Opinion: AAU TKD GOOD or BAD?

[WMKS Shogun]

Hello MartialTalk Tae Kwon Do people!
I am looking for info and opinions on AAU TKD. I want the good and the bad. Please, for those that have disagreeing sides, DO NOT ARGUE. Just give your experiences and opinions, if you would be so kind.
I am a small school owner that is an offshoot of old Jhoon Rhee/Chang Hon TKD. Some of our forms have a few changes from the original ITF/Chang Hon tuls, anyone know if that will be a problem? If I think up any other specific issues or questions, I will add them, but right now, I am looking for experiences and opinions.

(And yes, I have been to AAUTaekwondo.org)

 

[terryl965]

Actually they aloow all of those from, just recently at National earlier this month in Florida we saw alot of them being done along with the Chonji and WTF and also Tang so do, we have been a part of the AAU for years. The competitionis good and everybody really like the family feeling they bring to the table. Sure like in any tournament sometime refs. misses something or a couple of them do not know the forms but the judge not base on what they know but how it was done, if they fulfille dall the requirements they have. PM me and I'll give you my numbe r and we can talk.
Terry

 

[Laurentkd]

I I did a lot of AAU tournaments 10-15 years ago and always had good experiences. As of this year I have started up a competition team and we have decided to go the AAU route. We have only gone to a couple so far, but we have been pleased with everything so far as well.

 

[fireman00]

The dojang I have belonged to for the last 6 years is AAU affiliated and it is very much family oriented. The state, regional and national events we've gone to have been well organized and well run.

The ONLY drawback is that they are not the governing body for US TKD so if you or a family member are interested in trying out for the Olympic team in the future you may want to find a school that is aligned with the USAT.

 

[terryl965]

The dojang I have belonged to for the last 6 years is AAU affiliated and it is very much family oriented. The state, regional and national events we've gone to have been well organized and well run.

The ONLY drawback is that they are not the governing body for US TKD so if you or a family member are interested in trying out for the Olympic team in the future you may want to find a school that is aligned with the USAT.

Fireman the school can belong to both my school does for those that wish to try that direction but like you said very family orientated

 

[WMKS Shogun]

Thank you all for the information so far! Fireman, neither I, nor any of my students are particularly interested in trying out for the Olympics (though since I come from a non-WTF/Olympic style, it would be interesting to try Olympic style sparring), but that is still a good piece of info to know for future reference in case any of us changes our minds. If there is anyone else out there who has info, please let me know. It is great to know that in spite of the fact that all of you are in (I think) different regions, you still all mention how it is very family oriented/ good experiences.

 

[fireman00]

Thank you all for the information so far! Fireman, neither I, nor any of my students are particularly interested in trying out for the Olympics (though since I come from a non-WTF/Olympic style, it would be interesting to try Olympic style sparring), but that is still a good piece of info to know for future reference in case any of us changes our minds. If there is anyone else out there who has info, please let me know. It is great to know that in spite of the fact that all of you are in (I think) different regions, you still all mention how it is very family oriented/ good experiences.

Just a note... as Terryl stated you can belong to as many orgs as you like; we have a guy who has Olympic aspirations and does belong to the AAU and the USAT here's the link for both:

http://www.aautaekwondo.org/

and

http://www.usa-taekwondo.us/

Enjoy!

 

[Cabalcincotiros]

I attended the AAU Nationals in Ft. Lauderdale 02-07 July & I was very impressed with the scope of it all and how smoothly everything went. I was there representing Macho Martial Arts who is the Official Sponsor of AAU TKD. I believe AAU is good for not only TKD but for all the sports that it encompasses. We will be present at AAU TKD during the 2007 AAU Junior Olympic Games at Knoxville Tn. (Aug. 01-04). Again I must laud Mike Friello, Chairman of AAU TKD and his committee on a job well done. Kudos to AAU TKD!
Best regards,
Dominick Cabal (AKA cabalcincotiros).
**Professional Contact Information removed - please see Advertising Policy under the Rules Link.**

 

[WMKS Shogun]

Excellent to hear all the positive feedback. I was sure someone out there would have raved about how they had a negative experience, but hearing all the positive fills me with hope that this will be a good move for my school and for myself personally.

