Speaking as Team-X parent #1 (if we had been assigned numbers at the formation party) allow me to chime in.
When Team-X was formed it filled a need at the time. Kid's that had essentially been shunned by their "Traditional TKD" school due to their love of competition and those that were not happy with the politics and parental bickering at their current school and just wanted a place for their kids to go and learn how to beat the crap out of their opponents in the competition ring. Parents would drive as much as 90 miles (each way) to get to and from practice 5 nights a week and the kids would practice where ever they could just because they loved doing it. Places Team X practiced included, TKD schools that weren't in use by the students of that school, driveways, women's center dance floors, tennis courts, grassy areas in parks, just about any place they they could find until someone told them that they could not practice there. Practices were indoors or outdoors rain or shine or temps in the 40s to the 110+.
Team X was about the kids and nothing else. Tim Thackrey was a great coach and his only concern, was that the kids get their practice in and constantly improve. The team was small enough that he could give individual attention to each and every one. There was absolutely no favoritism, no politics, no treating anyone different than any other, costs were kept low for the parents.
Unfortunately for Team X (not for Tim) his CrossFit gym became hugely successful and he knew that he would not be able to manage that and Team X as well. Great for Tim and we were all very happy for him, but when he announced he was bringing Joseph in to help, the writing was on the wall that Team X (what it was meant to be at least) was about to become extinct.
It wasn't long after Joseph was brought on board before Tim started showing up at fewer and fewer practices and within a month he announced that he was leaving us in Joesph's good hands.
Please do not misunderstand, I think Joesph is a great coach (obviously since he was brought on by the host nation's Olympic team to be their high performance coach for the games). His philosophy though is much different from what Team X was set out to originally be. Somethings may have been out of his control but as the Team progressed under Joseph parental conflict grew and obvious signs of favoritism grew within the dojang. Maybe Tim didn't have to deal with that stuff but for some reason it started surfacing under Joseph and he either could not get it under control or chose to ignore it, or perhaps he even fed some of that.
That really went against everything that Team X was meant to stand for.
If Team X is really to be revived, than it would need Tim to come back. Yes the kids fought under the Team X name with Joseph, but it really wasn't Team X.
Nope, Team X is dead and gone. I hope that if Joseph does return and starts a new team that a different name will be chosen so that those of us that created Team X can remember Team X as what it was supposed to be about.
