The First 6 Months

So, as I reflect on the past 6 months, it has been a whirlwind. In June I arrived at SFX College in Woolton to take the first class of the newly named Liverpool ITF Taekwon-do School. Five eager students were ready and waiting to get kitted out in doboks and start on the official ITF syllabus.

Darren, an ITF England veteran and member of the promotions team, had been making the 6oo mile round trip (!) from Torbay most weekends to kick start the classes with some fitness and fun kicking sessions. Unfortunately in switching from Saturdays to Wednesdays we'd lost a few of the original starters, but nonetheless, five keen 10, 11 and 12 year olds was a great start.

A month or so down the line and we started the Friday classes nearby, and it wasn't long before the original members (now down to 4) were ready to take their first grading. The standard was good, after all they'd had a lot of preparation with Darren, and plenty of one to one attention in our small classes. Over the following weeks, lots of helpful friends dropped in and helped teach at the classes, from blue belts to 4th Dans.

The highpoint of the past 6 months though, was when two of the students, now yellow belts, entered their first competition, the Scottish Open and won Gold and Silver in patterns, and Silver and Bronze in sparring. 

Here's to the next 6 months!