In November 1998, Fighters Magazine featured an insightful article on the inaugural UTA Referee Course, marking a significant milestone in martial arts education. The piece included a photograph of our esteemed chief instructor, Master Cesar, alongside notable mentions of students from Milton Keynes, including Sarah, who continues to train at our school today. We invite you to view Master Cesar and our dedicated students in action and take the opportunity to read the article below. This coverage underscores our commitment to advancing the standards of martial arts officiating and education. Until now, our students and instructors are still constantly learning and updating themselves, ensuring we continue to serve our students and community with the highest standards of excellence.
“Students with Master T W Shin on the left at the Referees’ Course at Doncaster.
THE United Taekwondo Association held its first referees’ course of the year at the Edenthorpe Community Centre, Doncaster, with Master Steve Hind as the host and Master T W Shin, 7th Dan, conducting and evaluating the course.
“Important New WTF rules”: This course was to be very different from all the other courses because the WTF had made new changes to the rulings and management of the competition! Over twenty students were on the course with clubs from Milton Keynes, Stoke on Trent, Manchester and Doncaster in attendance.
Firstly manuals were handed out to all students, one with the new rulings and one with the new hand signals. Then for two hours Master Shin and Master Shin and Master Hind read through and pointed out all the WRF rulings and regulations in relation to WTF Olympic competition with the changes of the judges positions and electronic scoring techniques, also the new WTF weight categories, also junior weight categories.
After studying for two hours the students then had a break before practical exercises with all students demonstrating the procedure for starting and stopping a match, and awarding penalty and deduction point hand signals. A mock fight scenario was then acted out with corner judges marking and a referee controlling a match with contestants performing penalty and deduction points. All students refereed and practised corner judging.
After one-and-a-half-hours of practical exercise, there was then a written test.
The course was a resounding success and a very important one for the UTA with the inclusion of the new WTF Olympic rulings to come in this year all competition organisers and WTF officials need updating on the new rulings. Many thanks to Master Hind and Master Shin for a successful course.”