IL Shim International Taekwon-Do

Victorian Challenge

Sunday 31st July 2011 

    Venue: Hungarian Community Centre, 760 Boronia Road, Wantima, Victoria 3152. www.hungariancentre.org.au/

Enquiries:                                                                                           

IL Shim International TKD – Melbourne                                            IL Shim International TKD – Tournament Committee

Tournament Host Mr. Paul Harper                                                     Tournament Director Mr. Frans Christensen

Email: ilshimtkdmelb@netspace.net.au                                                                    

Mobile: Mr Paul Harper 0423 048 803
          or Mrs Michelle Harper 0402 810 562                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Application form online:  http://www.itfaustralia.com.au/events/online-application-forms/victorian-challenge.html                   

Entries Close: Friday 15th July, 2011

                                                                                                                         There will be strictly no extension to this cut off date

Dear Instructors and Students,

We have the pleasure of inviting you to participate in the 2011 IL Shim ITF Victorian Challenge that is to be held on Sunday the 31st July 2011. We hope you all can make it!

It is necessary that all students comply with the ITF Tournament rules and regulations.

  • All sparring competitors must use the appropriate protective sparring equipment approved only by ITF standards. Acceptance is purely under the discretion of the referee.
  • All sparring competitors must weigh in correctly, and comply with their own weight category/division.

Non-compliance will lead to automatic disqualification.

For those seeking accommodation, we recommend:

– The Golden Pebble: 500 Boronia Road, Wantirna http://www.goldenpebble.com.au/ 

– Quest Apartments: 137 Mountain Highway, Wantirna http://www.questapartments.com.au/Accommodation/90/Australia/Melbourne_Suburbs/Quest_Knox/Welcome.aspx

Location : Wantirna, Melbourne, VIC
Contact : ilshimtkdmelb@netspace.net.au or phone: Mr Paul Harper 0423 048 803 or Mrs Michelle Harper 0402 810 562

 

Henry’s Corner May 2011 Issue 2

IN THE BEGINNING ……………

Dear Friends

As winter settles in and the chirping of little feathered creatures in the trees brightens up otherwise gloomy mornings and evenings I reflect upon the swift passage of time and the inevitable changes we constantly experience. In this transient existence we call life I often stop and ponder upon the interconnectivity of our lives’ events and their complex causal relationships.

Every time I pass by the old building in Liverpool Street in the heart of Sydney which used to house the headquarters of the Australian Tae Kwon Do Academy where Master Daher and I began our training in the early seventies, I am touched by the nostalgia of times which left an indelible mark and forever changed our lives. If we are supposed to be the sum total of our experiences, then the years we spent at this Academy shaped our identities permanently. We were in our early teens when we commenced our training and Tae Kwon Do became a part of our self image. We may have come from a variety of cultural and racial backgrounds but we were united by the core values of Tae Kwon Do which had universal appeal. If we can define a culture as a set of values, then we were bonded by the system of belief in this sub-culture known as Tae Kwon Do.

We were members of one of the most successful martial arts organizations in Australia and wore our badges with great pride. Just recently Master Daher reminded me how, when he attained his yellow belt, he was so full of pride that he would carry his belt in his hand on the way and back from the gym so everyone could recognise his achievement. We believed we were training in the best system and convinced of the superiority of our school.

Discipline was strictly enforced during those days and classes were run in a quasi-militaristic manner. Sparring in the early days was conducted without any protective gear so, unfortunately, injuries were more common. Senior members commanded strict obedience and black belts were accorded the respect usually given to military officers. Even outside the gym we treated our senior members with deference. This was an indication of how Tae Kwon Do was not just an activity we engaged in for an hour and a half each day but an art which assumed a centrality in our lives.

We had commenced our training during a time when there was a surge of popularity in martial arts in Australia. Clubs were sprouting up everywhere and many people from all walks of life were eager to learn an art of self defence. There was a fascination for these disciplines and people wanted to explore what appeared so exotic. We did not conduct many tournaments in the early years but provided a multitude of demonstrations for the general public at a variety of venues including the Hordern Pavilion and the Sydney Opera House. The demonstration at the Opera House in the mid-seventies was a memorable occasion which was called “Tae Kwon Do Night” and held in the main concert hall. If my memory serves me correctly, we attracted an audience of about one thousand people that evening. Master Daher and I were the only two non black belts who were invited to participate. We were black tips at the time.

