Online IUC Report

Online IUC Report April 2021

Report by Mr Colin McMahon, IV Degree

On Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th, of April, 2021, The ITF played host once again to another high quality online event through its hosting of an International Umpires Course (IUC). The course began at 2pm Irish time and lasted for four hours each day.

The IUC was led by Master Abelardo Benzaquen VIII, Chair of the ITF Umpire Committee. The presenters were Grand Master Ruben Suarez and Master’s Gordon Wallace and Kurt Ottesen of the IUC Committee. The course was in English and was attended by over 440 black belts from the world over of varying levels of degree and experience when it comes to umpiring. This course was preceded by a Spanish language version and is to be concluded with a Russian version next month by which time close to 1,000 ITF black belts

will have taken this course, making this IUC historic as the first to be held online and the

largest in terms of participants.

The ITA was very well represented on the course along with several of our fellow black belts and instructors from the INTA. The IUC committee was also joined by special guests from ITF Technical Committee members of Grand Masters Hector Marano & Kim Lan-Ung as well GM Wim Bos.

Day 1 began with judging patterns presented by Grand Master Suarez, from his dojang in Queens, NYC. The presence of the ITF technical committee members enhanced the course as GM’s Marano and Lan, expertly guided the participants through the technical aspects of patterns with both GM’s highlighting the correct use of sine wave, rhythm, power and technique. All of these components were illustrated by GM Marano, when he treated the participants to an expert assessment of a recorded video of Choong Moo tul. A thorough explanation of the process of judging patterns was given during this session and many

veteran umpires also gave their advice on the challenges of umpiring imploring participants to consider the need to be disciplined, focused and impartial in the role. The need for umpires to have and maintain a thorough technical knowledge of the patterns they are judging was also emphasised.

Course participants were given the opportunity to critique patterns through videos and were also treated to sublime examples of individual and team patterns from recent world championships. As the day progressed the course moved on to free sparring led by Master Wallace and Master Ottesen. The masters were dynamic in their presentations using a mix of videos and real-time demonstrations to explain rules and procedures. Master Ottesen in particular was vocal on the need for umpires to read and study the ITF tournament rules

thoroughly. He made clear the responsibility to be educated on the rules and to be physically and mentally prepared for the challenges of umpiring was the onus of the individual umpire. Umpires were advised for example of the need to be physically fit, mentally focused, and aware of their environment to occupy the role of centre referee in high stakes world championship events.

Day 2 began with cordial and friendly greetings as guests logged on from around the world

and addressed the conference with traditional welcomes. This was a nice moment to relax that also highlighted the diversity and spread of the ITF as one could hear people speaking Italian, German, Spanish and so many more languages. The day’s proceedings were opened with an address from ITF President Grand Master Paul Weiler who welcomed the participants. Once all were logged on the course resumed with the days topics covering team sparring, power breaking and special technique. The Masters of the IUC committee, Grand Masters and experienced umpires present shared their collective vast and encyclopaedic knowledge of rules, techniques and procedures with the course participants in an engaging and dynamic way punctuated with the occasional and often humorous stories of past events that they had encountered.

At the end of day two the course was concluded by Master Benzaquen, who gave thanks to the attending Grand Masters and IUC team. The participants were presented with a link to an online examination to be taken to qualify for International Umpire status.

The IUC as stated was a quality event that provided many learning opportunities, a chance to affirm knowledge acquired but also a chance to assimilate so much more. The IUC committee had strong words of sage advice and encouragement for participants to get involved in tournaments in their own countries with a view to one day umpiring at the highest levels in the World Championships. However, just as important if not more so was the advice given to prospective and experienced umpires alike to consider the physical, mental, and ethical challenges of judging competition and this advice left a lot of food for thought.

For myself this was my first experience of an IUC, and I would encourage all black belt to make their mission to support future ITF online courses and the upcoming IIC in Dublin, February 2022. Recent events have proved to be fantastic learning opportunities for me personally and no doubt all who attended. The ITF must be congratulated for organising and delivering such quality online courses that proved to be such a welcome diversion from the lockdowns of the past twelve months. In the face of adversity they have demonstrated

their leadership in keeping their members around the world informed, active and educated.

Let’s hope that the next twelve months sees us all back at these events in person ready and willing to learn and grow further in Taekwon-Do.