TERM 2 introduces many new families to City West Taekwondo as we quietly record our largest intake of beginners at HQs, resulting in 4 new white belt programs currently underway. Considering times are only getting tougher, it’s nice to see families researching well and investing in their children’s future, exposing kids to disciplined practices such as ours, as a means to give them the best possible start in life….SELF DEFENCE MATTERS! Already notable gains evident in our various aged programs, with improved balance, focus, co-ordination, flexibility and control just to list a few positives. The key is to keep working hard and listening carefully to your Instructors, all of whom are here to help motivate, guide and prepare you for the longevity of our sport. Great work so far – students and instructors!

Proudly a multicultural club, we note this term also welcomes month of  Ramadan for a small part of our growing community (27 May til 24 June) and marks the start of a period of fasting and religious devotion. Customary at this time, we see the CWT families celebrating Ramadan take this time off training. And as a dear young student, Mohamed recently informed me after class one night, “Frank, I’ll miss training next month because of Ramadan…my family & I fast from dawn to dusk to help remind us of people who are less fortunate than us….then in the evening we sometimes go to our cousin’s or friend’s house and enjoy feasts together “.  Accordingly, we take this opportunity to wish families and friends celebrating Ramadan all the very best, and trust in between sacred time of prayer and fasting that our students manage to fit some taekwondo practice in too.

On branch news, CONGRATULATIONS to senior club instructor, Anthony D’Rosario on his recent appointment to Chief Instructor of CWT MANOR LAKES. YES a terrific opportunity presented to Anthony in our 20th anniversary year, after Carla stepped down from her interim role. As many of you know Anthony is a long standing member and highly respected instructor at City West Taekwondo. No doubt we’ll continue to see great work from him and his small team at Manor Lakes…rising above all challenges, stepping up and expanding their skill sets to best service our growing Manor Lakes/Wyndhamvale community. GOOD LUCK traveling this new and exciting journey!

And on that note… branch celebrations extend to CWT POINT COOK, as they too continue to flourish in their local community, now enjoying 10 amazing years of part-time operations. What a fantastic achievement by Chief Instructor, Zack Markovski and his devoted family of Black Belts (wife Anna and children Sarah, Christopher, Chloe and with Gracie almost there at CDB). Together they have worked tirelessly to create a safe and enriching family environment for members to learn valuable life skills and experience the joys of being part of something truly special – CITY WEST TAEKWONDO family! CONGRATULATIONS on this awesome achievement.

Whilst Term 2 is jam packed on all fronts, we have just received word from our landlord that major roof works will be underway at club HQ’s over Queen’s Birthday long weekend starting from early Friday morning. Consequently, this means we have a forced closure at Elm Park Drive from Friday 9 June through to Monday 12 June. On a positive side to it all, roof restorations hopefully means no more leaking roof. Lastly, a reminder to all members and families that end of June also welcomes our annual mid-year break from Wednesday 28th June to Tuesday 4th July.  Can’t say I’m not looking forward to some valuable time off.

Meanwhile, GOOD LUCK to all students preparing for end of Term Gradings, as well as our athletes involved in competitions (state, national and international). We know June will be our biggest month of the taekwondo year. Aside from all the regular teachings, scheduled classes and Gradings, five promising young fighters will be put to test when they step onto the mats for their first time at the Australian Institute of Sport for the Cadets World Selections Event. They’ll be up against Australia’s top young fighters for a place on the national team to compete overseas later this year. Largely, we are supporting this competition to give our players the opportunity to travel and compete interstate as a team and experience the highest level of competition available for young black belts here in Australia, with no unrealistic expectations as all four our athletes are in early development stages of their fighting career. Our squad’s primary goal is to learn and grow from this Canberra experience and bond well as a team (travel, support and perform). Best wishes to our cadets – Brendan, Benjamin, Jacob, Lleyton and Aidan as they journey this path together.

Sadly with all the hype and consumption of competitions, part of June will see me away from regular club duties and responsibilities including missing some Club Gradings. Unfortunately they fall during the same time that I am away with Bailey and the Australian Team contesting Senior World Taekwondo Championships in Korea. Not that this should negatively impact the club because I can see how hard everyone has been working in readiness for grading promotion this term. GOOD LUCK one and all…. and most importantly to our students, don’t be shy to express yourself ALWAYS, remembering the emphasis I put on movie stars  …. go out there and seize the moment, producing your best work yet! I want to hear all about it when I return from Korea.

Frank De Pasquale – 7th Dan Black Belt