Put the YOU in AAU Taekwondo

A couple of weeks ago I had the good fortune -- and the good sense -- to compete in my first AAU Taekwondo tournament.  So now I ask: why did I wait 66 years for something this outstanding?
   Since this was my first AAU Taekwondo event, I really had no idea what to expect.  After all, every tournament I've attended has had a different sponsor, and each tournament has been wonderful in its own way.  But I must say that the AAU Taekwondo Middle Atlantic District Championship -- hosted by Grandmaster Louis Parlagreco -- truly raised the bar for other martial-arts tournament sponsors. 
   A major reason for this, as it turns out, is that the AAU has a highly detailed handbook that specifies precisely how a Taekwondo tournament will be run.  The handbook covers, well, just about everything associated with a tournament -- from how to obtain official AAU sanctioning for the event to the hand signals that judges will use when managing their events.  And, yes, the handbook even specifies what the certified judges will wear in order to give the event a highly professional look: white shirt and tie, black slacks, white sneakers, etc.  Does this really matter?  Absolutely.  From the moment you step into the competition hall, you have the feeling that things are very much under control.
   I found the judges to be well trained, highly consistent in their application of the rules, demanding but fair in their scoring, and completely in charge of their rings.  When the judges are on top of their game, the contestants and spectators go by the rules.  No bad-mouthing calls; no trash-talking; and no obnoxious second-guessing from the stands.  This is how it should be, of course.
   The other benefit of having certified judges running their assigned rings was that the entire tournament ran like a finely tuned Swiss watch.  Events began when they were supposed to, and competitors always knew where they were supposed to
be . . . and when.
   Okay, so this was an outstanding event.  What does that mean for you?  Well, it's time to put YOU in AAU Taekwondo.  Your next opportunity will be the AAU Taekwondo New Jersey State Championships, to be held on April 20th in Spotswood, NJ.  Click over to www.aautaekwondo.org to find out how to join the AAU and how to register for the upcoming NJ event.   Or you can begin by looking at the tournament flyer at AAU Taekwondo NJ Championship.
   If you're a Taekwondo Senior, it's time to get back in the game.  And by the way: the AAU also offers tournaments in other martial arts, so don't feel left out if Taekwondo's not your style.  Visit the AAU website today.
   Hope to see you at a tournament soon.