Sports
Taekwondo America students test their might at Super Cup Tournament
Staff Report
Twenty-one students from the Oswego Taekwondo America martial art school traveled to Rochester on May 30 to participate in the 15th Annual Rochester Super Cup Tournament, held at the Monroe Community College gymnasium.
More than 500 students from eight central New York Taekwondo schools, all under Grand Master Kim’s direction, attended the annual event to match their skills against one another in forms competition, sparring and board-breaking competition.
The Oswego Taekwondo America students who participated in this year’s 14th Annual Rochester Supercup Tournament are assistant instructor Miss Shirley Retz, Kayla Swenzkowski, Nicole Carney, Head Instructor Leo Pryor, Mr. Shawn Garshasb, Mr. Chris Bucher, Angel Cabrera, Timmy Kirwan, George Smith III, Connor Griffin, Zach Griffin, Gabe Fenzl, Alex Salm, Edward Salm, Lisa Randall, Reilly Randall, Desiree Mullen, Jordan Ketchem, Elijah Hinrichs, Caleb Evans, Robby Evans, and Mitchel Ferman.
A monumental event
The yearly event is organized by the Master Instructors of the all three Rochester Sam Kim Martial Arts schools. This year’s event was the largest tournament held in New York in 2009.
Black Belt instructors and students from all the schools participate as judges and referees score their efforts and abilities.
Good sportsmanship and friendly competition is the focus of Grand Master Kim’s tournaments and all the students compete with an emphasis on personal growth and development.
Competitors are matched as closely as possible, according to age, weight and belt rank and all participants receive trophies commemorating their achievements.
Kicking off the day
In the morning, participants competed in Poomse competition. Poomses are a specific series of choreographed blocks, punches, kicks and stances, developed by the Taekwondo Masters of Korea centuries ago.
Poomses are an integral aspect in the study of any martial art. Poomse’s are practiced over and over again, reinforcing proper technique, enhancing one’s balance, accentuation and intensity.
Competitors are judged on proper technique, execution, proficiency, as well as focus and intensity.
Immediately following the Poomse competition, participants were able to compete in another venue, the board breaking competition.
Taekwondo means “the art of hand and foot,” and in this event performers were able to show off their power, skill and creativity in a new dimension.
Each competitor attempted to break two boards. One board was to be broken with a hand technique and the other board was to be broken with a kicking technique.
Creativity, intensity and level of difficulty were considered by the judges, as well as technique and power.
Opening Ceremonies followed the Board Breaking competition. Visiting Senior Black Belts Instructors and teacher assistants from the sister Taekwondo schools were introduced and honored by participants, friends and parents.
A Black Belt Demonstration involving over seventy five young black belt artists and the Master Instructors from the three Rochester Taekwondo Martial arts schools inspired viewers and participants with advanced board breaking exhibitions and the Master Instructors’ precisely choreographed self defense skits.
High-speed sparring
The sparring competition completed the all-day event. Sparring matches are single elimination fights between two competitors wearing protective sparring gear.
A match consists of at least two one minute rounds, where points are accumulated when a competitor makes contact with their opponent with a properly executed punch or kick.
The culminating sparring performances of the advanced Adult Black Belts topped off the day’s activities.
The final matches are delivered with an awesome display of power and lightning quick speed—an inspirational demonstration of Taekwondo Sparring.
More than 500 students from eight central New York Taekwondo schools, all under Grand Master Kim’s direction, attended the annual event to match their skills against one another in forms competition, sparring and board-breaking competition.
The Oswego Taekwondo America students who participated in this year’s 14th Annual Rochester Supercup Tournament are assistant instructor Miss Shirley Retz, Kayla Swenzkowski, Nicole Carney, Head Instructor Leo Pryor, Mr. Shawn Garshasb, Mr. Chris Bucher, Angel Cabrera, Timmy Kirwan, George Smith III, Connor Griffin, Zach Griffin, Gabe Fenzl, Alex Salm, Edward Salm, Lisa Randall, Reilly Randall, Desiree Mullen, Jordan Ketchem, Elijah Hinrichs, Caleb Evans, Robby Evans, and Mitchel Ferman.
A monumental event
The yearly event is organized by the Master Instructors of the all three Rochester Sam Kim Martial Arts schools. This year’s event was the largest tournament held in New York in 2009.
Black Belt instructors and students from all the schools participate as judges and referees score their efforts and abilities.
Good sportsmanship and friendly competition is the focus of Grand Master Kim’s tournaments and all the students compete with an emphasis on personal growth and development.
Competitors are matched as closely as possible, according to age, weight and belt rank and all participants receive trophies commemorating their achievements.
Kicking off the day
In the morning, participants competed in Poomse competition. Poomses are a specific series of choreographed blocks, punches, kicks and stances, developed by the Taekwondo Masters of Korea centuries ago.
Poomses are an integral aspect in the study of any martial art. Poomse’s are practiced over and over again, reinforcing proper technique, enhancing one’s balance, accentuation and intensity.
Competitors are judged on proper technique, execution, proficiency, as well as focus and intensity.
Immediately following the Poomse competition, participants were able to compete in another venue, the board breaking competition.
Taekwondo means “the art of hand and foot,” and in this event performers were able to show off their power, skill and creativity in a new dimension.
Each competitor attempted to break two boards. One board was to be broken with a hand technique and the other board was to be broken with a kicking technique.
Creativity, intensity and level of difficulty were considered by the judges, as well as technique and power.
Opening Ceremonies followed the Board Breaking competition. Visiting Senior Black Belts Instructors and teacher assistants from the sister Taekwondo schools were introduced and honored by participants, friends and parents.
A Black Belt Demonstration involving over seventy five young black belt artists and the Master Instructors from the three Rochester Taekwondo Martial arts schools inspired viewers and participants with advanced board breaking exhibitions and the Master Instructors’ precisely choreographed self defense skits.
High-speed sparring
The sparring competition completed the all-day event. Sparring matches are single elimination fights between two competitors wearing protective sparring gear.
A match consists of at least two one minute rounds, where points are accumulated when a competitor makes contact with their opponent with a properly executed punch or kick.
The culminating sparring performances of the advanced Adult Black Belts topped off the day’s activities.
The final matches are delivered with an awesome display of power and lightning quick speed—an inspirational demonstration of Taekwondo Sparring.
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