Youngest Kukkiwon "black belt" at age 6 in the news

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andyjeffries

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http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110607/SPORTS/706079908/1121/SPORTS21

Cole Becker, 6, is believed to be the youngest American to ever receive a Kukkiwon black belt. Earning a taekwondo black belt is a significant achievement for people of any age. For Taigon Taekwondo students, it is a three-day process. The first day is a written examination, the second day a test of strength and physical stamina with a 3-mile run, push-ups and sit-ups; and on the third day the display of taekwondo forms and techniques, including sparring.

Cole Becker had to exhibit the same proficiency as adult students, with two exceptions. Children under 14 break half-inch boards with kicks and chops, while older students break bricks. Also, Cole's written test was actually an oral exam because he is still learning to read and write.

Cole scored very well on all his tests, including his written (oral) exam. One requirement was that he had to know Korean numbers 1 to 100 as well as many other Korean words.

The best thing about taekwondo, Cole Becker said, "is that I get to be in the same class as my brother." That would be 8-year-old Seth, also a black belt.

I don't agree with 6 or 8 year olds earning a first poom (I think 10 would be "early"), but hey, it's not my decision and the Kukkiwon obviously doesn't mind...

Begin the ranting now...
 

StagTown

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id not wish to make an harsh comment without seeing vid footage and iv known some exceptional pooms but for me theres just not enough years in training or maturity for an under 10 to grasp the concept of being awarded the rank,but theres also adults who never grasp it! I just hope the youngster handles the aclaim well, his every move will be scrutinized and iv known quite a lot lose the passion to improve after beeing moved to quickly up the ladder.

bests stag
 

puunui

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I promoted a 6 year old to Kukkiwon 1st Poom. She regularly won double gold at JOs.
 

StudentCarl

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In our little tigers class of 4 year olds, we've got a tag-along 2 year old younger sibling who we include when she's up for it. She's eager to do what the 'big kids' do, and often mimics the older kids from off the floor during the 6-10 year old class that her sister is in. I can see how a student who truly starts while in diapers could become a poom...exceptional but not out-of-bounds.
 

terryl965

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To puunui did she win double gold or did she have nobody and was awarded double gold?

I have had tag alongs as well but never have I promoted anybody to a poom before 9, they simply did not test to much and was given ample time to grow and mature. I am not saying some cannot get there but the whole thing at six is just bad in my opinion. I have three sons that would train everyday except Sunday and none of them was given a poom until they was 9-10 and they grew up inside a dojaang. I hope the KKW and instructor see what direction and message they are sending to the general public.
 

Twin Fist

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ETinCYQX

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I'm a firm believer in "becoming" a black belt rather than "getting" a black belt, and I don't see how a six year old can possibly "be" a black belt.

and your KKW blackbelts, with all your ranting about "international standards" are worthless and on the same ground as the ATA.......


you are welcome to it.

anyone staying with the KKW after this deserves what they get

With all due respect, bull. This has nothing to do with KKW and everything to do with the individual instructor. Literally anyone with a high enough rank in KKW TaeKwonDo can give away a black belt. The Kukkiwon doesn't investigate each new BB, that would be impossible.
 

Twin Fist

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the instructor is an ***, and the entire KKW organization, BY ALLOWING IT, is just as guilty

lets put aside the made up history

lets put aside the political crap

lets put aside the things they allow to happen

it is just another org, and like all orgs, it is exists mainly to take money from people to make other people rich

*puke*
 

terryl965

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By what you are saying T.F. than we should get rid of all orgs. including G.M. Rhee because he has promoted young kids to B.B. as well... Than again the woman who promoted you has also promoted childern to BB by the age of seven? So what does that mean? If we got rid of every single person that has promoted someone we would have very little instructors left. Since you was promoted by her does that in any means make yours any less worthy in your mind? I mean you are saying the KKW is at fault because an instructor did this and they should stop issueing rank, so by the same means your instructor should stop issueing rank to adults because she is absolutely doing the exact same thing.

Funny how that is the KKW or ATA or ITF does it and they are crapola, but yet personal stand alone school do the exact same thing but that seems to be ok with people. In my mind that sound so confusing so any of you that believe the KKW or any org is at fault ask yourself if yur instructor has ever given a BB to anybody under say the age of ten.
 

dancingalone

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What I took from some of the discussions in the previous months is that the KKW leadership is reaching out to instructors in other parts of the world, like the US, and is trying to raise the general level of TKD by teaching & supporting affiliated instructors through seminars and other visits by officials. I think this is a good thing.

