It was the first meeting of the season for the Estevan Takwondo Association, so senior head instructor Wayne Brown wasn't about to make the members drop and give him 10 pushups for each routine missed.
Brown will help get the club ready for the district's first tournament of the year Nov. 4.
“Tournaments are something that we do because it's great to be able to compete against others and test your skills against others,” he said after Saturday's Try Taekwondo even at Spruce Ridge School. “But... right now we're just about getting the rust off and getting some basic skills and techniques. A lot of people before the end of the session last year were promoted to a higher rank.”
Brown said there are 16 new students this year, with eight new students and eight new adults in the beginner class. The club now has a record number of 27 mini class – ages five to seven – and 24 in the beginner class and another 28 in the adult class.
“Taekwondo is a really disciplined martial art,” Brown said. “When you're five or seven, you're still having some fun. And this (adult class) is fun, but it's also much more regimented.”
The numbers of participation are getting better this year, with the encouraging sign being that there's a big increase in both adult and child numbers.
“It's great discipline and a great way to stay fit,” Brown said. “The mental training is so beneficial for young people and for adults. As we get older, obviously the mental discipline and the mental fitness is important too. We find it's really of interest to young people.”
The interest continues once adults – who often have little to no personal taekwondo history – will take their children to the class, and find out that it's so interesting that they themselves will start taking part and enjoying the sport, straight through to earning a black belt.
“They're the future of our club as well,” Brown said. “Martial arts, and taekwondo isn't something you understand until you can watch it. They don't think it's for them until they see it's something that's about individual skills and traits and to develop them.
“My brother's son started and said 'I'm going, do you want to come with me?',” Brown continued. “Now it's 31 years later. Kids sometimes get into their things and move on to other areas. Adults really tend to take a strong liking to this.”
Progression in martial arts is often marked by different belts, which helps when it comes to goal-setting.
“It just keeps people coming because you have steps,” Brown said. “You want to learn more and learn more.”
Anyone interested can call Brown at 306-634-7793 or 306-421-6470 or Don DeChief at 306-421-8900.
