The hard work put in by the national demonstration team preparing for a performance at the launching of the Singapore Youth Olympic Festival on 14 August 2011 was well worth it.
Their scintillating show of acrobatic skills and taekwondo expertise drew resounding applause from the crowd including top sports personages including Mr Ng Ser Miang, Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee and Dr Tan Eng Liang, Vice-President of the Singapore National Olympic Council.
The guest of honor for the event, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, was also visibly impressed with the discipline and stunts displayed by the team. He congratulated the performers at the end of the show time and obliged them with a group picture.
To those who were at the event, the taekwondo performances were indeed a feast for the eyes and not for those with weak hearts. The fifteen-minute non-stop action-packed show was thrilling and, of course, at times heart-stopping.
Here are some action shots of the great demonstration for your viewing pleasure.
The next grading preparation workshop will be held as follows:
Date
Sunday 18 September 2011
Time
2.00pm to 5.30pm
Venue
STF National Training CentreBlk 80 Lorong Limau#04-191Singapore 320080
Dress Code
‘Dobok’
Certification
Certificate of Participation
Fee
On or before Monday 12 September 2011 – $30On or before Thursday 15 September 2011 – $40On the spot registration – $50(Fees paid are not refundable unless the application is rejected.)
The workshop is open to red (senior and junior), poom and black belt holders.
The primary objective of the workshop is to point out to participants their performance flaws and the areas they should work on from the examiners’ perspective. This will give the candidates a better chance of passing.
During the workshop, participants will be briefed on the grading guidelines and the expectations of the examiners.
Coaches may use the information acquired by their students at the workshop as a basis to guide them for their grading.
All candidates who have attended the workshop are reminded to submit a copy of the certificate of participation with their grading applications. For red (junior) and 1st poom candidates, a copy of the certificate should be attached to their grading cards. This is necessary for the examiners to give them special consideration, if required.
The registration form is attached. All cheques must be crossed and made payable to the “Singapore Taekwondo Federation”.
A memorial service will be held for Stanley Yeo on 28 August 2011 at 3.00pm at Blk 259 Tampines Street 21 void deck. It is specially arranged by friends of Stanley.
Taekwondo members and friends who know him may the opportunity to pay their last respect.
For more information, please contact Mr Lim Keng Leong at 9061 6858.
The results of the Unarmed Combat Course (Level 2) and National Kyorugi Referee Course are attached.
A retest would be held on Sunday 21 August 2011 at 2.30pm at the STF National Training Centre for those who had failed either the theory or practical components.
Unsuccessful participants who are interested in the retest must register with the STF Secretariat by 5.00pm on Wednesday 17 August 2011. The fee is $20 per component. On the spot registration is $30. Participants for the National Kyorugi Referee Course are advised to read their notes and practised their hand signals/refereeing drills to prepare for the retest.
The Singapore Youth Olympic Festival (SYOF) Taekwondo Kyorugi Championships will be held on 13 & 14 August 2011 (Saturday and Sunday) at Singapore Expo Hall 4.
The programme, fixtures and protector sizes are attached.
The organizers would like to highlight the following..
Every participating team must provide at one referee for the duration of the championships to qualify for participation. The referee may not be the same person. For example, it is acceptable for a club to submit four referees, one each for every competition day. However, the referee must be present throughout the duration of the competition. A club will be barred from future participation if its referee fails to fulfill his or her obligations without the approval of the Tournament Chairman. All referees must report to the Tournament Chairman on both competition days at 9.00am.
New rules without video replay shall be adopted. This means, among other things, that points will be awarded on a graduated system.
Weigh-in shall be conducted on the competition day . During Weigh-in contestant shall wear T-shirt & short. However , weigh-in may be conducted in the nude if the contest wishes to do so (Inside room). There will be only one weigh-in. Players who are over weight or under weight shall be disqualified. A weigh-in machine similar to the one used for the official weigh-in shall be provided for the players to check their weight before they are officially weighed. No weight allowance will be given.
Male and female players are required to wear the following equipment on entering the arena: head gear, trunk protector, forearm guard, shin guard groin guard, gloves and mouth piece.
If you require any clarifications, please do not hesitate to call Mr Andy Lee (Tournament Chairman) at 9106 4421 or any of the Secretariat staff at 63451491.
May we take this opportunity to wish all participants a smooth, successful and memorable tournament.
On behalf of the taekwondo community in Singapore, we record our sadness over the untimely death of Stanley Yeo Boon Thiang, a senior instructor. His recent passing came as a shock to many taekwondo members who knew him. Some of them could not believe the news as they had communicated with him not too long ago.
Although Stanley had not been active with the Singapore Taekwondo Federation in recent years, he had contributed to the development of the organization and taekwondo for a good number of years in various positions including Examiner, Referee Head, Course Conductor and Chairman of numerous projects. His passion for taekwondo saw him spend a lot of time, energy and resources to it.
