Julian Cole
From left: Richard Webb, members of the team, right Richard Morgan Principal.
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Shanique Samuels, Gleaner Writer
Tae kwon do isn't a very popular sport in Jamaica, especially among rural schools. The Thompson Town High School in Clarendon has a tae kwon do club that is doing extremely well. The club began in November 2012 with 25 members and is the brainchild of Trevor Webb, who is the president of the Jamaica Tae kwon do Academy. Webb is a sixth-degree black belt and is the chief instructor of the team that now comprises 12 members.
Webb said going into the schools is not just about kick and punch, saying that academics are important and that he tries to follow the grades of the students and then make recommendations accordingly. Interest isn't only in getting the students to train and win championships. emphasis is also placed on the students' holistic development, while ensuring they are well-rounded individuals and not just tae kwon do champions.
Webb hosts regular weekend camps for the students at a dojang (formal training hall) in Kingston. He ensures assignments and all other school-related material get as much attention as training. "Discipline is very important, Tae kwon do is a way of life," he said.
The instructor said training at this stage is intense because the team is planning to compete in several tournaments this year. "We are doing our best. our training is intense sometimes because we now have approximately 10 tournaments for the year in Jamaica, and we are now in preparation to go to the US Open in July, and some of the members from Thompson Town are selected to attend."
The team's first tournament was at Jamaica College in 2013, and Thompson Town High emerged the winner of the first-ever school championship.
Principal, Richard Morgan, said he is very proud to know that this relatively small rural school won the first-ever school championship, and he will be working with his team to ensure it defends its title and keeps the trophy.
"I am very elated that Mr Webb decided to come into Thompson Town High and assist us with setting up the club because rural schools have talent, too." A beaming Morgan added that he was extremely grateful to Webb for funding the team and training them at no extra cost to the school. "There is a positive correlation between the students' performance in tae kwon do and their academic attainment.
"I would encourage every school to get involved in tae kwon do because it has a positive effect on student discipline and academic attainment," he said.
Julian Cole is a grade 10 student and is currently the most outstanding tae kwon do student at the school. She was one of the top competitors in the championships last December and earned for her school 12 medals and two trophies.
She has been part of the club since its inception and noted that it's a discipline that teaches her self-defense and control. She added that perseverance, discipline, and training are the keys to her immediate success. She is now a red belt black stripe and is working towards her first-degree black belt, which she considers a major accomplishment.
According to Webb, sponsorship will go a far way as funding is needed to outfit the students with uniforms and other equipment. He added that he was grateful to Digicel for helping out the team with much-needed funding last year, and hopes to get more funding from corporate entities to sponsor the team this year.
"We have made a big impact, and we are hoping to make it a bigger one," said Webb.
rural@glanerjm.com
