Waikato Taekwondo Club

Huge shout out to all our members who competed in the ilovetkd competition!

I am so incredibly proud of the courage and spirit shown by every single one of our members. It’s not easy to step onto the mat, but the performance and sportsmanship you all displayed was world-class. You showed exactly what our club is all about—tenacity, respect, and heart!

A massive thank you to everyone involved in making this day such a success. Special shout-outs to Soeyeon, Gyuyeon, and Caleb for refereeing—even Hayley mentioned you guys were awesome!

Also, a huge thank you to Rose and her family for the amazing catering and delicious food. Having that energy on-site made a huge difference for everyone!

We also want to give a big shout-out to Hayley and her team from Ilovetkd. Thank you for providing this platform for our grassroots and novice competitors to grow.

Photos are up!
Our "PRO" photographer Ves captured some incredible moments of the action. Please head over to the link below to check out the photos and relive the day:

https://wtkdphotos.pixieset.com/wtkdilovetkd/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ2q_RleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEyVjhQU3pyNTFUSk5XMzBuc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpeo8bK0QnutAAyBUOPqNkEXAZbd4tVB2Ju-bT-OBUk3PxaNwfDXj47AhrwC_aem_mlhPSemmNktH9lIBYKVVuQ

WTKD + ILOVETKD Photo collection by WTKD Photos

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18XP2PppMH/

Just a reminder regarding our start dates for the new term:

Youth Class (Ages 10–13) & Senior Class: Starting tonight, 2 February!

Junior Class (Ages 7–11): 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM — Starting next week, 9 February.

We can't wait to see everyone back in action at the Dojang!

Congratulations to everyone who graded on Saturday, you trained hard and these are the fruits of your labor.

Along with it being a great grading there were a few things that I believe we all learnt, one being that regardless of you rank, no one is immune to small failures, however it is what you do after the mistake that truly matters, there is no shame in getting back up and trying again, because there is no success without failure.

Practice makes progress, keep trying until you get it right 😁

For those that didn't quite make it this time, there is always next time! Don't rush good things take time 🙃

This past weekend, our team jumped into the action at the "I Love TKD" tournament, ready to have some fun and show their skills. Our eight awesome members, Anfield, Daniel, Elodie, Hayden, Isla, Juwon, Shania, and Trinity, gave it their all and came back with amazing results, almost all of them grabbing a win and a shiny medal. The big smiles in the photo below really say it all, such a cool moment for our club!

This achievement reminds us how much we can grow with dedication, picture training with the same focus as if you’re in a tournament, putting in 100% every time you step into the club. When the day comes, you’ll be prepared to compete just as you’ve trained.

Special thanks to our parents for their constant support, your cheers and encouragement fueled our success. Let’s keep lifting each other up and chasing every opportunity to shine. You all did an outstanding job, so proud of you!

Head over to https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15XCCbDTV7/ page to check out more photos

Just a reminder there is NO training this Easter Monday

Last weekend, while most folks were taking it easy, our awesome team was up from 8 AM to 8 PM, competing in a tournament with nearly 300 participants at the Budo South Open Tauranga.

Our 18 members, Austin, Anfield, Caleb, Carlos, Daniel, Elodie, Gyuyeon, Hayden, Isla, Juwon, Julia, Kelsey, Ray, Ron, Seoyeon, Shannon, Trinity, and Yeayul, brought home an impressive 14 Gold, 9 Silver, and 8 Bronze medals!

Let's take this as motivation: if you train like you're in a tournament, giving 100% every time, then all you need to do in a tournament is exactly what you've practiced at the club. I encourage every member to adopt this mindset and bring that energy to every session so we can keep getter better and stronger together!

Big thanks to Jesse for helping with coaching on the day. I couldn't have done it on my own. Also, a shoutout to all the parents for their fantastic support.

Let's keep cheering each other on and pushing to be our best. You all did an incredible job, way to go!

More pictures from the day are in the post, so keep browsing.

Please talk to one of the instructors if you are interested.

Training event for all cadet and junior Kyorugi Athletes, red belt and above.

Don't miss out on this opportunity. We are looking forward to seeing you there.

We have decided to open up this event to both cadet and junior kyorugi athletes to get some vital training strategies in before many of this year's tournaments kick off.

Pre-register by emailing [email protected]

You will need all your sparring gear, Daedo GEN2 socks, and something to fuel you over the day.

Player of the Year - Ella

The Player of the Year award isn’t just about skill—it’s about embodying the true spirit of Taekwondo, which teaches us dedication, respect, and courage. This year, Ella has demonstrated all three in truly remarkable ways.

Dedication: Even on days when she’s tired, Ella never misses training. She consistently commits to early Saturday classes, showing up and giving her best.

Respect: Ella always shows kindness to her fellow members, offering help when needed and expressing gratitude to instructors after every training session.

Courage: For the first time this year, Ella stepped into the ring, gaining valuable experience and showing incredible determination.

Ella, you are an inspiration to us all and a shining example of what a Taekwondo player should strive to be. We’re so proud of everything you’ve achieved this year and can’t wait to see your continued growth in 2025!

Best in Kyorugi - Caleb

This year, Caleb has shown exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship in sparring. His hard work, focus, and willingness to push his limits have truly set him apart.

We’re so proud of your achievements, Caleb! Keep up the amazing effort, and we’re excited to see you take your sparring to even greater heights in 2025.

We hope this inspires not just Caleb but all our members to take on new challenges, including competitions, next year. Competitions are a fantastic way to test your skills, gain experience, and grow as martial artists. Let’s aim high and support each other in 2025!

Please join us in celebrating Caleb's success!

As we close out the year, it’s amazing to see how far everyone has come. We celebrated our last training session of 2024 with some fun activities, lots of laughter, and our prize-giving ceremony.

To all our amazing members—thank you for your hard work, dedication, and spirit. Whether it was mastering a new technique, stepping into the ring for the first time, or supporting each other along the way, you’ve all made incredible progress.

Let’s take the lessons of 2024—resilience, discipline, and respect—into 2025. We can’t wait to see everyone grow, set new goals, and achieve even greater heights in the coming year.

Stay safe, keep practicing, and enjoy your well-deserved break. See you all in 2025!

Photo credit to Ves!! Thank you for all the great photos.