Taekwondo Kids

She's Also a Violist

2008-03-26T11:20:00.002-04:00

... and, without any doubt, a very good one.

Demo Team March 2008

2008-03-16T11:24:00.004-04:00

Black Belt Test 2007

2007-11-17T16:27:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the new Black Belts, and special congratutalions to the awesome Demo Team. You're the best.

View photos

Tae Kwon Do Demo Team

Black Belt test afterwards

2006-11-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some photo albums of the afterwards of the Black Belt test. Enjoy.

Celebration night at Dave and Buster's, courtesy of Master Ricky and Miss Stacie.

Celebration at D&B's

The first class newly Black Belts Maria, Fernando, Enrique, Laura and Leo attended with new 4th Dan Black Belt, Master Carlos.

First class as Black Belts

New 2nd Dan Black Belt Lino's mom offered a celebration party at their home. Thank you Luisa, it was a great party.

Party at Lino's

Black Belt

2006-11-18T23:00:00.000-05:00

Para ti, mi niña amada.

No existen palabras que puedan describir el orgullo y la admiración que sentimos por ti, por tu dedicación, por lo que haz logrado.

Haz demostrado con tu Cinturón Negro que todo nuestro esfuerzo por tratar de educarte para que seas una persona de bien, que no se rinde ante las adversidades y que consigue lo que se propone, han dado frutos.

Quizás haber logrado tu Cinturón Negro no le parezca importante a muchos, pero para nosotros tus padres es la confirmación de que tu eres y seguirás siendo una luchadora, que enfrentarás los retos que la vida te ponga con constancia y sin pausa, con el objetivo de alcanzar las metas que te propongas, sin importar lo duro que sea el camino. Haz aprendido que el esfuerzo y la dedicación sí rinden frutos, y que mientras más difíciles sean de alcanzar esos frutos, más se valoran y más se disfrutan sus mieles.

Mi Gabita, este triunfo marca apenas el comienzo de muchos otros todavía por venir. No te rindas, no desmayes, que la vida te tiene reservado un maravilloso futuro. Tu mami y tu papi estarán siempre allí para apoyarte en todo, eres la mejor hija del Mundo. Te amamos.

Tu mami, tu papi y tu hermanito.

Black Belt

My daugther's journey into the Martial Arts has reached a milestone. She got her 1st Poom Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and, quoting her Master, Ricky Rodriguez, "this can't be considered the end, but just the beginning". Now is when her journey has really started.

Miami Open 2006

2006-10-02T23:00:00.000-04:00

Team Doral Taekwondo participated this past weekend in the 8th Miami Open Taekwondo Championships. The Team comprised experienced members -Maria, Monique, Laura, Roberto, Tony- and rookie members -Titi, Emmanuel, Victor, Kevin-.

This is the first competition experienced members attend after coming from a productive Junior Olympic Championships and, for my expectations, their performance and overall results were a bit disappointing. Perhaps these kids suffered an excess of confidence, underestimating their opponents, or maybe they just showed a huge a lack of commitment toward this event, yet remaining as the most important (or maybe the only) tournament still locally organized and held in Miami.

However I must mention rookie members did an outstanding job, and although they had very little or no experience in this kind of competitions, they competed with an attitude and a passion worth to be followed.

Anyway, I hope experienced members of Team Doral learn their lesson for next tournament: It is not a matter of winning or losing, it is a matter of how you commit to and respect your discipline.

8th Miami Open Taekwondo Championships 2006

Sep 30, 2006

Champions

2006-07-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

We're back from Atlanta, tired but happy. It was a long trip but the results did worth it.

Maria fought with all her heart and strength, winning the first fight quite easily. The second fight was against the girl that defeated Maria last year in San Antonio. This time Maria took revenge and defeated her in overtime, by sudden death, after a very tight fight. Finally she lost the third fight, earning her the Silver Medal.

This was another productive competition for Doral Taekwondo’s team, bringing with them seven medals in total.

Congratulations, well done kids!

See the photos here

On the road to Atlanta

2006-07-05T16:20:00.002-04:00

One long year of preparation, 10 hours a week of trainning, 4 belt changes, 4 weeks of extensive trainning bootcamp, 670 miles of road, 12 hours of driving, 7 Athletes, 1 Master, 1 objective: The Gold.

