USAT offering Individual Poomsae (last year) then NOT at Qualifiers This year...then...

[taekwondodo]

they offering the individual poomsae/form division for 10-17 Black Belt again. They called it JR form (non-qualifying event).

I wished they made up their mind and doesn't spring it on us all of the sudden. On the positive side, they did announced it today though. That is an improvement.

 

[terryl965]

Yea that is typical for USAT, they just do not care about timing or its members, but we already know that don't we.

 

[mango.man]

What, USAT did something stupid thinking that they might make an extra buck or 2? You could knock me over with a feather.

Mango.man = unaffected.

Samantha's High School Graduation - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=397545731103&ref=mf = What a great way to kick off Samantha's TKD free summer.

 

[knuckleheader]

I would suggest moving out into the "Open Circuit". If these organizations don't work with their members, maybe it's time to discontinue your participation.

Compete in an organization that is competitor friendly. Too many groups want to validate themselves(their Art) and their competitors. But, they play politics and outlive their usefullness. It's been going on since the tournament scene got started. Good luck.

 

[RSweet]

My guess would be no one thought this out. If you will notice, they eliminated the grassroots divisions in sparring except for the black belts 14-32 and the elite division. The qualifiers were just for those who needed to qualify - so they ASSUMED everyone would understand that there would be the double elimination fun forms divisions at Nationals. As usual they assumed that everyone could read their minds.

 

[taekwondodo]

I noticed the absence of the individual form divisions at US Open and did noticed the absence also when USAT announced their intention for the Sport Poomsae division back in early January.

I did raised my concerns to the director of event, whats his name at the US Open technical meeting. He said "I am sadden that it happens...blah..blah..."

I did also posted here too. When everyone has accepted the idea that there aren't any Individual form division, and some kids decided not to train for National, USAT spring their magic again.

Now I have 5 weeks to get those kids train for competition again in their individual form. *sheesh* Nothing but unexpected excitement from USAT.

 

[terryl965]

This is thier way of controlling members and trying to bring in more competitors to there stupid event. I just hate them but need them for one or two athletes. Sometimes it is better to go with another group for all competitors and just bring the few to them. It is more fun for both athletes and parents.

 

[RSweet]

This is thier way of controlling members and trying to bring in more competitors to there stupid event. I just hate them but need them for one or two athletes. Sometimes it is better to go with another group for all competitors and just bring the few to them. It is more fun for both athletes and parents.

I have no inside information on why it is now offered - especially with Mark Kauffman saying it is said this happens. However, I can tell you that they hate the double elimination forms, and deal with it only because since it was instituted it is the only time in the history of the USAT or the USTU that the number of forms competitors exceeded sparring competitors and increased rather than decreased. Parents, coaches and competitors seem to love it.

There is also the back story of how USAT came to do double elimination bracketed forms.

I had been nagging David and crew to try bracketed forms for years. They swore to me that in 2008 it would be done. Now I thought that the plan was for selected divisions, something. I asked, got no answer.

I had to write an article for the magazine and could not come up with a topic. I suggested to David that explaining what it was and how it worked would be a good thing. He was ok with that - we consulted each other so we didn't use the same topics. I contacted Mark K and told him this is what I was writing on, but that I needed to know what divisions were doing it yadadada. He didn't answer except to say that he was writing the procedures for the sport poomsae and he would have it to me by Monday. I made both gentlemen aware that if I wasted my time writing this piece, I would be peeved.

Monday came - no anything. I submitted the article. A couple days later David posted this wonderful article on the webpage about how we were doing double elimination bracketed forms. That afternoon two staff members charged into David's office and told him it was too big a change and NO NO NO. Rather than call me, he sent an email to me, copied to them - referring me to discuss it with Mark K but that we were only doing bracketed forms on the team poomsae (HELLO! THAT DOESN'T WORK.)

I confess I lost it. I sent a scathing note to all three of them telling to just fix their mess. I reminded them they knew I was writing this piece and had consulted them, they had assured me all was cool and we were doing it and on and on. Then I pointed out to them that they had written in the coaches manual that forms would be double elimination poomsae, as well as David's article - did they not proof their own work - and I was sick of apologizing for the errors, etc.. and I didn't care how they fixed it, they needed to handle it as I was fed up beyond words.

Turns out they missed where they had written and posted it themselves. It was decided by staff that the way to fix it was to institute it. As mentioned before, everyone (except the referees who had no experience hand working a double elimination bracket) loved it. I had never in my life seen so many people cheering for the forms competition. Forms numbers increased, money was made and we kept it.

And that is how the USAT came to have bracketed forms for the non sport divisions.