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Dan Promotion Test 10th - 11th November 2012- A Historic Day

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The 95th British Taekwondo Dan Promotion Test saw a record 212 candidates participate in the biggest such event in Taekwondo history here in Great Britain. Saturday, as ever the big day for 1st Dan candidates, started with the very popular seminar headed by Master Ian Lennox, 7th Dan and his Technical Team of Master Neil Guest, 7th Dan, Master Mike McKenzie, 7th Dan and Master Adrian Tranter, 6th Dan. Always a very popular seminar with lots of happy, smiling people both students and families alike. The seminar was highlighted by a presentation by Sarah Stevenson, MBE. Her presentation was themed across how she became inspired through taekwondo, from her simple begging as just an ordinary martial artist in a club, through to her achieving at the highest level since becoming a World Junior Champion in 1998. A packed audience listened intently as her story unfolded and how through the most intense of adversity she continues to battle through, with sheer grit and determination, all through the life skills of our sport and art. Sunday is always an exciting time, where the high grades look to bring their skills to the floor. Special mention to Master Elias Biescas, who successfully achieved the rank of 7 th Dan. All in all, a magnificent weekend that everyone can be proud of. Master Lennox commented I am so proud to have been a part of this Dan Promotion weekend. We have achieved so much in recent years, though this milestone of over 200 Dan Promotion candidates is one that gives me great satisfaction. I regularly publicly thank our Club Instructors and Coaches who work so hard in developing their members and then have the confidence to guide them through our Dan Promotion and I do so yet again. I genuinely believe that days like we have witnessed are life changing for every one of those successful candidates, as they have done so in front of their peers to a high standard. The feedback we get reinforces that message, that this is exactly what the candidates want and, as importantly, the parents of our younger candidates demand. So I am a very happy man at the moment. I am actually daring myself to consider that we should be aiming now for the 300 mark, why not, if we continue how we have been then it is definitely a possibility. Master Guest commented I am obviously delighted to have been a part of what was such a memorable occasion for British Taekwondo. I have seen our organisation grow since the very start, so to achieve this milestone is just incredible. We are making such progress and what is pleasing is that we are doing it in the right way, with everyone working together in a positive and productive manner. I have every confidence we will continue growing at pace and I am honoured to be a part of it. I would like to make special mention to Sarahs seminar, it was just so good. I know it inspired lots of the kids in the hall, as well as the parents, as well as me as well, I loved it. Master McKenzie commented This is a moment to savour. We will all look back one day and say yes, I was a part of that, I was there, it was one of those occasions. It is just such a privilege to be a part of it, to work with the candidates, to have the trust of the Instructors and Coaches and to have such fun actually doing Taekwondo. I firmly am of the
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opinion that this is the start of even greater things for Taekwondo here in Great Britain and that means a healthy future for all in British Taekwondo. Finally, our President, Master Adrian Tranter commented What we witnessed this weekend was remarkable. We have been experiencing growth, real growth, for some time, though it has to be said that what we are seeing now is more than that. There was such a positive mood in the seminar and throughout the weekend, there was a real buzz around the place. There was a great network of activity with Margaret Nolan (who leads our Club and Coach Development programmes) and Sophie Threlfall (from Membership Services), it was great. The feedback that I was getting was that everyone was so pleased to be discussing positive issues of technical standard with Masters Lennox, Guest and McKenzie as well as club matters, especially with Sophie and Margaret. This gives everyone such a boost, the members, the coaches/instructors and of course the parents. I will be reporting the tremendous activity and participation successes to all of our stakeholders, I have no doubt they will be impressed. It just goes to show that there really is only one place for everyone in Taekwondo, that is with British Taekwondo and whats more, everyone is shouting it from the rooftops. So a massive well done to everyone who was a part of this memorable event. We now look forward to making 2013 another year to remember for our members, to see continued growth within our clubs that can be sustained and of course to doing more taekwondo more often.

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