The time has arrived, the moment is now. From today until next Sunday, Team Doral Taekwondo will embrace the maximum event in junior Taekwondo, the 2006 Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships.

Thousands of kids, ages 7 to 14, from every state of the union will face each other in the rings, with only one thought in their minds, the Golden Medal. We, the parents of Team Doral Taekwondo kids, proudly salute you.

Good luck kids, you're already our winners.

A great National Qualifier #6

2006-05-30T00:24:00.000-04:00

Maria competed this past weekend in the National Qualified #6, in the Pharmed Arena in Miami, FL. She got two medals, a silver medal in forms and a gold medal in sparring.

This was a very productive competition, where every member of Doral Taekwondo's team qualified for a position in the World Class division in the upcoming Junior Olympic Championships.

Here are some photos of the event.

Good work kids, now let's start the hard training toward Atlanta.

Taekwondo Ads

2006-03-24T10:34:00.000-05:00

This is definitively an imaginative way to advertise Taekwondo...

Link [via AdJab]

Tornado Kick

2006-03-08T09:22:00.000-05:00

This video just popped up to the blogosphere a couple of days ago. No further details available.

It's an amazing kick, but I think it was a quite unfair fight, because the kicking guy is a black belt with clear advantage over the kicked down guy, who's a red belt. The black belt shouldn't have used such technique.

Champion

2006-02-24T10:40:00.000-05:00

He did it, he won Bronze Medal in Poomse, placing him as one of the best three athletes of the whole World, in his category. Congratulations Carlos.

Bronze Medalist
15th Annual US Open Taekwondo Championships 2006

Eleven

2006-02-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

What they don't understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don't. You open your eyes and everything's just like yesterday, only it's today. And you don't feel eleven at all. You feel like you're still ten. And you are, underneath the year that makes you eleven.

Like some days you might say something foolish, and that's the part of you that's still nine. Or maybe some days you might need to sit on your mami's lap because you're scared, and that's the part of you that's five. And maybe one day when you're all grown up maybe you will need to cry like if you're three, and that's okay.

You don't feel eleven. Not right away. It takes a few days, weeks even, sometimes even months before you say Eleven when they ask you. And you don't feel smart eleven, not until you're almost twelve. That's the way it is.

You're eleven today. You're eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I wish you were just one again.

Happy birthday my little baby girl, I love you very much.

Adapted from "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros (Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories. Random House, New York. 1991)

Already a Winner

2006-02-17T00:27:00.000-05:00

Carlos, you trained hard and prepared yourself in mind, soul and body to compete and win.

You're ready to give the best of you for your country, your state, your city, your Academy, your Master, your family, and more important, yourself.

We believe in you Carlos, we believe in your strengths and your skills, and we know you'll be giving all of you for reaching your golden dreams. Relax, you'll do it.

We admire you and your courage, and that's why you're already our winner.

We all love you... go there and enjoy the occasion, but most important, have fun!

39 Countries, One Dream

2006-02-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

February 16-19 will mark the dates when athletes from 39 countries will gather in Dallas TX for the 15th Annual U.S. Open Taekwondo Championships 2006.

Long months of hard preparation and training will conclude in the Dallas Convention Center, looking for the shiny and golden prize.

The State of Florida, the City of Doral and more important the Doral Taekwondo and Family Fitness Academy will be represented in such extraordinary event by our Carlos Santiago.

We all hope he'll go there and will fight with all his strength and heart, and will bring us the golden metal, in one or both the following events and categories:
* Sparring: 11-13 Male Black Dan 1st / Poom 1st / Black Dan 9th 86.0 - 94.8 lbs (Bantam)
* Poomse: 11-13 Male Black Dan 1st / Poom 1st 105.8 lbs & Under (Light)

Go Carlos!, we're very proud of you.

These are the lists of all competitors (Adobe PDF):
* Male Competitors
* Female Competitors

Red Belt

2005-12-12T11:42:00.000-05:00

One more year and she'll hopefully be Black Belt. But meanwhile, she'll have to start next year with her hard training for the upcoming National Qualifier #6 (May 27-28, Miami FL) and the Junior Olympics (Jul 6-9, Atlanta GA).
Book your reservations for your accommodations in Atlanta right now, otherwise you might be stranded without vacant rooms the later your wait.

2006 Schedule

2005-10-18T22:38:00.000-04:00

The USA Taekwondo has published the calendar for 2006 events, being chosen Miami as the host city for the 6th National Qualifier on May 26-27, 2006.

