My involvement with many Olympic Team members from various nations, meeting other Team Leaders and Managers, getting to know the coaches, trainers, medial staff and officials, from the state to the Olympic level has left a strong impression on me over the years. I find there is a world-wide fraternity of leaders who adhere to the ideas of the Olympic Movement.  This is called Olympism.  What is Olympism?  check back in a few days to find out!

Mean time, watch this!  http://www.insidecinema.net/olympic_university.html

Did you watch the video above?  I hope so. The video above will give you a good idea about how the Olympic Movement has a major impact on the world around us.

So what is OLYMPISM? Here is the definition directly form the Olympic Charter;

"Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles. The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity." (Olympic Charter 2004, Fundamental Principles, paragraph 1, 2)

What do we get from the application of Olympism?

Example: Graduates of the Olympic University find that basing their guiding principles on the philosophy of Olympism and the Olympic Ideas can influence everyone they interact with to play a part in making the world a better place. Being enveloped in the Olympic experience, especially utilizing sport as a metaphor, gave us a chance to feel and experience the Olympics every day, not just every two years. Interacting with Olympians and Olympic Hopefuls, applying techniques of the USOTC Olympic Coaches, sports psychologists and scientist use to develop USA’s elite athletes and comprehend the Olympic philosophy of Competition during the game, and the value of cooperation and partnerships during all other times.

We learn to work with a three part learning model:

DO: Hands on experience is the way participants gain the advantage of what if feels like to learn; something new, or to rethink something routine. Thinking and acting on our feet!

REFLECT: Mental Journaling, so nothing is lost, reflect on how you feel and how you can apply lessons and experiences to your day to day life. A Mental Road Map of success.

STORY TELL: “Only until you have to explain not only what you've done, but also why you've done it, do you truly understand the impact the lesson has had.” Connections, interactions, and experiences through verbal expression, formed into a lesson learned for others to hear and share. This valuable application on self reflection truly forms a leader.

WE EMBRACE THE THREE CORE VALUES OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defined three core values described as "the heart and soul of the Olympic Movement...They are meant to inspire us an individual and at the organizational level."

Excellence: This value stands for giving one's best, on the field of play or life. It is not only about winning, but also about participating, making progress on personal goals, benefiting from the healthy combination of a strong body, mind and will.

Friendship: This value encourages us to consider sport as a tool for mutual understanding among individuals and people from all over the world. The Olympic Games inspire humanity to overcome political, economic, gender, racial or religious differences and forge friendships in spite of those differences.

Respect: This value incorporates respect for oneself, one's body, for others, for the rules and regulations, for sport and the environment. Related to sport, respect stands for fair play and for the fight against doping and any other unethical behavior.

I hope you learned something helpful from my posting above. To see some information on my background as a leader, click on the following link; http://www.mentortaekwondo.com/page10.html

Kindest Regards,

Al Cole

Grandmaster Al Cole's Taekwondo Academy CHARDON & MENTOR

The official communications provider for the World Olympians Association. Olympic Delegate, Al Cole.

http://www.iamsport.org/pg/profile/mastercole

Faculty at Cleveland State University, Dept. of Physical Education

http://www.csuohio.edu/class/com/clevelandstater/Archives/Vol%204/Issue%2013/sports/sports4.html

News Herald Story and VIDEO of Grandmaster Al Cole teaching 4 & 5 year olds

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/nh1024441.txt

Taekwondo Bio and USA National Olympic Taekwondo Team Leader

http://www.lacancha.com/alcole.html

USA National Team Leader to Korea Open August 2009

http://usa-taekwondo.us/multimedia/photo_gallery/977?photo=20440#gallery-header

Career Bio and Curriculum Vitae

http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=50046612

I have friends and family in other states that ask me how they can choose martial art school for their family. Here is the list I give them:

Don't settle for OK, good, or even a nice building layout, go for a proven track record called Greatness.

1. Look for a Taekwondo school that follows the "Kukkiwon", aka the World Taekwondo Headquarters in Seoul, Korea. This is the place where Official Taekwondo Instructors are trained and educated. Where Official Black Belt Certification is issued from for over 190 Nations and over 80 Million practitioners. It is the largest martial arts organization in the world!  It's also overseen by the Korea Government to keep it Authentic.

2. Don't train at a school where the teacher is only a 1st, 2nd or even 3rd Degree Black Belt.  Those are basic Black Belt ranks and they should still be focusing on their personal training at those ranks, not teaching under-developed techniques to unknowing students.  Even at 4th and 5th Degree, the school should have a Grandmaster present the majority of the time for the best quality training.

3. Make sure the Instructor's who are teaching your children or family are PROVEN leaders, who demonstrate leadership in their actions, demonstrated Taekwondo Leadership in the past, not just in a fancy sales pitch..

4. Do the instructors make regular trips to the World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon) in Korea to keep in touch with the genuine article of Taekwondo?  Going to his buddies school out of state or up the street to train is no substitute!

