Paradigm Shift: On the Future of U.S. Sport Poomsae
By Dr. Misha Thackrey
Head Coach, U.S. National Taekwondo Poomsae Team
The 1st WTF World Taekwondo Championship was held at the Kukkiwon in 1973. Its immediate effect in the USA was modest, however, as at that time most domestic competitions were "Tae Kwon-Do" point-sparring tournaments. In 1978, however, the 3rd WTF World Taekwondo Championships in Chicago electrified Americans and led to the predominance of today's Olympic-style "Taekwondo" competitions. In the world of Sport Poomsae the 1st (2006) and 2nd (2007) WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Korea have come and gone with only minimal immediate effect on Sport Poomsae in the USA.
Though superficially similar, WTF Standard Poomsae and U.S. tournament Poomsae are as different as Olympic Taekwondo and Tae Kwon-Do point-sparring. International competition standards for Poomsae differ from U.S. domestic standards in both how Poomsae are performed and how Poomsae are judged. WTF Standard Poomsae (based on Kukkiwon Authorized Poomsae) have been developed in committee. WTF Standard Poomsae indeed change from time to time, and they will continue to change with the committee incumbents. WTF judging criteria are also markedly different from U.S. methods, and of course WTF is continuously modifying its criteria. At this time the USA has only a handful of trained WTF Poomsae International Referees, only a couple have officiated at a WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship, and only a few U.S. athletes have international Poomsae competition experience. Poomsae competition at U.S. tournaments does not resemble competition elsewhere in the world. What wins here would certainly lose internationally, and what wins at Worlds would lose here. In contrast, for many years Europe, Australia, and Asia have had well-developed international Sport Poomsae programs and have held modern technical championships.
Just as the 100-meter and the shot put are dissimilar events yet are both part of Track & Field, so are Olympic Taekwondo and Sport Poomsae dissimilar. Some elite athletes do both 100-meter and shot put, yet almost all world record holders specialize. Elsewhere in the world, Olympic Taekwondo and Sport Poomsae have distinct and non-overlapping streams of athletes, coaches, officials, and events. In time U.S. Sport Poomsae athletes, coaches, and officials will also become specialized. Modern Training Methods (MTM) will be applied to Sport Poomsae, with specialized strength & conditioning coaches, technique coaches, sport psychology coaches, and of course famous and influential floor coaches.
Sport Poomsae is going to be huge! You don't get kicked in the face. You don't have to make weight. People are nice to each other. Families can take part. Older people can compete, and WTF plans to introduce Poomsae into the Paralympic Games. Sport Poomsae will also attract more elite athletes. Sport Poomsae is TV-friendly, too. As with gymnastics and figure skating, viewers need not understand the technical details of judging to enjoy and appreciate the athleticism and artistry of Sport Poomsae.
The U.S.A. must become cutting edge, poised to adapt rapidly to world developments and lead at the international level. However, we have considerable inertia to overcome, and many in the U.S.A. misunderstand or fear this paradigm shift from Traditional Poomsae to Sport Poomsae (see "Evolution of Sport Poomsae," USA Taekwondo News, Spring 2007, p.10). Moreover, our NGB USATaekwondo is charged with and funded for developing Olympic Taekwondo rather than Sport Poomsae. USAT has committed to devote more resources to poomsae in the future and the coming years will see greater support from them in this area.
The U.S.A. has won its first-ever WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship medals (2007), but grassroots U.S. Sport Poomsae lags. When the WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship is held in the USA we will finally see extraordinary development in U.S. Sport Poomsae, with profound changes in how Poomsae are performed and judged at U.S. competitions. Some will of course stay with their current ways, as have done some with point-sparring, but U.S. Sport Poomsae will be led by those who want the USA to be #1.
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