This 6th Qualifier will be competed in the Pharmed Arena, located inside Florida International University's campus. This is the last Qualifier before the 2006 Junior Olympics, which will be celebrated on July 6-9, 2005 in the Georgia Dome of Atlanta GA.

Here is the full schedule for all 2006 USA Taekwondo events.

Tournament	Date	City, State	Venue
U.S. Open	February 16-19, 2006	Dallas, TX	Reunion Arena
National Qualifier #1	April 1- 2, 2006	Rochester, MN	Mayo Civic Center
National Qualifier #2	April 8-9, 2006	Portland, OR	Portland Coliseum
National Qualifier #3	April 22-23, 2006	Anaheim, CA	Anaheim Arena
National Qualifier #4	May 13-14, 2006	Dallas, TX	Reunion Arena
National Qualifier #5	May 20-21, 2006	Buffalo, NY	Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center
National Qualifier #6	May 27-28, 2006	Miami, FL	Pharmed Arena
Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships	July 6-9, 2006	Atlanta, GA	Georgia Dome
Senior Nationals	TBD	TBD	TBD

Miami Open 2005

2005-10-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

My daughter Maria competed last Saturday in the 2005 edition of Miami Taekwondo Open.

Last year's open was the first competition ever my daughter participated in.
At that moment, she was barely a Yellow Belt, and although she had only three weeks of formal sparring training, she did it spectacularly well and made an honorable third place.

Now, one year later, after three more regional competitions, one national Junior Olympics competition and a myriad of hours of training, she came back to her beginnings and competed again in the Miami Open... with the difference she is now a High Blue Belt with much more experience. This time she fought amazingly and made and impressive first place.

She fought two matches. The first one was quite easy for her and won it without much effort.

But the second match started quite bad and when the first round ended she was losing 5 to 1.
However, in the second round she came back from the bottom and, with only 5 seconds remaining, she tied to 7... but in the very last second, and as herself said, her Guardian Angel guided her last kick and made the extra point that allowed her to win the match, 8 to 7...

Here is a sequence for such breathtaking final round...

Congratulations my Champion Girl..... keep training for Atlanta

Click any photo to visit my Flickr photo album, and watch the rest of the photos I shot to my daughter and her teammates.

Link

We'll meet in Atlanta

2005-10-04T16:00:00.000-04:00

The USA Taekwondo has already selected the city that will host the 2006 Junior Olympics, and it'll be Atlanta.

USA Taekwondo has announced that Atlanta, Georgia, will play host to the 2006 USA Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships. The 26th annual version of the event will take place at the Georgia Dome, July 6-9.

National championships for the sports of volleyball and fencing will also be taking place in Atlanta at that time in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

The best part of this selection is we'll be able to get there by land, without the hassle of flying.

There will be a series of six National Qualifying events, to be celebrated in six still-to-be-defined cities around the country, where athletes who end in the first 4 places, in their respective divisions, will qualify for the World Class Division.

Among the 882 divisions (sparring and forms combined) to be competed at the Junior Olympics competition will be a World Class Division for which athletes must qualify via six National Qualifier events held between March and May. Athletes can qualify by placing in the top four in their weight division in any one of the six qualifier events.

Those athletes that medal in the World Class Division at the Junior Olympics also have a chance to qualify for development camps hosted by USA Taekwondo and further advance to international competitions. The World Class Division is an important element for USA Taekwondo in recognizing talent with the potential to represent the USA in future international competitions.

Good luck kids, we'll see you again in Atlanta.

Link

High Blue

2005-09-19T23:00:00.000-04:00

My daughter is now a High Blue Belt.

Congratulations to her.

I couldn't shoot any photo because I was shooting video at the same moment.
Thanks to Gerardo for this amazing photo.

Donate Now

2005-09-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Please, visit American Red Cross and donate for Katrina's Relief Fund. You can donate any amount, starting from just US$5.

Also, you can donate by phone by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-4357-669).

Thanks!

Gold Medalist in the News

2005-07-10T15:45:00.000-04:00

My daughter was featured in Prensa Libre, a Spanish written local paper in our city of Doral.

