28th June 2007
World Taekwondo Festival and Malaysian Open
We once again say good luck and best wishes to our team members, who this time will be competing in 2 major International Competitions.
The first will be the 9th World Taekwondo Championships which will be run from the 28th June to the 2nd July,which will host 57 countries and the second will be the Malaysian Open, from the 5th July to the 9th July, hosting 15+ countries, both events will be in Malaysia.
Tianna Di Cicco, Clare Francis, Emily O'Sullivan, Nadine Venter, Chantelle Wallace, Sinead Smyth, Jessica Jordan, Sarah Di Lena, Kristy Compton,Tyrell Blinman, Mustafaa Olomi, Brandon Cooper, Garrick Blinman, Brodie Sciberras, Mark Familari, Jordan Williams, Ondrej Venter, Clinton Norris and Jason Rocca, they will be coached by Justin Blinman (Junior Coach) Haris Olomi (Development Coach) and Mr Rawlins (Senior Coach) Annette Di Cicco (Female Chaperone), Geoff Cooper (Male Chaperone) as well as support and cheers from Linda, Harry, Rosie, Clint, Reggie and our team members and family from Queensland and Western Australia.
(Picture of some team members at Perth Airport)
19th June 2007
Australian Sports Commisssion Review of Taekwondo Feedback Forums
All members, parents and anyone involved with taekwondo are invited to the Australian Sports Commission Review of Taekwondo Feedback Forums. This forum is an independent review of the organisational and management of taekwondo in the whole of Australia. Come and have your say about how taekwondo is developed in Australia. Go to Taekwondo Australia website for more details.
Date: 25th June 2007
Venue: Alexander Heights Community Centre
Time: 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Black Swan Poomsae Seminar
Information about the seminar can be found here
15th June 2007
By Justin Blinman
Our Juniors returned from the Australian Junior National Team Selection in Melbourne (again) with 1 silver and 1 bronze, no golds this time, but due to the way the divisions were contested we were satisfied with their performance and the results.
(Our Team after the Junior Selections, no Gold medals this time a little bit disappointed but also proud and happy with their performances)
Let me explain, instead of the normal 10 Female and 10 Male divisions we were forced to merge the divisions to 5 female and 5 male divisons, causing the Juniors and their coaches the headaches of which division should they contest. This resulted in some trying to put on weight, some trying to loose weight and unfortunately some very good fighters in the same divisions.
Paul Otago the youngest and lightest fighter in the male -45 kg ( Paul weighs 37kg) had a tough order, when he not only had to contend with heavier opponents but they were also much taller than him.Those who know Paul will know what a fast and gutsy little fighter he is and he gave it his best, but was not able to match it with his much taller, more experienced and heavier opponent who went on to win the silver medal (Casey Boardman).
Well done Paul we all know this is your first year in the black belt divisions. Don't be disappointed because we know you have the talent and dedication to make the Australian team.
Chantelle Wallace contested the female 49-52kg division and started off well by winning her first match easily, her next match was more closely contested and she gave it her all, but lost a close bout to the eventual Gold Medallist (Ellen Tjahjana). She could have won her next match, but was not focus and gave her opponent a two point lead in the first round, after getting snap back into focus she started scoring but lost in the final seconds of the 3rd round (11- 12) and had to settle for a bronze.
Well done Chantelle, we all know you have the heart and the will of a champion, this is just a stumble along your journey.
Both Garrick Blinman and Brodie Sciberras contested the male 48-51kg division, this was one of the most exciting and entertaining division on the day.
After a slow start Garrick fired up and won his first bout easily, setting him up in the next bout with the number 1 player in the division (Gylan Al-Atroushi), this was the match he wanted and in the first 45 seconds of the first round was 2 point in front, he then got kicked in the neck and got a standing count put on him. Finding it hard to breath and forgetting to put his hands up by the count of eight, he was counted out. A protest was lodged but did not stick, and just like that he was out of the competition and we will never know what might have been?
Brodie to started up slow, but fired up to win two off his matches easily, setting up his next bout with (Gylan), both fighters treated this match like it was the gold medal match and gave it their best, scoring freely even though some points did not come our way, which unfortunately is the nature of the game. However the better fighter did win on the day and (Gylan) went on to win the Gold Medal, Brodie fought two more matches brilliantly and this time had to settle for Silver.
Congratulations to you both (Garrick & Brodie) you are two champion athlete that have a exciting and big future in Taekwondo
Ondrej Venter contested the male 55-59kg division and had the deck stacked against him once again when his first match was against the number 1 player in the division (Taner Hikmet) at last year's selection he drew the same card. Anyway he was focused and ready, like the saying goes'' to be the best, you much bet the best". He fought a well planned fight but was unable to beat (Taner) who went to dominate the division and win the Gold.
