.

According to Master Mark O’Donnell, the Korean martial art of Taekwon-Do is no different and the former Irish international outlines an important facet of the sport is nurturing among young children – and, indeed, adults – an appreciation of a number of life skills.

“Taekwon-Do itself revolves around five tenets or five core principles,” says O’Donnell, senior instructor and co-founder of the Galway Taekwon-Do School (established 1993) which is based in Renmore Community Centre and District Fitness, Athenry.

“Those are courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control and indomitable spirit. We use more basic language though to explain that to the kids. Courtesy, for example, is being polite to their parents and teachers and that sort of thing. That sort of culture is being instilled in them.

“The classes are quite disciplined in that we bow at the start and end of every class. There is a quite structured atmosphere to it and we have a programme that is kids-orientated. It helps them to focus on goals and how to achieve them.”

He explains that some martial arts would do grading for children every three or four months but with his non-profit club, which is a member of the Republic of Ireland Taekwon-Do Association (RITA) and International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), they take a more measured approach.

“For our kids programme, they are graded once a year. In July, that’s it. What we do is give them interim goals. We start off in September, get back them back into the swing of it, and then usually around Christmas we do an open night for the families to come down.

“So, they prepare and practice for a demonstration for the parents to come down and watch what they have been practicing. That is the first goal. Then, we have an in-house competition, very much a fun challenge event, around the Easter time, and that is the next thing we practice for. Or they might do the St. Patrick’s Day parade, which we are doing in Athenry next year.”

The idea is to take a less intensive and, most importantly, fun approach to teaching Taekwon-Do. “So, they are learning to focus on a goal; set out the steps they need to achieve it; and move on and achieve it. Then they have the grading at the end of the year,” he says.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.