The article says in Spanish:

Una medalla de Oro en la división Elite de Junior Olympics Taekwondo Championships

La actuación de la pequeña Maria Gil en los pasados 2005 Junior Olympics Taekwondo Championships efectuados en San Antonio TX, del 21 al 25 de Junio, llena de orgullo a la comunidad del Doral, a la cual pertenece.

Compitió en tres eventos, uno de Formas (Forms) en donde efectúan una rutina de los movimientos de su categoría, y dos de Combates (Sparring).

En el vento de formas obtuvo un 5to puesto, quedando fuera del cuadro de medallas. Pero en los eventos de combates ella obtuvo una medalla de Bronce en la división World Class y luego una medalla de Oro en la división Elite, lo que le otorgó el tercer y primer puestos respectivamente en sus categorías a nivel nacional.

Quienes la conocen están muy orgullosos de ella, porque demostró un gran aplomo y valentía durante la competencia, y demostró además que todo el esfuerzo hecho durante su período de entrenamiento rindió los frutos que esperábamos.

Translated into English it says:

A Gold medal in the Elite division at the Junior Olympics Taekwondo Championships.

The performance of the little Maria Gil in the past 2005 Junior Olympics Taekwondo Championships, carried out in San Antonio TX, from June 21 to 25, filled with pride to our community of Doral, where she belongs.

She competed in three events, one of Forms, where she performed a routine of movements of her category, and two of Combats (Sparring).

In the event of Forms she obtained 5th place, leaving her off any medal. But in the events of combats she got a Bronze medal in the World Class division and a Gold medal in the Elite division, which respectively granted her the third and first places in her categories nationwide.

The people who know her are very proud of her, because she demonstrated to have a great confidence and courage during the competition, and also demonstrated that all the effort done during her training period came out to be the results we all hoped.

I want to express my most sincere thanks to Prensa Libre for this recognition given to my champion girl.

Links to the article and to my Flickr's album

The Medalists

2005-06-30T23:59:00.000-04:00

This is a courageous group of kids, they trained hard every day and night and they gave their maximum efforts with an objective in their minds, to win the more events they could and bring with them the larger number of medals for their school....

And they did it. The 2005 Doral Taekwondo team got a total of 15 medals.

A collection of photos from the kids' participation in the 2005 Junior Olympics Taekwondo Championships can be seen here.

Also, a copy of the calendar given to Master Ricky can be downloaded from here (1.7MB, Adobe Acrobat required).

Gold and Bronze Medalist

2005-06-27T18:15:00.000-04:00

We're back from San Antonio, exhausted but happy.

My daughter competed in three different events: Elite Forms, World Sparing and Elite Sparing, in that order.

In Elite Forms she made an honorable 5th place, but was left out of medals. In World Sparing she ended third, getting the Bronze medal. Finally in Elite Sparing she won three combats in a row, making her win the Gold medal.

We are very proud of her and hope she keeps giving her best efforts in all her forthcoming events, and more important, in her day to day life.

I love you my champion little girl...!!!

Meet The Team

2005-06-18T16:00:00.000-04:00

The time is almost on, the moment has arrived.

In the next days, this brave group of kids will travel to San Antonio and will give the best of themselves; they will fight with their bodies, hearts and minds, hoping all their effort will result in the materialization of their individual and collective dreams, the Gold Medal.

But anyhow, they are already champions, our champions no matter what happens there. We are very proud of you...!

Here are the photos from the last practice before the trip, where Master Ricky gave them the last advices, tricks and tips that will make them not only winners, but better persons.

Go get them kids.

Best wishes

2005-06-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

My daughter's uncle says.

Well Gaby my best wishes to you, remember, concentrate, have fun, do the best, no fear allowed, you are the best, get the gold medal, you have the training, you have the strength, as simple as that....nobody can beat you. I love you and learn the important thing is the competition....but win the championship is what really matter! I love you Gaby o! I'll be always by your side.

Victor, thank you for your good thoughts.

Link

New information available

2005-06-15T22:00:00.000-04:00

The USA Taekwondo has released new information for all the participants in the 25th Junior Olympic Championships.

This notice serves as an update for all athletes, coaches, and referees of the 25th Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships from June 21- 25, 2005 in San Antonio, Texas. Updates for on-site registration, parking, uniform requirements, and city information can be found HERE.

They have also released the updated lists of competitors and coaches (Adobe Acrobat required).