Well done Ondrej, we all know how hard you have trained and committed yourself,don't be disappointed as you have improved 100% and we are proud of you.
Emily O'Sullivan contested the female 63-68kg division and like Paul was the baby of the group, Emily not only had to contest with girl much more experience and physically stronger that herself but she also had to put on 5 kilo's to make the division.
The nerves and the pressure of fighting in her first black belt selection tournament showed in her first match, and she could not fire up until the 3rd round when she realized she could win this match and got in a head kick, but it was to late and lost the match. Her opponent did go on to win a Silver.
Don't let it worry you Emily, we all faith and confidence in you and know that you will make the Junior National Team, you too have improved 100% and we can see a bright future for you.
Mr Rawlins did however coach the Gold medal winner from this division in Dana Cleary, a student of his friend Joe Pavic of Tasmania.
Dana won all four of her fights in her division to claim the Gold medal, but not before giving Mr Rawlins a few scares and a lot more grey hairs along the way, as some of her matches were very close.
Well done Dana, we all wish you luck over there in Jordan.
(Dana Cleary of Tasmania, winner of the Female 63-68kg division with Mr Rawlins after he coached her win four matches at the Selection)
Competitions are there to test us,to see where we are at National and International levels and to see what areas we need to improve in, we at the Charles Rawlins Taekwondo Centres are all proud of our Junior Athletes and will keep on educating and developing them to reach their dreams, what ever it may be.
WELL DONE TO YOU ALL!!!
7th June 2007
RAWLINS TRAINING CAMP PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING
By Jacqui Otago
For five days the Darling Range Adventure Camp was home to 40 students between the ages of 8 and 23 from the Charles Rawlins Taekwondo Centres all over WA, from as far north as Broome to Albany in the south.
(Group photo after a training session)
The adventure camp located in the picturesque Darling Ranges at Pickering Brook, Perth was held in the first week of the school holidays from the Wednesday 11th April to Sunday 15th April and the weather was perfect!
On arrival and after settling in to the new surrounding, Black Belt Jessica Jordan facilitated some fun team building and ice breaker games, which gave everybody the opportunity to get acquainted (see below).
It was a tough training schedule and student’s pushed their bodies to the limit. Before breakfast a warm up run around the oval, then a grueling circuit that included the surrounding hills and stairs. After refueling their bodies it was time for the juniors to be put through their paces with extensive poomse and fitness training. The senior belts were next and donned full tournament gear for sparring and endurance training. The last session before lunch involved stretching exercises with everyone in full uniform. After lunch the students had time to rest and socialize before the afternoon training program, which began on the main oval. Students in uniform, lined up, black belts in front, as the Chief Instructor, Mr. Charles Rawlins called the drills.
But despite the heavy training program there was time to indulge in a bit of extra curriculum activity. Friday afternoon was set aside for archery and for some of the students it was their first time with a bow and arrow. Not sure if anyone beat the record but it was sure fun trying!
All enjoyed the evenings entertainment, the Werewolves and Gypsies game was very popular, as was the roll a six and eat as much chocolate as you can before the next six is rolled - one very lucky person got to eat half of the family chocolate block! The theatre sports night was very entertaining with each group coming up with their own name and theme. We had the ‘Kitchens Hands’, complete with broom, buckets, spatula’s, whisks adorned with teatowels and aprons. The ‘Protectors’ all wearing TKD head guards, certainly had their brains protected (not sure about the rest of their body), the ‘Champions’ came in sleeping bags because they could be beaten at anything in their sleep! Then, there was the Anzac’s, the Everlast’s, Runners, Bandana’s and the all dressed in ‘Black Gang’ ready action. Their first challenge was to make extraordinary things happen with everyday objects. Esky lids became ski’s, pasta scoops - back scratches, and milk crates - toilets, complete with sound effects! The space jump game resulted in some very funny and interesting situations and over the top drama. But the highlight of entertainment definitely was the red faces acts on the final night of the camp. It was the first time the black belts were beaten by the junior girls in a well planned and rehearsed performance entitled 20 to 1, counting down the most memorable moments in the history of Rawlins TKD all beautiful recreated, melodramatic and very humorous.
With plenty of activity all of this worked up quite an appetite and the kitchen was always on hand to serve plenty of home cooked and nutritious meals.
Thank you to the volunteer cooks Cory, Annette, Jacqui, Dermit and also to the girls who helped cook the delicious muffins, scones and cookies. Thanks to Jessica, Sinead and Kire for coordinating the fabulous camp activities, games and teambuilding and also to Mr. Rawlins for the training program and for making it all possible.
A specially big thank you to Harvey Fresh for supplying plenty of calcium rich dairy products and to all the IGA supermarkets, who donated food vouchers we sincerely thank you for your support and that goes out to the IGA stores in Nollamara, Nedlands, Mirrabooka and Stirling.
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