School News

Fun Challenge Results

There was great skill and effort on show at this year’s Grandmaster Howard’s Fun Challenge on the Navan Road. Fifty students from Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Cabra, Finglas, Navan Road and Phibsboro converged on St Joseph’s School for Deaf Boys, Navan Road, Dublin 7, for a day of fun and Taekwon-Do.

The morning saw the younger Tigers group (6-8 years old) put the results of all their practice into effect in a high standard Taekwon-Do display. The Tigers had four events to perform in; 4-step kick, flexibility display, nopi chjagi and team sparring. The students wowed their parent and umpires alike with their advanced flexibility, jumping skills and footwork in sparring.

It was the turn of the older Dragons (9-11 years) in the afternoon to show off their skills and they did not disappoint.  Again the high level of flexibility and fantastic jumping (180 cm turning kick at age 9) resulted is rapturous applause from the audience.

“The students have been really practicing hard for this event” said Master Howard. “I was delighted to see that their footwork in the sparring was so good. They’ve been really working hard on that all term”, he added.

A big thanks to the umpires from across some of the RITA’s Dublin schools and GM Howard’s School for giving up their time to help run the event; Mr N. Fox, Mr Hennigan, Mr Barber, Ms Kenrick, Mr McCormack, Mr Walsh, Mr McSherry, Mr A. Fox, Mr Choi, Mr Malone.

Also a big thank you to our colour belts volunteers who helped keep the day running smoothly. Especially; Derek, Lee, Marta, Finn.

Next up on the tigers and dragons calendar is their grading in June. So more focussed practice over the coming weeks on 3-step and Korean words will help them prepare for that big day.

Finally thanks to all the parents who supported the event and really helped to create a nice relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for the children to perform in.

Results for Fun Challenge below

                               Taekwon-Do Tigers (6-8 years)

                              Taekwon-Do Dragons (9-11 years)

Great Day at ITF-Ireland Cup, Tallaght

It was another great day for the Grandmaster Howard’s and Master Howard’s students at the recent ITF-Ireland Cup in Tallaght, Dublin 24. The competition which was hosted by St Mark’s Taekwon-Do School and run by the RITA attracted 230 competitors from around Ireland and the UK.

It was just a short journey for our students from Blachardstown, Cabra, Finglas, and the Navan road to the Tallaght Leisure centre, but it was well worth the trip. With our 18 competitors taking home 23 medals between then. It was an extra special day as it marked the 60^th anniversary of the naming of Taekwon-Do by its founder Gen Choi Hong Hi (11^th April 1955). All the competitors received a lovely anniversary Taekwon-Do bag from Master V Keane, the chief instructor of St Mark’s Taekwon-Do School, while Grandmaster Howard and Master Howard received beautiful framed pictures of Gen Choi. All of this added to the great atmosphere as members from different schools and associations mixed and competed in the spirit of Taekwon-Do.

As special well done to Mr McSherry for doing a great job on his first tournament as the new RITA Tournament Director. Everyone commented on how well it was run and let’s not forget Master Howard as the Chief Umpire.

We’re already looking forward to the RITA’s Irish Open in the National Basketball Arena, Dublin on Saturday the 21^st November 2015.

List of our school’s medals winners below

Congratulations to the all the students who passed the recent colour belt gradings at the Cabra Parkside Community & Sports centre. The first grading which was held on Tuesday the 24^th saw students from yellow belt to red belt being tested. 10^th and 9^th kup students were tested on the following Thursday.

The Taekwon-Do students who graded were from Finglas, Blanchardstown, Navan rd and Cabra and train on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The ITF examiner, Master Howard, was happy with the standard but told the students they still need to work hard to improve. He also commented on their recent successes at competitions “Congratulations to all of you who won medals recently. Competitions and sport are where you are compared to others, but Taekwon-Do is a martial art, and that is where you compare yourself to yourself. Ask yourself ‘am I now better? Have I worked hard to improve?’”.

Master Howard presented the two grading award over the two nights. The first went to Eoin M^cLoughlin for his improvements since the last grading. The second went to Madars Kuzis for his hard work and high standard in achieving his 9^th kup.

The next colour belt grading will be in June 2015.

Results

ITF Ireland Cup 2015

Dear Students and Parents,

The RITA’s ITF-Ireland Cup on Saturday the 11^th of April 2015. This is the first tournament of the RITA’s calendar and it also celebrates the 60^th anniversary of the naming of Taekwon-Do (11^th April 1955). It is in Dublin and it would be great to see a huge show of support from our school. 

The tournament is in the Tallaght Leisure Centre,Fortunestown way, Tallaght, Dublin 24. It’s a great venue and so easy to get to. (All tournament information and directions are on www.rita-itf.org)

Mr McSherry is now the RITA’s tournament director and it would be great to really support him in his first tournament.  As always it will be a very well run event and is a great opportunity to put all the recent hard training into practice. Grandmaster Howard’s Taekwon-Do School is the biggest school in the RITA and it is very important that we are there in big numbers.

Also, we want to make a great impression so I am asking all students to wear their Grandmaster Howard’s School tracksuit top at the event.

Please return the application form and fee to Mr McSherry by Tuesday 7^th April.  To download form click HERE

Master Howard

25/3/2015

087-6987624