One of the other demonstrations I recall clearly was at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney. Hush, one of the most popular bands in Australia in the seventies, invited us to put on a fast and furious demonstration on stage before they would jump on and begin their concert in front of thousands of people with their song “Nunchaku Man.” This is another indication of the popularity of martial arts at the time.

The first Australian tournament organized by our Academy was held at the Alexandria Basketball Stadium in Sydney but Master Daher was absent from this event and there was a good reason. Apparently, our instructor, Master Young Ku Yun, would not allow Master Daher to compete for some time because Master Daher was too “enthusiastic” about “punishing” his opponents on the floor. Nevertheless, Master Yun would still put Master Daher on the floor if he needed to prove the superiority of our academy. Master Daher certainly has the martial spirit!

Due to the commercial success of his organization, Master Yun was able to operate a full time training centre which occupied one whole floor of that building in the centre of Sydney. Hence we were fortunate enough to have available to us a large and well equipped facility which we could use seven days a week. There was a main training hall, a second training hall, a private training room for black belts, a large change room, offices, etc. I still recall visiting our gym on the weekends when it would be completely empty with some of my fellow practitioners if we happened to be in the city and venting our youthful energy by going on a rampage against the punching bags, screaming at the top of our voices. It was great stress relief!

Training became an obsession for some of us. We were at the gym six days a week come rain or shine for many years. Some of us were doing supplementary training in private in addition to the formal sessions at the gym. The biggest danger we faced was becoming stale through over training. But not only did we train together, we often socialized with each other. So there was great camaraderie and many friendships were formed. Friendships that were based on mutual respect and shared values.

Out of the original group that trained at the Liverpool Street headquarters, to my knowledge Master Daher is the “last man standing.” He is the only one who never lost his passion for the art and maintained his full time devotion to it. I do not believe there was even a single hiatus in his involvement in the art throughout all these years. I harbour no doubt that he will continue to make significant contributions to the development and propagation of Tae Kwon Do for many more years to come.

Let the journey continue!

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Henry’s Corner May 2011 Issue 1

INTRODUCTION

Dear Friends

It is with great delight that I accept Master Daher’s invitation to contribute a regular column to our web site. I will bring you anecdotes, observations and thoughts on issues related to our DSC01848organisation and Taekwon-Do in general.

As some of you are already aware, I commenced my training in Taekwon-Do in October of 1972, approximately three months before Master Daher began his training, under the tutelage of Master Young Ku Yun at the Australian Tae Kwon Do Academy. It has been many years since I discontinued the physical training of Taekwon-Do but the spirit of this beautiful art continues to find its domicile in me. I also hope to provide you with further insights into this unique individual, Master Daher, whom I have called a friend for nearly forty years.

Many people bear the scars of their encounter with Master Daher on the floor of a dojang but I am one of the few who escaped unscathed. Perhaps he had the foresight to know that I would be speaking and writing about him one day and decided to be kind to me!

On this note, I begin my contributions by briefly dwelling upon the leader of IL Shim, Master Daher, this month.

Master Daher came to our shores as a very young man to escape the turmoil of Lebanon and because his parents wanted him to be in a relatively calm environment such as Australia where his “risk taking” tendencies would find a safer outlet. He was the youngest of many siblings and displayed the adventurous, daring and bold approach to life which the youngest child in a family supposedly carries. He indeed came from a very tough background and always showed a fearless attitude to all situations in life. The road that he has walked clearly demonstrates a man who thrives in adrenalin charged situations and, during his younger years, often adopted the classic “shoot first and ask questions later” approach to conflict. He appears much more placid and serene in his middle age but I believe one would still test his patience at one’s peril.

Perhaps due to the background he came from where he had to hone his “survival instincts,” Master Daher possesses an acumen which makes his interpretation of life’s various situations valued by many.   

Master Daher’s potential and ability in Tae Kwon Do was recognised very early by his instructors and Master Yun correctly predicted that he would develop into an extraordinary exponent of this art. In his ascent to black belt, Master Daher achieved the honour of a double promotion twice. This was unprecedented and testimony to his rapid progress.

It was only recently that I commented to Master Daher that I thought he was born to be a martial artist. Physically, his agility, flexibility and coordination allows him to execute techniques superbly and, mentally, his fierce determination and enthusiasm has made him an outstanding practitioner of Tae Kwon Do.

Our lives are all the richer for knowing Master Daher

Report from the IL Shim Sunshine Coast Cup.