Stanley, a 6th degree black belt, was still teaching when he passed on. His friends and students would miss him dearly.Our sympathies and prayers are with his bereaved family. We wish them strength in dealing with their unexpected and sudden loss.
Mr Milan Kwee, President of Singapore Taekwondo Federation, has been appointed as a Council Member of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) in recognition of his ability and effort in promoting taekwondo in Singapore and the Asian region.
In his letter of 4 August 2011 to Mr Kwee, WTF President Choue Chungwon wrote: “First of all, I give you my heartfelt appreciation to your hard work promoting taekwondo in your country and region.
STF President Milan Kwee with WTF President Choue
“I firmly believe that your dedication and selfless service to the WTF will help our organization to grow to befit the international standards and to propagate the Olympic Movement.
“Therefore, I wish to appoint you as a WTF Council Member by the authority vested in the president under article 6.6of the Statutes of the WTF.”
Mr Kwee is honoured to accept the appointment. He pledges to do his best to contribute further to the development of the sport in the world.
The taekwondo community in Singapore congratulates Mr Kwee on the appointment. He has done the country proud.
Mr Calvin Ng, Head Coach of Stiletto Taekwondo, will be organizing a training trip to Korea from 17 to 23 December 2011.
The trip includes training at Kukkiwon (Poomsae), Korea Sports University (Kyorugi) and special training at K-Tigers Training Centre.
However, the trip is not all about hard work. There will be cultural and recreational experiences including visits to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Namsangol Hanok Village and theatre performance by the renowned Jump Group.
If you are above 17 years old, hold a minimum of green belt and are interested in joining the trip, you may register by emailing to calvin@stilettosportshq.com. The investment is $1,800 per pax. The amount covers air ticket, accommodation, training and visits to the various tourists’ attractions. Meals will not be provided.
For more information, please contact Mr Ng at 9763 8363 or email him at the above address.
All affiliate leaders and coaches are requested to inform their candidates taking the 1st dan grading up to 3rd dan that they will be required to know the STF pledge. They will be tested during the interview segment. If they are unable to recite the pledge, they will not make their grading.
Candidates should also be informed that the interview questions will no longer be limited to the 15 questions published in the website. The examiners may ask other ‘character development’ related questions.
For example, the examiner may ask if the candidate has done any good deeds for the last three months. The candidate is expected to answer truthfully. If he or she has not done anything good, he or she should say so and have a good reason for that.
Candidates will fail the grading if they attempt to lie as it is against their pledge which is a promise and not an aspiration.
Changing Rooms
Please also inform your members not to change their clothes in public. Some members of the public have found the act offending. Candidates are advised to use the changing rooms available at the stadium. Anyone caught changing in public area will be taken to task.
Sister Linda Sim to show off her taekwondo techniques
The Korea Times 22 July 2011 By Yoon Chul
When people imagine a nun they imagine someone calm, noble and serene.
Sister Linda Sim generally fits that image. Unless the 55-year-old Singaporean nun is practicing taekwondo, a traditional Korean martial art and an Olympic sport.
Sister Linda Sim of Singapore takes part in a taekwondo demonstration in this undated file photo. / Courtesy of WTF
I may be the only kicking nun in Singapore. I consider myself fortunate to be one of the more agile and supple members,” Sim was quoted as saying in an interview with Prime Magazine.
Initially, her parents were not sure about her taekwondo activities, which she began practicing in earnest when she was 17 and signed up for classes at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in 1971.
“My father didn’t want me to fight and my mother was the chaperone. When I got hit on the head, it was too late and I had to fight. My mother closed her eyes,” she was quoted as saying in the interview.
The brave Singaporean didn’t receive much support from her family to pursue martial arts and gave it up in 1978 as she wanted to become a sister of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood.
Sim will, however, compete in Vladivostok but this time she wont’ have to worry about any possible physical damages because she will be taking part in the WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships from July 29 to 31 in Vladivostok.
Poomsae is a combination of basic actions and movements performed on an imaginary opponent. The athletes demonstrate various offensive and defensive taekwondo skills. Nevertheless, the black-belt nun is expected to show the passion she holds for the martial art.
In 2006, the Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) started offering taekwondo lessons to children with cancer and other life-limiting conditions at the Assisi Hospice Children Day Care Centre and Sim participated as a coach.
The nun said that she was overjoyed at having the privilege of coaching the Assisi Hospice children as well as for the opportunity to learn from the STF coaches.
Through this program, the children led by Sim as manager have even entered competitions including the 1st National Taekwondo Poomsae Competition in 2007 and won six gold medals, two silvers and a bronze.