5. Beware of claims like "State Champion", or "World Champion" in Taekwondo.  Ask the so-called "State Champ/World Champ" if his/her title comes from their "private" American or World association - where they compete in light contact play among like named schools. Isn't that like wrestling around with your kids in the living room of your house, winning by your rules, and then calling yourself a "State or World Champ."  It's funny to real Champions and Coaches but sad and shameful for a person who wants to be recognized as a Taekwondo Master, a leader!  True Champions of Taekwondo compete in the PUBLIC Olympic Circuit which is open to all persons, regardless of the school they belong to. PUBLIC Taekwondo competitions are conducted according to Internationally accepted (Olympic) rules.  Imagine baseball where a home run was called for just swinging at the ball! Imagine winning that "World Series" and printing all over your shirt.

6. Should an adult Taekwondo Instructor be all patched up, like a walking billboard?  Logos, stars, instructor patches, stripes on the belt, state-world-interstellar champion written across the back, etc.?  What are they teaching their students with that kind of ridiculous display? When I see that I always recommend that a few flashing lights and neon signs would really take their ego to the next level :)

7. Beware of Cult like Martial Arts organizations where the founder/s are worshiped and idolized by monuments and statues, pilgrimages, places of meditation and holy sounding titles. Most parents want to avoid signing their children into a cult. Take a close look and see what you find, you might be very surprised, some so-called Taekwondo and Martial Arts associations have this dangerous cult like structure.

8. Taekwondo does NOT demand respect.  It demands courtesy.  There is a very big difference.  Demanding respect, might be a warning sign, or just plain ignorance on the part of the instructor.

9. Try a few classes.  Talk to the other parents at the school.  Ask a Taekwondo instructor for proof of their Kukkiwon Black Belt certification, issued by authority of the Korean Government from Seoul, Korea.  Ask the instructor for proof of their many years of teaching and leadership in Taekwondo.

10. Don't be afraid to say "I'll think about it" and walk away. You can always look around and come back to any school you feel is best.  Remember, you are investing in your child's, your families, or your future.

So remember to get the Genuine Article!

Kindest Regards,

Al Cole

Grandmaster Al Cole's Taekwondo Academy CHARDON & MENTOR

As you probably know, Taekwondo is my life. How is that?  From the time I wake, until I go to bed, I focus on Taekwondo. Everything from training methods to international sports diplomacy, for over two decades. I focused just on training for two decades before that! That's 40 years of involvement in martial arts. So you might guess I'm a bit of a purist, a person who sees the culture and customs of Korea as central to Taekwondo, everything from Official Dan/Poom (black belt) certificates to official training methods and personally knowing the men who actually created Taekwondo.  Yes, some of them are still alive and well today, but you mostly have to go to Korea to meet them, or be at my school when they visit.  I am not a fan of Americanized Taekwondo, just like I am not a fan of Americanized Italian food.  Don't get me wrong, as USA National Olympic Taekwondo Team Leader I have traveled to many nations, and while in those nations sports diplomacy is my job, and showing what a great nation we are is my duty. Having seem other nations I come back home with a deep appreciation for the USA. But what I don't like is how some of us in America distort something of quality, repackage it for mass public consumption, losing it real value and claim it to be the "best" then sell it to make a buck, regardless of the dumbing down of our fellow Americans, which is always a result of such action.

This is why I keep my training modern and tradition at the same time. How?  I go to Korea several times a year.  I take my students often, they even go there to get their Black Belt promotions if they can find the time.  They see first hand what Taekwondo is, in the home of Taekwondo, from the most senior and influential Taekwondo Grandmaster's in the world. I also send my instructors to Olympic Training Centers, or I go myself.

After all, if I wanted you to experience a great plate of Spaghetti and meatballs, I would not take you to the American Noodle Factory to get it!

Kindest Regards,

Al Cole

Grandmaster Al Cole's Taekwondo Academy CHARDON & MENTOR

We have all heard the sayings; "the apple don't fall far from the tree", or, "from the fruit the tree is known."  When selecting role models, teachers or leaders for our children we should pay extra special attention to these old words of wisdom.  To often parents drop their children off in the care of just any adult in a so-called leadership position. A soccer coach, a camp team leader, a martial arts instructor or other influential adult with out any evidence or proven track record of their role model/leadership ability. It's a failure to investigate, a result of not enough time, fatigue and being overloaded with a million and one things to do. Here is where I say STOP! 

How do you know if I know what I am talking about?  Check these links below to find out:

The reason you stress your life out in the first place is because you want the best for your famliy and to get this far and fail to learn indepth about who is teaching your children certainly seems, err, not to intelligent!  Have a cup of coffee, relax and print out my list of leadership indicators. Check back in a few days, I'll have them ready for you then!

Kindest Regards,

Al Cole,

Grandmaster Al Cole's Taekwondo Academy CHARDON & MENTOR