 

[wade]

I now this is going to be wrong but I just can't resist.................

AAU!!!!!!!!!!!! AAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh wait, I'm not AAU I'm USAT, sorry. But, to be fair, any time I want to belong to a second rate organization I will be sure to look you guys up.

All of our medal winners in the 14-32 year old Black Belts were invited to the Olympic Team Trails, hmmmm, go figure. What are yours doing now?

 

[terryl965]

I now this is going to be wrong but I just can't resist.................

AAU!!!!!!!!!!!! AAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh wait, I'm not AAU I'm USAT, sorry. But, to be fair, any time I want to belong to a second rate organization I will be sure to look you guys up.

All of our medal winners in the 14-32 year old Black Belts were invited to the Olympic Team Trails, hmmmm, go figure. What are yours doing now?

Wade I understand that you are with USAT and that is fine my school belongs as well but for those not wishing to make the Olympic journey the AAU organization as a whole is a great one. As you know I belong to both and support both of them.

The USAT has had many flame wars over the last couple of years and prior to that it was the USTU and all of there problems, being the only way of getting to the Olympics from the USA they are that only game but please being second rate to them the AAU is not. I would put them on equal grounds as far as competition and ther eNational team do really well in the international cicuit as you know.

The AAU and USAT provide competition for all athletes, I know several top players in the USAT that was at the AAU national inFlorida just a couple of weeks earlier.

Wade I just love the way you post.

 

[Independent_TKD]

Uh wait, I'm not AAU I'm USAT, sorry. But, to be fair, any time I want to belong to a second rate organization I will be sure to look you guys up.

The AAU supports many different styles and approaches to TKD, not just sport Olympic sparring. For me, that makes the organization much better than the WTF based organizations. Again, it goes back to one's approach to TKD. I practice and teach with a focus on effective self-defense. Just because your USAT competitiors were invited to trials does not prove anything about your organization. It certainly does not mean the AAU is second rate.

If you care about your students, my personal suggestion would be to spend less time on Olymipic sparring and more time on actual effective techniques that will help them stay safe if they are ever attacked.

 

[wade]

WOW! Thanks guys. After reading your posts I sat myself down and had a long thought about what I want for my school and where I want my students to go. Whoa, sure didn't make a difference at all.

 

[WMKS Shogun]

HEY!!!! I said back at the beginning that this was NOT to be a fight about who is in a better organization. Everyone, Wade is entitled to his opinion, in fact, this is is some ways what I asked for. He pointed out that there was no direct connection between AAU and Olympic trials which fireman00 also pointed out. Just remember different people practice TKD for different reasons. My school is more self defense and health oriented, but I want my students to get to try some good traditional tournaments, hense my looking into AAU and the sportive side. As we are not a WTF school nor do we have Olympic glory as a goal, the USAT is not a good match for my school Wade, but it may suit your school perfectly and for you, that is great. So EVERYONE do not attack other people's schools or styles or organizations verbally. Seriously, you might as well just start talking about each others' moms. The end result will be the same. NOTE: If you plan to do that, do it in a different thread.
As always, thank you to everyone who has put in good opinions and info.

 

[Independent_TKD]

So EVERYONE do not attack other people's schools or styles or organizations verbally. Seriously, you might as well just start talking about each others' moms. The end result will be the same. NOTE: If you plan to do that, do it in a different thread.

My comments were in response to Wade's snide remarks. Unfortunately, there is a lot of that amongst people in the MA community. This site is great because that is kept to a minimum.

Anyway, at the end of the day, I really don't care what people do in their dojangs. It's just interesting conversation on the net. That's all.

 

[wade]

Too true...................

 

[Laurentkd]

always stirring it up aren't you wade

 

[wade]

Sorry......:uhyeah:, but I get bored.