From my heart

Christmas is the time of year when families get together and have fun. It is the time when billions are spent by consumers, succumbing to the perfect marketing strategies of the chain stores, just to bring 'joy' to the world!  Christmas is also the most lonely time for the elderly, homeless and orphaned. While we enjoy our meals and presents, please remember those that have not, and remember what the "Joy to the world" actually means.

From the Autism Speaks site This guest post is by Mara Fineshriber a mother, official water bottle bringer, head cheerleader, chauffeur, chief bandage applier, financier, head of complaint department, and homework enforcer.   How my son with autism became a martial arts champion My son, Ethan, was diagnosed with autism at age three. I remember thinking he was more behind on his infant and toddler milestones than his older sister was, but I didn't think too much of it because we are often told that each child is different and the range of "normal" is pretty wide. He didn't begin walking until almost two. He could speak a lot of words at 12 months but they were never his own. He would simply mimic back what others said to him. Communication got much easier when he got to a place where he could answer yes or no, but it wasn't until we completed a lot of therapy before he could answer anything open ended. He is as literal as the day is long and sarcasm,...

At times I place posts from other people, posts that show that Taekwondo is not just about kicking and punching, but Taekwondo is about changing people, about changing lives.  Here is one such post, the life story of Debro van Wyngaard. She wrote this as part of her Black Belt assignment. She is practicing Taekwondo at  TTA Pretoria . Debro is married with two children (a boy of 11 years and a girl of 5 years).  For the past 17 years she has been working as a social worker, working with children in alternative care (specifically children in children’s homes).  She has been doing Taekwondo since 2009 and started to introduce Taekwondo to the children of Jakaranda Children’s home in June 2012.  The Journey of the Bonsai My journey as bonsai started in the wide expanse of rural South Africa, there where time seem to stand still and one's soul is set free. Never in my wildest dreams did I think, that I, a humble fig tree, w...

We pass each other in the office day by day, but we do not know .. We do not understand ... We do not see the pain behind their smiles .. We do not see the crippling illness ... Because we did not know ... MC rest in peace

It is never too old to start. I came across this  Video  the other day on a Facebook Group. I know it seem illogical but Martial Arts (Taekwondo) can be for every age. You do not have to take part in sparring or forms, but the complex movements of the Martial Arts stimulates the brain and rejuvenates the person. Have a look and enjoy. Video

Well, there you have it, I have started doing Taekwondo, at 53! I suppose it is about time. With my wife and son doing it, I did not realy have a choice to get involved.  I was thoroughly challenged when I posted photos of myself running the Comrades maraton back in 1993. But it was also a warning from my body to stop being a couch potato and get fit.  For the first time in my life I am doing a sport that involves coordination. I played tennis at school but 75% of the time I missed the ball. I tried rugby once or twice at school, but the notion that I have to run after an egg shaped ball that most of the time I cant even catch, did not appeal to me at all. I resigned myself to the fact that I have no ball sence and left it at that. However, after I started working I kept fit, being in the military did not really gave me a choice and I enjoyed it, I especially enjoyed running, because it tested my endurance and stamina. I enjoyed it so much that I started running marathon...

Well, they trained, they cried, they shouted, they travelled 40 hours via Hong Kong to the USA, arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas, and they conquered!   The full ATA SA Team at the ATA Headquarters in  Little Rock Arkansas ATA SA performed exceedingly well for a small federation (ATA SA compares to some clubs in member total, so I heard).   There were about 20,000 participants and supporters from about 26 countries, and South Africa brought back 17 medals! It was a difficult road to the Worlds 2015 for all. There were financial concerns (attending members had to fund themselves, and I must say, it brought out entrepreneurial  skills in some), Visas had to be obtained, vehicles rented, rooms booked in hotels and inns, and then of course the administration issues had to be dealt with by ATA SA administrators, oh yes, in between it all, they had to train as well. But in the end they arrived in Little Rock, acclimatised, (the team ...

What I learnt as a spectator of Taekwondo over the past year is that it is a sport / a discipline  that is built on certain principles. These principles are normally recited and enforced some time during the practice session. Sometimes it sounds to me like a rushed, parroted recitation. However, those principles, whether rushed or not,  does have an impact on the students, in class and in their lives. The team going to the Worlds, in some way or another, is already living those principles.  Allow me to go through 5 of them again: 1. First Courtesy (Ye Ui) You have learnt to be polite to one another and to respect others. When you wear the Green and Gold the eyes of the world  are on you as ambassadors of South Africa and ATA South Africa. Remember this first tenet of Taekwondo - Courtesy. When you are waiting hours for yours competition slot, or sitting in the plane next to someone you do not know, or cramped in  a car for hours on end, ...

Press Release from ATA South Africa  A South African martial arts team will take part in the World Songahm Taekwondo championships in Little Rock,  Arkansas, USA between 8 July and 12 July. The American Taekwondo Association (ATA) of South Africa recently presented students  of Songahm Taekwondo in South Africa with their national colours on 19 June 2015.  The team will participate in the 2015 ATA World championships, attended by approximately 15 000  international participants and 50 000 spectators. Guests of honour at the at the event were president of Martial Arts South Africa (MASA),  master Louise Viviers, and the President of ATA SA, Tjolla Louw. Master Louise Viviers presented the selected  team with their national colours. The national team consists of 20 Taekwondo students between the ages of nine and 51. It is the first time ATA SA has awarded full national colours since registering with Masa. Master Viviers wished t...

I did a post some time ago about Taekwondo achievement, something that someone achieved against the odds. I believe that we need more of those stories, the kind of stories that brings hope and inspiration. Being involved as a supporter and spectator of Taekwondo brought me into contact with some of the  students and supporters of ATA South Africa.  On Easter Sunday I had the privilege to attend the  prize giving ceremony of the ATA SA Masters Camp.  Two of the presentations stood out to me that day,  the one was the Masters Award to CJ for his contribution to Taekwondo and the other was the  Grand Master Crystal presented to Anecke Viljoen, from the Traditional Taekwondo Academy. This post will be about CJ Engelbrecht from Iblackbelt Academy. Like I said before, not everyone are equal in sport, some excel as a result of natural talent,  some buy into it (unfortunately true in today's world, especially high profi...