Winter Break

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

On behalf of Master Oldham and the Executive Committee

 

The GTUK would like to wish all its friends from around the world a safe winter break and wish them all the best for 2010.

The association would also like to thank all members, instructors and their families for your continued support during 2009.  It has been a tough year with the financial crisis biting hard and affecting everyone in some way.  We appreciate your time and effort given to the GTUK over the last 12 months, especially in light of this.  One of the benefits of Taekwon-do is that you are able to turn up at the dojang and leave behind the worries and stresses of the outside world and just focus for an hour or two on your training as soon as you bow to enter the hall.  This time is precious and an effective way to de-stress and clear your mind before rejoining the outside world as you bow out - don't underestimate the power of using your training in this way.

The GTUK is also thinking of its instructors, members and families affected by the recent terrible flooding in the Cumbrian region and we wish you all well during this difficult time.

2009 is drawing to a close and has been an eventful year with many achievements reached which are too many to mention individually but a couple that stand out are the new 4th degrees, one 5th degree and two 6th degrees recently promoted.  These well earned promotions are further evidence that the GTUK is continually progressing and strengthening itself at the top.

The 17 medals achieved at the recent Celtic Cup in Ireland are also something we should be immensely proud of and something we should aim to build upon in 2010.

This year also saw the introduction of a new tournament system and as with any new system there were teething problems.  But the GTUK has never been one to shy away from a challenge and has taken on board the feedback received and has made some changes that will improve the system even more, allowing an even better tournament experience for spectators, competitors and officials alike next year.

There is also the Goodwill International Shield in Scotland to look forward to on May 15th and 16th next year which promises to be a fantastic event with friends from Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, USA,  and more coming over to compete with us.  Make sure you are there too!

As the year draws to a close we would like to wish everyone a safe and relaxing winter break to make sure you come back rejuvenated and attack 2010 with vigour and enthusiasm.

On a final point I’d like to extend thanks to Master Oldham on behalf of all instructors and members who has once again worked tirelessly for the GTUK ensuring the association continues to grow and strengthen.

Phil Miller

GTUK Press Officer