Sunday, January 31, 2010 there was in the Do-Jang of the sports complex Merwestein in Nieuwegein, The Netherlands,a historic meeting. The first official openings training of the new foundation ITF Royal Dutch.
The interest was huge with over 100 participants, 39 degreeholders with a total of 12 schools one could speak of a beautiful start of a new organization, based on years of experience in the Taekwon-Do community.
Because the interest was so great not everybody did fit in the Do-Jang (250 square meters!), Unexpectedly some had to move to two other sports facilities in the same sports complex.
This special training began with an opening statement by President Sabum Hennie Thijssen. With warm words he explained the vision of the foundation and its targets, and its organizational structure. Vice-president Master Steve Zondag introduced and treated all committee members, schools and instructors with a little something. The large group of interested participants could make a choice between competition training (sparring) or technical training.
Led by the new coach Boosabum John van Dam (Soo Bak-Gi Asten), supported by Sabum Martin Evers (Suokjang), Boosabum Iwan Sleeuwehoek (TA Nimjae) and Boosabum Jim Rijksschroeff (Suokjang) approximately 60 Taekwon-Doin went hard to work in two different sports facilities! A number of Taekwon-Doin are trying to get selected, and are in the process of preparing themselves for the upcoming World Cup in South Korea.
In the Do-Jang where people could make use of a large mirror wall were a group of over 50 Taekwon-Doins hard at work with the technical training. The group was initially divided into 3 groups and were led by Boosabum Willem Jansen (TAGelderland), Sabum Mark Langeveld (Charyot) and Boosabum Paul van Beersum (TAGelderland) and they were working on walking, basic exercises, specific techniques, specific kicks, step-sparring and patterns.
Mid-training Sabum Henk Zonsveld (WFTC) took the group of higher degreeholders separately to work on their patterns.
Afterwards one of the smallest participants pulled a lottery ticket for the raffle. The lucky winner of the beautiful Taekwon-Do board was Riam Bezdi of Suokjang! This impressive board is designed and made by Martin van Straaten Sr.
The schools present were:
- Taekwon-Do Academy Nimjae
- Taekwon-Do Academy Thijssen
- Taekwon-Do Academy Gelderland
- Soo Bak Gi Asten
- Team Carvalho
- Health club Ramsoebhag
- You Him Sool
- Don Bosco
- Charyot
- WFTC
- Taekyon Alverna
- Suokjang
The ITF Royal Dutch Foundation would like to thank all schools / organizations for their great enthusiasm from their constituency! Also for all the positive input, the trust, the reactions that we have received and the many volunteers who spontaneously showed the wish to contribute to this beautiful new organisation! The warmth, energy and positivity of this special day is entirely consistent with the vision and objectives of ITF Royal Dutch.