The day had come so quickly it almost made my head spin!!! I say almost because I can’t remember ever being so prepared for a tournament! The draws were done weeks in advance, all the prep had gone into this event and I think it was the smoothest ever!!! The lessons we learnt from last tournament were written down after the event had finished so we had a really great platform to begin with.

With the introductions out of the way and a quick briefing for all the corner judges we were underway on time! Patterns were first and they flowed really quickly so before we knew it we were straight into the sparring. The new draw system is fantastic and with a bit of tweaking over the next few events I feel we will have a very strong set of systems in place to ensure all Il Shim tournaments are renowned for finishing on time with great results every time!

Big thanks must go to Mr John Abdallah who has put in countless hours on the new programs and without him we simply couldn’t have been as effective as we were! Also the parents and families on the day who helped out in many areas were just fantastic! We can’t run these events without people like this so THANK YOU very much!!!

Mr Christensen was on hand to ensure the day went smoothly, and was invaluable in his vast knowledge of how a good tournament should be progressing. Big thanks to Mr Van Beelen and the rest of the sunshine coast crew who helped out a great deal to get this event pumping! All in all I feel everyone had a great time and the atmosphere was one of happiness and great sportsmanship!

Cant wait for next Year!!!!!!!

oh, and check out the photos here

Results are available here

Taekwon

Gerard Kelly IV Dan

IL Shim Umpiring Manager

Ilshim International Taekwon-Do is pleased to announce the opening of the following clubs:

IL Shim Coomera

Classes at Coomera State School Hall (Dreamworld Parkway) on the Northern Gold Coast, QLD starting 4th July and running weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6.30-7.30pm.

Join us for the Grand Opening on Saturday 16th July at 9am

Contact Shawn Sutton on 0403200153, John Abdallah on 0413446772. Email: info@itftaekwondogoldcoast.com.au

Click here for a Map

 

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IL Shim Squad Training – Nambour, Sunshine Coast, QLD

On Sunday 15th May the Queensland members of the IL Shim training squad gathered to be trained by some of the best Taekwon-Do minds in Australia.

Master Daher and Mr Frans Christensen covered off the formalities of being in the IL Shim Training Squad, there must be a desire to achieve at the highest level, there is a lot of hard work ahead of us all, and we must be committed. There are some requirements in terms of flexibility and fitness, and also some assessments at regular intervals to ensure we are making progress.DSC08104

Australia Head Coach Frans Christensen led the training covering basic warm up routines before taking the squad through a number of Sparing drills focusing on speed and foot position. After some demonstrations from Trent Hayden and Gerard Kelly, we paired up and worked through the combinations we had been shown while the coaches moved amongst the students offering tips and advice.

Master Daher was on hand to take the squad through some fundamental techniques, breaking down a number of techniques into their various parts. Attention to detail is key, understanding how each movement comes together through transition and into the completion of the move was critical to become proficient at each and every technique.

Then there was the section on flexibility, without flexibility you will not be able to perform techniques to the standard expected. Stretching every single day is a must; otherwise we are only kidding ourselves that we will achieve our goals in Taekwon-Do.

DSC08147Gerard Kelly addressed the squad to give us an idea of what it means to represent your Country, the long-time friends, camaraderie amongst the squad and supporters, and the thrill of the tournament were just some of the things that made it an experience to remember.

In the last session of the morning, Mr Kelly and Mr Van Beelan took the squad through the principles of Power Breaking and were at pains to emphasise that Speed and Flexibility are two key fundamental components that will help you to achieve a perfect breaking technique; you don’t need to be huge brute with rippling balls of muscle to achieve a successful break.

I would like to thank Master Daher and the coaches for an extremely enlightening squad training session. This was the first session for the Queensland Clubs and I know that everyone who attended is looking forward to the next opportunity to be trained by our Master and this experienced group of coaches.

See more photo’s here

Taekwon

Shawn Sutton, 1st Degree
IL Shim Gold Coast
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         Report from the IL Shim Umpires Course

On Saturday the 14th May, IL Shim ran its first umpires course. How do I know this you may ask? I ran it that’s how!! DSC07317We covered a broad range of topics ranging from basic terminology, positioning, hand signals, attitude etc. We had over thirty participants in this inaugural event and sparring was to be the main focus.

A great many people go through their black belt journey without ever having stepped in a ring as an umpire or corner judge and this simply cannot continue, hence the course. For Taekwon-Do to flourish in Australia we need as many people to be up to speed in all aspects of tournament judging.

