Martial arts as collegiate sports

[ETinCYQX]

I know this exists to an extent now in some places and some universities have TaeKwonDo or Judo teams. What I'm thinking is, how far away are we from high school TaeKwonDo teams being everywhere? Will it ever happen? Do we want it to happen? I can't see it being bad for us; it would allow a lot of people to make a living purely through sport TaeKwonDo (as coaches mainly although the extra athlete exposure could effectively create a market for professional tkd fighters) and would advance coaching techniques as sport science etc. is applied.

Im very interested in the views of everyone here. Judo, karate applies here too but I feel the tkd forum is generally the most sport-savvy.

 

[StudentCarl]

There are a ton of HS sports now, so I'm not sure there's a demand or a market. I teach at a HS, and one issue coaches lament is that there are so many sports now that it pits coaches against each other trying to get good athletes. Also pay for coaches other than the big ticket sports is minimal. If you're not selling tickets, you're not gonna make much. High school coaches don't make a living anyway. As a rule, you're better off opening a school and building a successful competition team in the community, thus being your own feeder program so you can develop athletes from a young age. The other problem is that schools want to offer sports that will be viable from year to year. The way to start, if you're serious, is to develop a 'club' at a school where you have some athletes. If you've got a couple of friends (other masters) who can do the same at other schools, you may be able to build something. HS sports start as clubs. Good luck.

Carl

 

[terryl965]

We do a few schools that are charter schools but nothing as far as a sport yet, But my son just competted in his first colligate tournament at the Uniiversity of Texas at Austin this past weekend and placed secong in sparring. They had five othe unniversity clubs in attendance for the day, he had a blast.

 

[ETinCYQX]

To me this is the way we should be going. Taekwondo has the potential as a collegiate sport, and who knows what comes next after that? A professional tournament circuit like tennis isn't unrealistic IMO especially if a university tkd circuit exists.

Its food for thought anyway, I think. Maybe a club at my own university is something I should consider in September.

 

[puunui]

I know this exists to an extent now in some places and some universities have TaeKwonDo or Judo teams. What I'm thinking is, how far away are we from high school TaeKwonDo teams being everywhere? Will it ever happen? Do we want it to happen? I can't see it being bad for us; it would allow a lot of people to make a living purely through sport TaeKwonDo (as coaches mainly although the extra athlete exposure could effectively create a market for professional tkd fighters) and would advance coaching techniques as sport science etc. is applied.

We have judo in public high schools here and maybe in the private schools but I am not sure about that. At some public schools, they have judo as one of the sports taught in PE classes, but only if the PE teacher has a background in judo. They do not hire judo instructors to come in and teach that aspect of the PE class. Judo is also a high school letter sport in the public schools (and maybe private schools too, not sure) but the practices are run by volunteer coaches who practice at various judo clubs around the state. Many of the high school judo team train out of the judo clubs as well. I used to work out on saturday mornings with a student of mine who was a judo black belt and he had the key to the school. When high school judo season came around, all these high school kids used to come flooding in on saturday mornings for their practice. The over whelming majority were brand new white belts.

 

[ETinCYQX]

We have judo in public high schools here and maybe in the private schools but I am not sure about that. At some public schools, they have judo as one of the sports taught in PE classes, but only if the PE teacher has a background in judo. They do not hire judo instructors to come in and teach that aspect of the PE class. Judo is also a high school letter sport in the public schools (and maybe private schools too, not sure) but the practices are run by volunteer coaches who practice at various judo clubs around the state. Many of the high school judo team train out of the judo clubs as well. I used to work out on saturday mornings with a student of mine who was a judo black belt and he had the key to the school. When high school judo season came around, all these high school kids used to come flooding in on saturday mornings for their practice. The over whelming majority were brand new white belts.

This is what I'd like to see. Sport Taekwondo is just as easily adapted to and learned as sport Judo, at least as a color belt, and at the very least private dojangs would have some growth from it.

 

[MSUTKD]

Taekwondo, and Judo for that matter, faces some real issues in becoming an “official” or letter sport: Title IX. It can be an intramural and club sport but not a full event. In fact most universities have a women’s gymnastic program that is school sponsored but not a men’s. The men have been put to the intramural level.

 

[puunui]

This is what I'd like to see. Sport Taekwondo is just as easily adapted to and learned as sport Judo, at least as a color belt, and at the very least private dojangs would have some growth from it.

I think taekwondo is harder than judo to make into a high school sport. Here, the cross over athletes in judo tend to come from wrestling. Taekwondo doesn't have that natural pairing with another high school sport.

 

[bjjcompete]

I did TKD in college, it was still technically a club though. I heard that TKD could potentially become a NCAA sport and that there are people campaigning for it.

 

[Gorilla]

What college is he going to Terry... Would like to hear more about the tournament and college