Say hello to a national ranking system

[mango.man]

http://www.cutkda.com/events.html

2010 USA Taekwondo California State Championship

A Qualified event for National & Junior Olympics in Orlando, Florida.
Saturday March 20, 2010
California State University-Dominguez Hills

Hosted by: California Unified Taekwondo Association President Pyoung Koo
Directed by: Master Yushen Lai, Secretary General CUTA

New in 2010:
Qualification Spots for Competitors will be expanding to the following:
Top 4 finishers in all color belt categories will advance to the U.S. National Championships and Junior Olympics Black Belts will have a tiered scale based on total overall participation at your event however the top four in the 6-13 year old black belt age categories will advance.

National Ranking System:
USAT will be implementing a ranking system that will recognize the top fighters in the nation. Individuals will receive points based on the level of event in which they are competing. This will give official recognition to the athletes.

For More Information please call Master Yushen Lai at (310) 212-6010
or Email Master Lai

 

[miguksaram]

National Ranking System:
USAT will be implementing a ranking system that will recognize the top fighters in the nation. Individuals will receive points based on the level of event in which they are competing. This will give official recognition to the athletes.

For More Information please call Master Yushen Lai at (310) 212-6010
or Email Master Lai

So does this mean they are finally catching up to sport karate in terms of a ranking system based on individiual tournaments?

 

[TX_BB]

So does this mean they are finally catching up to sport karate in terms of a ranking system based on individiual tournaments?

Naw probably won't be that well implemented.

 

[terryl965]

First off it is only for there tournaments so it should say USAT National Ranking system. Because if itis mot there event no ranking, secondly you have to be able to do alot of events since it is off how many events you do. So of course it will be in the favor of athletes who parents that can afford doing alot of tournaments, lastly it will still be by favorite fighters since they will not let some new comer come in and walk all over there fighters.

Glad to see they aremaking a move in the right direction but it is not a true system for all fighters just USAT.

 

[Gorilla]

It is a way to insure that attendance at tournaments will increase...Tal

 

[granfire]

First off it is only for there tournaments so it should say USAT National Ranking system. Because if itis mot there event no ranking, secondly you have to be able to do alot of events since it is off how many events you do. So of course it will be in the favor of athletes who parents that can afford doing alot of tournaments, lastly it will still be by favorite fighters since they will not let some new comer come in and walk all over there fighters.

Glad to see they aremaking a move in the right direction but it is not a true system for all fighters just USAT.

Too bad there are too many hands in the pie. This could be really good.

In the ITA we went from 3 big tournaments and 2 small ones to 2 small and one big, so you place at the nationals you are pretty much it.

 

[MSUTKD]

The USAT "is" the NGB for the sport and thus SHOULD be the one that controls the ranking system, so it IS the "true" ranking system.

As far as the, "only those that have the money" argument, how else should it work?????? Free competitions? Help me out here.

ron

 

[miguksaram]

Yes, it is USAT only tournaments that will be eligible to receive points, which is no different than NASKA only tournaments receive NASKA points or AKA only tournaments receive AKA points.

Terry is right that only people who can travel to the events will benefit in the long run. That is just a thing of it is what it is. Now I am not sure how USAT is going to do this but something we do in the AKA is give specific ratings for specific tournaments. This, in return, alots the participants a certain amount of points they can be eligible for. Perhaps USAT can allow sanctioning of smaller local tournaments and give out a certain amount of points for those tournaments. That way people who can not travel to every major event may be able to stay in the running through local events.

Yes, you are always going to have favorites in these settings. That is just the way it is through out. NASKA or AKA is no different. Question is if you have to be a USAT member to be eligible for points or can any person "off the street" be eligible just as long as they play by the rules? To what extent do they award points? Example in AKA Top 8 positions will receive points.

 

[Gorilla]

The USAT "is" the NGB for the sport and thus SHOULD be the one that controls the ranking system, so it IS the "true" ranking system.

As far as the, "only those that have the money" argument, how else should it work?????? Free competitions? Help me out here.

ron

Terry is right a distinct advantage will go to those who can travel to the most events and this costs allot of money. It will help them with seeding at Nationals but I am sure that the winner of Nationals will gain enough points from that victory to gain the #1 ranking. The real expense is not the tournament fees but the expense of travel.

Those with $ will have an advantage no doubt about it....

 

[granfire]

Well, if you want it bad enough you will find a way to make it happen. Find a sponsor or rake lawns or collect soda cans.

There is just no way you can make it fair for every one, so you have to concentrate on the ones that show up.

 

[MSUTKD]

Having money has nothing to do with the politics of the USAT. People with money always have the advantage in ALL SPORTS programs where training and travel are important. I have read so many stories about Olympic athletes whose families go into major debt so that dreams can be pursued.

Last year I had to spend about $8000 on travel, training and competitions. I raised some of it and I paid out of pocket for the rest; I am not rich. Was it worth it? To me yes, it was part of my dream. This year I have put more energy into raising money and getting sponsors. It allowed me to travel to a World Training camp in Spain and have my trip to the World Poomsae Championships almost paid for.

Being an elite athlete is more than just skill, more than money and more than politics. It is desire and persistence. There is a price and if you do not want to pay don’t play.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Terry is right a distinct advantage will go to those who can travel to the most events and this costs allot of money. It will help them with seeding at Nationals but I am sure that the winner of Nationals will gain enough points from that victory to gain the #1 ranking. The real expense is not the tournament fees but the expense of travel.

Those with $ will have an advantage no doubt about it....

Find me one sport with national competitions that does not work this way.

Taekwondo is chump change. I am sorry, but complaining about travel expenses is just plain silly.