After the main presentation, which was both humorous and enlightening, it was time to put into practice the things they had just learnt. Although tentative at the start, the future umpires started to really get into it and enjoy themselves.

This is just the start of many courses that we will be running as an organisation and I can tell you that I am very excited to be a part of this fantastic journey!

Thank you to all the participants who gave it a go and hopefully you learnt something useful!!

See the Photos here

Taekwon

Gerard Kelly IV Dan
IL Shim Umpire Manager

2011 Sunshine Coast Cup Results

Review available here

Check out the Photo’s here

Andrew Hardwick (SUNNY)
Patterns 1st 2nd  3rd
White – Green Belt Junior Paterns Luca Bowe (AGNES) Alexandria Barbera (BUNDA) Stefani Orreal (BUNDA)
White-Green Senior Patterns Christopher Sutton (GOLD) Natasha Price (AGNES) Benjamin Efstathis (GOLD)
Blue-Red Belt Junior Patterns Luke Neary (SUNNY) Imogen De Viana (GOLD) Lucy Miller (DYNA)
Blue-Red Belt Senior Patterns Jesse Lumsden (GOLD) Felix Kernot (REDY) Amelia De Viana (GOLD)
Black Belt Patterns Indija Anderson (DYNA) Kiara Bin (DYNA) Stephanie Bracks (ULTIM)
Sparing 1st 2nd  3rd
Female Colour Junior Middle Sparring Stefani Orreal (BUNDA) Alexandria Barbera (BUNDA) Chloe Sutton (DYNA)
Female Colour Junior Very Light Sparring Olivia Murray (DYNA) Amy Miller (DYNA) Ellen Greenhill (SUNNY)
Female Colour Junior Light Sparring Charlotte Clark (DYNA) Aviendah Dwyer (DYNA) Amber Millar (DYNA)
Female Colour Senior Heavy Sparring Paris Lumsden (GOLD) Natasha Price (AGNES) Sianne Blacklock (AGNES)
Female Black Senior Heavy Sparring Indija Anderson (DYNA) Marika Carr (DYNA) Bianca Bin (DYNA)
Female Black Junior Middle Sparring Stephanie Bracks (ULTIM) Elise Brittingham (GOLD) Amelia De Viana (GOLD)
Male Colour Junior Very Light Sparring Jett Amos (DYNA) Michael Blacklock (AGNES) Kaya Mukai (GOLD)
Male Colour Junior Light Sparring Jeremy Newitt (AGNES) Eden Manning (DYNA) John Sutton (GOLD)
Male Colour Junior Middle Sparring Felix Kernot (REDY) Christopher Sutton (GOLD) Luke Tyson (TOON)
Male Colour Senior Heavy Sparring James Cartlidge (GOLD) Alex Cernoy (GOLD) Hayden McGaw (BUNDA)
Male Black Junior Light Sparring Sebastian De Viana (GOLD) Alex Pearce (GOLD) Luke Neary (SUNNY)
Male Black Junior Middle Sparring Adam Purser (ULTIM) William Verdin (ULTIM) Mathew Purser (ULTIM)
Male Black Senior Heavy Sparring Trent Hayden (ABERD) John Lane (BUNDA) Matt Scott (DYNA)
Special Technique 1st 2nd  3rd
Male Open Senior Special Mathew Purser (ULTIM) Trent Hayden (ABERD) Adam Purser (ULTIM)
Female Open Senior Special Indija Anderson (DYNA) Kiara Bin (DYNA) Marika Carr (DYNA)
Female Colour Senior Special Aishla Manning (DYNA) Chloe Sutton (DYNA) Emily Campbell (ULTIM)
Female Colour Minors Special Charlotte Clark (DYNA) Amber Millar (DYNA) Lucy Miller (DYNA)
Male Colour Minors Special Cooper Betts (SUNNY) Kaya Mukai (GOLD) Jett Amos (DYNA)
Male Colour Senior Special Timothy Smallman (SUNNY) Felix Kernot (REDY) Thomas Dwyer (DYNA)
Male Colour Junior Special David Hilder (DYNA) Tom Barry (DYNA) Eden Manning (DYNA)
Power Breaking 1st 2nd  3rd
Female Power Indija Anderson (DYNA) Bianca Bin (DYNA) Marlee Tyson (TOON)
Male power Adam Purser (ULTIM) Shawn Sutton (GOLD) Andrew Hardwick (SUNNY)