Alphabetical Competitor List (updated June 15)
Competitor List (updated June 15)
Completed Information List (as of June 15)
Coaches List (updated June 14)

I only hope these are the final lists.

Link

The List is out

2005-06-11T23:00:00.000-04:00

The USA Taekwondo has released the list of competitors for the 25th Junior Olympic Championships (Adobe Acrobat required):

Alphabetical Competitor List (updated June 14)
Male Competitor List (updated June 14)
Female Competitor List (updated June 14)
Coaches List (updated June 14)

Good luck to all the competitors.

Link

Blue Belt

2005-06-08T12:45:00.000-04:00

My daughter was promoted to Blue Belt.

You may have noticed the change in this blog's color schema, and now the upper title is Blue. That will also indicate whenever a belt promotion occurs.

This is also my first attempt to post from an email, which eventually may allow me make posts when we are in San Antonio TX, for the Junior Olympics.

Here are some photos before and during the Belt Promotion ceremony:

Blue Belt Promotion

My Daughter in the News

2005-05-28T18:05:00.000-04:00

My daughter was mentioned in Prensa Libre, a local newspaper in our city of Doral, a Spanish language publication that's freely distributed among the local businesses of our city.

The article is titled "Beca Cristina Sabando" and an abstract of where my daughter is mentioned says:

"Otra importante contribución del Club de los Miami Sooners fue hecha a Maria Gil, una prometedora deportista de tan solo 10 años de edad, estudiante de John I. Smith Elementary de la ciudad de Doral, quien ir'a (sic) a las finales de n (sic) San Antonio Texas el proximo 24 de Junio"

Translated into English it says: "Cristina Sabando Scholarship"

"Another important contribution from The Miami Sooners Club was made to Maria Gil, a promising sport girl with only 10 years old, student at John I. Smith Elementary of the city of Doral, who will go to the finals of n (sic) in San Antonio TX on next June 24th."

I want to give my most sincere thanks to Dr. Jorge De Diego from Doral Medicine Associates Pediatric Medical Center at Doral Isles and The Miami Sooners Club for their generous contribution for my daughter's trip to San Antonio.

Here is a link to the newspaper's article, and in case that link stops working here is an image of it at my Flickr album.

How far a girl can get

2005-05-23T14:15:00.000-04:00

For some people Taekwondo becomes their way of life, and after many years of dedication, things like this make all that effort to be worth while.

For 35 years, Brenda Sell has been getting her kicks and breaking down barriers in the male-dominated martial art of tae kwon do. On Thursday she knocked down one more barrier when she became the first non-Korean woman to attain the rank of eighth-degree black belt.
....
Her father supported the idea of her learning tae kwon do, she said, but one of her earliest obstacles was her mother. Sell said her mother told her “tae kwon do is not ladylike.” It took three months for her mom to finally say yes, she said.

Now Sell, from Lakeland, Fla., sees tae kwon do as a way of life.

No matter what people say, Taekwondo is not a boys only thing. Girls can achieve higher ranks than many boys will never dream. It's just a matter of time, patience, passion and dedication.

Link

The Few, The Chosen

2005-05-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

Today Master Ricky named the 2005 Junior Olympics Team, a group of 15 kids who have been confered the honor of representing Doral Taekwondo in San Antonio. My daughter is a proud member of that team.

Here are some of the members of The Team.

Official results at Fort Lauderdale

2005-05-15T22:23:00.000-04:00

The USA Taekwondo Union published the final official results for the 2005 National Qualifier #5 at Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Here are the results in PDF (Adobe Acrobat required).

National Qualifier Day One Results *
National Qualifier Day One Results Brackets **

National Qualifier Day Two Results
National Qualifer Day Two Results Brackets

Within file (*) my daughter appears near the end of page 3, and in file (**) on page 17.

Did I mention she won the Gold Medal and now belongs to the World Class Division?.
In case I didn't, then she did win the Gold Medal, and now belongs to the World Class Division.

Way to go girl!

Gold Medalist

2005-05-14T19:25:00.000-04:00

She did it!. My daughter won the first place.

It was a breathtaking combat. The first round finished tied to 0 points, but in the second my daughter gave all of her and finally won the match 6 to 2.

I noticed a huge improvement in her techniques and combat skills, with respect to the previous tournaments she has gone to, but it's not enough. Now, we have to work much harder for preparing her for her next big challenge: The 2005 Junior Olympics, in San Antonio TX.