Sport fencing will set you back an equal amount in travel and will hit you hard on gear. There is a lot more of it, it is more expensive, it requires maintainance and replacement.

Kendo is worse. Decent bogu is about seven hundred dollars, cheap gear four hundred. Top shelf gear is in the thousands. You can spend over a grand on just the chest guard. Then there are the incidentals of shinai that are between twenty and three hundred depeneding upon what you get. Additionally, the keikogi and hakama that are required just to show up for class costs as much or more than an Addidas Grandmaster dobok.

If you do a koryo sword art, have fun buying that shinken. Mine was two grand.

Competative cycling: international travel. A thousand bucks in gear and you still only have the frame with no wheels or handlebars.

Nascar: be a multimillionair and get a sponsor or just walk away.

Taekwondo: foam footies. Torso pad. Foam cap. A cup and a mouth piece and maybe foam mittens and forearm pads. Total cost should be under two hundred for top shelf gear.

If electric hogu becomes a requirement, all that I can say is welcome to the wonderful world of sport fencing. Until then, be thankful that all you need to worry about is travel expenses.

Daniel

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Having money has nothing to do with the politics of the USAT. People with money always have the advantage in ALL SPORTS programs where training and travel are important. I have read so many stories about Olympic athletes whose families go into major debt so that dreams can be pursued.

Last year I had to spend about $8000 on travel, training and competitions. I raised some of it and I paid out of pocket for the rest; I am not rich. Was it worth it? To me yes, it was part of my dream. This year I have put more energy into raising money and getting sponsors. It allowed me to travel to a World Training camp in Spain and have my trip to the World Poomsae Championships almost paid for.

Being an elite athlete is more than just skill, more than money and more than politics. It is desire and persistence. There is a price and if you do not want to pay don’t play.

QFT!!

Daniel

 

[Gorilla]

QFT!!

Daniel

QFT???

I agree other sports cost more??? Still doesn't change the fact that I spend 10-15K per year on TKD. I can afford it but many have a very difficult time and it does keep those who are not affluent at a significant disadvantage. I was not complaining just stating facts!!!

The E Hoguls will bring up the costs even more significantly pushing more people out of the Sport!

 

[miguksaram]

QFT???

I agree other sports cost more??? Still doesn't change the fact that I spend 10-15K per year on TKD. I can afford it but many have a very difficult time and it does keep those who are not affluent at a significant disadvantage. I was not complaining just stating facts!!!

The E Hoguls will bring up the costs even more significantly pushing more people out of the Sport!

It is what it is. All sports are like this in terms of cost. Especially if you are going to compete at an elite level. Sponsorship is the most obvious answer but the most difficult to get.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

QFT???

QFT = Quoted For Truth. I assume that is what you are asking. If you question my endorsement of MSUTKD's post then all that I can say is that the post was right on the money in my opinion.

I agree other sports cost more??? Still doesn't change the fact that I spend 10-15K per year on TKD. I can afford it but many have a very difficult time and it does keep those who are not affluent at a significant disadvantage. I was not complaining just stating facts!!!

For starters, I should clarify that I was not implying that you personally were complaining, though now that I look back at my previous post, the fact that I quoted you comes across that way. My apologies there.

I was addressing the issue of cost for tournament participation due to travel and how the new rating system will affect that.

Yes, the ranking system will definitely affect it. Sport fencing ratings have been based this way for a very, very long time. The fact is that if you are not participating in the same quantity of tournaments as others, you are rated differently. And yes, it helps if one can afford the travel expense.

Quantity of tournaments, fight record, and who you fought should determine your rating. Your rating, age, weight, and gender should be the only factors in bracketing competitions. This actually takes a step in the right direction. I doubt that they will take the next step and move away from belts for bracketing, but one can hope.

I have a life that prevents me from traveling to any great degree, not to mention that I really cannot afford the travel expense. I accept it. Both for kendo and for taekwondo. But it does not push me out of the sport. It simply limits the amount of competition that I do and where I can do it. Those are my personal limitations and I accept them.

Likewise, this will not push anyone out of the sport, but will limit their degree of participation and advancement.

The E Hoguls will bring up the costs even more significantly pushing more people out of the Sport!

They have also had electronic scoring in fencing for years. It is not that hideously expensive, but it is more expensive than TKD gear. For anyone who is actively competing, e-hogu will not be enough to push them out of the sport. http://www.kinjisan.com/adelbopr.html 615 - 695 is less than I have spent on kendo gear. If it is part of competing, those who wish to compete will find a way to afford it.

Many black belt tests cost this much, and if your child is a third poom, chances are that you have already spent a good deal more. If they would clean up the way that they bracket competition and stop the nonsense of doing it by belt, e-hogu would not be such a huge bite. It would also take some of the pressure off of parents to have to pay out for an expensive test just to so that their child could compete in the next bracket.

I disagree that it will push people out of the sport. It probably will not catch on at smaller local tournaments for quite some time, if at all. But I have no doubt that it will be a must for national touraments and larger regional ones within the next five years. If you are competing at that level, e-hogu will not be a make or break item.

Daniel

 

[mango.man]

The problem, for me at least, with buying the e-hogu is not so much paying for it, but for the WTF's ability to change it's mind about such matters at the drop of a hat.

If I spend several hundred dollars on a set of red & blue lajust hogus, there is nothing that stops the WTF from coming out tomorrow and saying, "We are going with Daedo". Then I go spend a few hundred more dollars and some top level Korean player gets beat with the Daedo system so the WTF decides that they will now go with Addidas.

I know USAT just signed a 4 year agreement with LaJust, but that doesn't mean squat to the WTF and they ultimately set the rules