It would also be a good thing IMHO if the KKW made requirements for promotion more rigorous and initiated some mandatory means of verification to ensure the program is followed. Whether that meshes with the idea of inclusiveness mentioned before by Puunui, I do not know. (By the way I think inclusiveness and acceptance are wonderful things for a martial arts organization to embrace, understanding that there must be a balance between tolerance and unity of technical purpose.)
 

mango.man

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Forcing a 6 year old into a 3 mile run and to break boards with hands that are still in such early stages of development of bones, growth plates, tendons etc? I think these people should be arrested for child abuse. Parents, instructors, masters the whole lot of them.
 

Twin Fist

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yes, down with ANY and ALL orgs that promote under 10 to bb


and yeah terry, i bitched at Kristi too, and she relied that she had to pay the rent, doesnt mean i gotta like it


By what you are saying T.F. than we should get rid of all orgs. including G.M. Rhee because he has promoted young kids to B.B. as well... Than again the woman who promoted you has also promoted childern to BB by the age of seven? So what does that mean? If we got rid of every single person that has promoted someone we would have very little instructors left. Since you was promoted by her does that in any means make yours any less worthy in your mind? I mean you are saying the KKW is at fault because an instructor did this and they should stop issueing rank, so by the same means your instructor should stop issueing rank to adults because she is absolutely doing the exact same thing.

Funny how that is the KKW or ATA or ITF does it and they are crapola, but yet personal stand alone school do the exact same thing but that seems to be ok with people. In my mind that sound so confusing so any of you that believe the KKW or any org is at fault ask yourself if yur instructor has ever given a BB to anybody under say the age of ten.
 

tinker1

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I started training when I was 5... and yet I still believe that kids should not train before they are 12 or 13 years old at a MINIMUM.

Concerning this KKW BB kid - considering all that needs to be taught and learned, when did he start training? before he could walk?

Training little kids is simply a money maker for training studios these days. You can pack a heck of a lot of them onto the training floor... and their parents are happy to pay you big bucks if you can teach these kids to be respectful to their parents.

Glorified baby sitting is all it seems to be to me. And where the heck are the parents in the "teaching respect" aspect? Shouldn't that be THEIR job?
 

terryl965

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yes, down with ANY and ALL orgs that promote under 10 to bb


and yeah terry, i bitched at Kristi too, and she relied that she had to pay the rent, doesnt mean i gotta like it

Never said you had to like, I was just wondering if you thought the same way about instructors that do it. I understand paying the rent and keeping the doors open all commercial schools face these problems on a monthly basis. Good to know you feel the same all around make it better for me.
 

Nomad

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I get that many schools need the revenue provided by kids and their parents to keep the doors open. What I don't get, and probably never will, is the concept that kids this young need to be given black belts to do it.

It just smacks of the triumph of glitz over substance, and a cheap marketing ploy for the uninformed. I have no problem with the kids learning martial arts; heck, my own girls have been doing karate since they were 4, and my oldest was just promoted into the senior program a year early at 12 (still at least 4-5 years of hard training from getting her black belt based on her current skills and knowledge).

IMHO, part of the criteria for a black belt should be that they're taking on leadership and teaching roles in the dojo, and that immediately rules out this child (who may be a great performer, but I certainly would never expect to be able to lead or teach a class of mixed-age students).
 

msmitht

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I have yet to see a 6 yr old who can pass the kkw exam. Most can not memorize one poomsae, the test requires all 8. Smaller boards are understandable.
My question is this: what does this child have to look forward to? If you follow the time requirements he will be 3rd poom by age 9. Unless you go the 4th poom route he/she can not test for 9 years.
Rotflol!
Keep it real. Poom is a high level. Let's keep it to those who have at least hit puberty.
 

Namii

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Making a 6 yr old run for 3 miles? Its hard enough as is as an adult. In my Army days I could do it but it was always a challenge. I was lucky to even just pass the 2 miles run for the PT test (Running never was something I was good at)
The youngest our class has is like 7 or 8 and theyre all lower color belts.
 

Twin Fist

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Never said you had to like, I was just wondering if you thought the same way about instructors that do it. I understand paying the rent and keeping the doors open all commercial schools face these problems on a monthly basis. Good to know you feel the same all around make it better for me.

Terry, trust me, i am a dick to EVERYONE...lol
 
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