That's my girl... go get'em.

Here there are more photos

The right weight

2005-05-13T21:43:00.000-04:00

Today we went to register and weigh in my daughter for the National Qualifier #5, at Fort Lauderdale FL.

After a hard week of diet, weigh control and exercise, today she weighed 85.2 lbs.

Now she's ready to compete in the 10-11 Female Green 78.1 - 90.0 lbs (Bantam) sparring division.

Tomorrow will be a great day. Let the competitions begin...!!!

Tae "Wiki" Do

2005-05-09T20:34:00.000-04:00

Wikipedia has an excellent definition for Taekwondo, along with some interesting information and fatcs I didn't know and I just learned.

Tae Kwon Do, Taekwondo or Taekwon-Do is the Korean national sport and martial art, and is also one of the world's most commonly practiced sports. In the Korean language, Tae (태, Hanja 跆) means "to kick or destroy with the foot", kwon (권, Hanja 拳) means "punch or smash with the hand or fist", and Do (도, Hanja 道) means "way or art". Hence, Taekwondo is taken to mean "foot, hand art." A less literal translation is often given as "The art of punching and kicking."

I only hope this humble blog can someday be worthy of being featured at Wiki.

Link

I just got my kids from Tae Kwon Do, they're hungry

2005-05-06T12:10:00.000-04:00

This surfaced on the internet a couple months ago, but it's so funny it was worth to post. A woman bringing her kids from Tae Kwon Do calls 911 because she couldn't get served a hamburger in a Burger King drive thru.

Dispatcher: Sheriff's department, how can I help you?

Woman: Yeah, I'm over here . . . I'm over here at Burger King right here in San Clemente.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: Um, no, not San Clemente; I'm sorry, I live in San Clemente. I'm in Laguna Niguel, I think, that's where I'm at.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: I'm at a drive-through right now.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: I went . . . I ordered my food three times. They're mopping the floor inside, and I understand they're busy . . . they're not even busy, okay, I've been the only car here. I asked them four different times to make me a Western Barbeque Burger. Okay, they keep giving me a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and cheese, onions, and I said, "I'm not leaving . . ."

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: I want a Western Burger because I just got my kids from Tae Kwon Do, they're hungry, I'm on my way home, and I live in San Clemente.

....

Dispatcher: Ma'am, then I suggest you get your money back and go somewhere else. This is . . . this is not a criminal issue. We can't go out there and make them make you a cheeseburger the way you want it.

Woman: Well . . . that is . . . that . . . you're supposed to be here to protect me.

Dispatcher: Well, what are we protecting you from, a wrong cheeseburger?

....

I hope my wife doesn't do something like this when she brings my daugther from her training. :-)

Read the whole transcript or download the actual recording

The competitors list at Fort Lauderdale

2005-05-05T18:20:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Taekwondo Union released the list of competitors for the upcoming 2005 National Qualifier #5, May 14-15 - Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Here are the links to the PDF files (Adobe Acrobat required):

Female Competitor List (as of May 4)
Male Competitor List (as of May 4)

My daughter will be in the 10-11 Female Green 78.1 - 90.0 lbs (Bantam) sparring division.

Training even harder

2005-05-04T23:24:00.000-04:00

My daughter is training very hard, harder than usual. She's doing an average of 2 hours a day, 5 days a week of mixed sparring and forms training.

All this hard work has purpose, because she will compete in the upcoming 2005 National Qualifier #5, in Fort Lauderdale FL, May 14-15, where she will qualify in one of two possible divisions: World Class Division or Elite Open Division.

If she wins and ends in one of the first 3 places, she'll be in the World Class Division, otherwise she'll be in the Elite Open Division.

That will define how she'll be headed to participate in the 2005 Junior Olympics, a national competition event that will be taking place in San Antonio TX, in June 21-24.

Anyhow, I already bought the plane tickets to San Antonio, now we'll have to wait for the results at Fort Lauderdale.

A kid's journey into the martial arts

2005-05-04T23:00:00.000-04:00

This is my new project, Taekwondo Kids, a blogged journal of my daughter's journey into the ancient martial art of Taekwondo.

I should have started this blog two years ago, when my daughter started training, but blogging was a obscure thing for me.

Now she's a High Green Belt and, as my mom once told me, it's never too late for start doing something exciting and new in your life, so here we go....