Master Franks to establish a South African ITF Taekwon-Do association

Written on 31 July 2019.

The President of the ITF, Grand-Master Paul Weiler, has asked Master Franks to establish a South African ITF Taekwon-Do association. Currently there are 15 national associations in the 54 nations in Africa: Algeria, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe.

The plan is also to form committees for Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and other towns. Master Franks is inviting all black belts of 1st Degree and above, currently living in South Africa, to attend his meetings. The meetings will be in South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, on 11 & 12 December 2019.

Master Franks has completed 5 IICs under General Choi, in 1991 North Korea, 1992 Moscow, 1994 South Africa, 1997 Prague and 1999 Trinity College Dublin. He has completed 8 IICs with GTF from 2004 to 2011. He also hold a Sports Science diploma. Master Franks emigrated from South Africa to Ireland in 2011, and established four Master Franks Fitness Centres : Ballinakill, Ballyduff / Kilmeaden, Dunmore East, and W.I.T. Arena.

We wish Master Franks great success in forming a South African ITF Taekwon-Do association.

1st ITF International Coaches' Conference

Written on 03 July 2019.

Members of the INTA attended the 1st ITF International Coaches' Conference, which was held in the University of Limerick from 28-30 June 2019.

The conference was the first of it’s kind for the ITF, and had the theme “Advances and Innovation in ITF Coaching". The two and a half day program was packed with outstanding keynote speeches and workshops, given by both ITF and non-ITF experts. Discussed were a wide range of topics related to developing high performance athletes: sport psychology, plyometric training; nutrition; bio-mechanics; performance planning; specific training methods to prepare athletes at elite level in various disciplines; the future of ITF competition & competition rules; developing a community of coaches and more.
Workshops were physical, and specific to one of the five ITF competition disciplines: pattern, special technique, power breaking and prearranged free sparring.

170 enthusiastic Masters, Instructors, Coaches and Competitors and from 26 countries attended this excellent conference. We would like to congratulate the organizers of this successful first coaches' conference on the high standard of organization, speakers, and teachers. We are looking forward to the next one!

INTA Summer Black Belt Grading 2019

Written on 08 June 2019.

The INTA Summer Black Belt Grading 2019 took place in the Maldron Hotel in Tallaght, Co. Dublin, on 8 June.

A team of five 7th Dan Masters graded the eleven candidates going for 1st Dan. These aspirant black belts were tested in groups of four or five for basic movements, patterns, self-defense and 1, 2 & 3-step sparring. The same groups were later called to the floor for sparring. After a short break, the candidates presented themselves individually for the theory and power test. Out of the eleven students, ten passed their grading to black belt.

Grand Master O'Toole was flanked by Master Douglas and Master Martin, both 8th Dan; this panel graded those going for 2nd Dan or above. A total of 10 black belts hoped to promote to a higher degree, all of whom passed their grading.

At the presentation of the results, all who promoted successfully were presented with an INTA Black Belt Certificate; the official ITF certificate will be sent out at a later date.

The INTA congratulates all those who passed.

Results:
Denis Gannon - 6th Degree
Ray Curran - 5th Degree
Nicole Douglas - 5th Degree
Ann McCarthy - 5th Degree
Lucia McCarthy - 5th Degree
Keith Matthews - 5th Degree
Michael O'Mahony - 4th Degree
Leigh Ann Gilmore - 3rd Degree
Alexa Ennis - 3rd Degree
Tara Tubbritt - 2nd Degree
Anna Dumitru - 1st Degree
Daniel Coleman - 1st Degree
Caragh Fitzgerald - 1st Degree
Jessie Sheehan - 1st Degree
Rebecca Tynan - 1st Degree
Éabha Fitzpatrick - 1st Degree
Kevin Hearty - 1st Degree
Niamh Gahan - 1st Degree
Leah Coughlan - 1st Degree
Emma Finnegan - 1st Degree
Lauren Beehan - 1st Degree
Liam Mason - 1st Degree

M.D.T.S. 6th Invitational Colour belt Taekwon-Do Tournament

Written on 02 June 2019.

Master Douglas Taekwon-Do Schools held their 6th invitational Taekwon-Do Tournament on Saturday the 25th of May. The whole event was a huge success with over 210 competitors from most of the Taekwon-Do Schools from the
INTA.
The Tournament started at 10am with the children up to 12years competing in the 4 rings for the one Gold medal in each height category for male and female in this very spectacular special technique event (Overhead kick).
After that was finished it moved on to the patterns and sparring competition. where everyone put in a great performance. When the patterns were over the children and the adults were eager to get into the sparring gear where there were more great displays, from the competitors taking part in their first competition tothe more seasoned competitors. It was also a great privilege for M.D.T.S to have Grandmaster O Toole 9th degree, President of the INTA present at the tournament also, Master Neil Franks, Master Nigel Stogie and Master Alan Troy.
Everyone enjoyed the day in a safe and friendly atmosphere This was a great opportunity for members to catch up with old friends and make new ones.
A special Thanks to Ballygowan for their continued support in suppling refreshments for this event.
We would also like to thank all the people who helped set up the hall and clean up afterwards, the umpires who gave up their day to help at this great event, and the great support from all coaches who looked after all the students on the day.
Until Next year Taekwon.