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TOTAL COMMITMENT
Author: Mike Keleher
MORE THAN 500 students train at Hall's Taekwondo Centre in Moreland Road, West Brunswick two or three times a week. The Club has become a "school" in every sense.
It has produced champions and instructors who continue to train in the same facility and lead by example.
People are now asking how this has developed and wonder at the components of the success.
The owners, Martin and Jeanette Hall assure me there is no magic, no mystery
and no greed surrounding the Club's growth and reputation.
There is a family feeling at the Club. A feeling of permanency, of tradition and aspirations for the future.
Martin's original instructor, Mr. Ivan Barry, at 69 years old, continues to go into the Club every day. Ivan's energy and enthusiasm shames anyone who should mutter tiredness or defeat.
Other major influences on Martin's Taekwondo growth have been his Head Instructors over the years.
Mr. Ke-Hyung No, President of the Australian Taekwondo Association, was the Club's original Head Instructor. Mr. No was based in Ringwood and it was virtually impossible for Martin to make it across town through peak hour traffic to attend classes himself.
Due to the geographic problems, Mr. No gave Martin permission to train under Mr. Young Youl Oh, President of the A.T.A. (Victorian Division), who was based closer to home in Flemington.
It is a ruling in the constitution of the Australian Taekwondo Association that registered clubs have a Head Instructor 4th Dan and higher. Ivan Barry was always the club's Instructor but Mr. No and Mr. Oh were the club's Head Instructors until nine years ago when Martin earnt his 4th Dan and became an independent Head Instructor still within the Australian Taekwondo Association. Martin has since earnt his 5th Dan.
The family feeling continues at Hall's. Martin's wife of 12 years, Jeanette Hall, 2nd Dan Black Belt has always taught Taekwondo at the Club.
Rob Schembri, Jim Stephens and Danny Flint, Assistant Instructors at the Club started classes, under Ivan, more than 20 years ago.
Although Martin teaches every class himself - more than 25 classes per week; he maintains the club would be nothing without the support of the Assistant Instructors.
Instructors are kept up to date with National Coaching Accreditation Scheme seminars and Referees Seminars through the Australian Taekwondo Association, together with Club training. Scattered among more than 70 black belts who train regularly, twice a week, the assistant instructors epitomise the positive aspirations of Taekwondo, honesty, integrity, self discipline and modesty. They are generous with their time and sincerely desire their students to do well.
The training Facility was once a public swimming pool, and a landmark in the Pascoe Vale/Brunswick area, being purchased by Martin and Jeanette - in 1983.
It was their commitment to and love for Taekwondo that prompted the decision to go full time into their martial arts.
Jeanette remembers "there were arms and legs all over the place at the church
hall we were teaching at, and the students deserved more". We certainly didn't do it for money. We both had good full-time occupations; Martin, a Marine Electrician and Editorial Assistant for the Australian Municipal Journal at the Municipal Association of Victoria."
"It wasn't easy converting the swimming pool into a training Centre and financially it was a risk."
1983 was a recession year and they were building a family also. Jeanette was
pre-gnant with their first child and they were teaching from the church hall every night it was available.
"We gave up our day jobs to work at the new facility, co-ordinating the workers and doing lots ourselves."
"Club members helped weekends clearing rubble and carting concrete. The barbecue was always running.
"They were hard days but now, golden memories."
The Club was officially opened in August 1984, just four weeks after the baby, Tiffiny was born.
The Centre features a 13 jet spa, Swedish Tylo Sauna, men's and women's change rooms complete with lockers, showers, piped music and Pirelli non-slip tiles on the floor.
The main training hall has a fully sprung spotted gym timber floor, with the old swimming pool still under it. Concrete pillars topped with rubber under the floor render it "fully sprung", the only type of floor fully recommended by the Department of Sport and Recreation.
Often people talk about commitment in martial arts but too few go the full distance, providing the best for their students.
Martin and Jeanette have combined the traditional ethics of Taekwondo with a modern, professional approach.
They felt from the start that loving Taekwondo and being good Taekwondo instructors may not be enough to succeed in this new venture.
Small business often fails because the tradesman assumes that "if he's a good carpenter he'll succeed in business"; he often overlooks sou nd busi ness principles.
To run a small business you must be prepared to borrow money, pay wages, train your staff and spend money.
Martial artists, as with "various artists", be they creative painters, dancers, entertainers fear their arts will be ruined by "commercialism". This need not be the case.
All instructors take fees for classes and how those fees are managed is up to the individual instructor. The students know in the long run whether they are being looked after professionally or not. Martial arts deserves respect. Students deserve to be treated well.
They should be able to shower after class, relax in the member's lounge with a cold drink and have the option to train five nights a week if they have an ambition.
Most importantly, the instructor has a responsibility to his students in the training hall.
The Halls consider it a luxury to be able to provide structured classes, according to age and ability every night of the week and Saturdays.
The evening begins at 4.30 p.m. with Juniors aged between 7 and 14 years. Classes vary each night according to belt level. Everyone trains at least twice a week and the timetable alters after every grading to accommodate promotions and to maintain class stimulation.
Each class is slotted into a one hour timeslot but the students are expected to arrive ten minutes early for a supervised warm-up and remain after class for ten minutes to revise particular areas.
The last class concludes ~t 10.15 p.m.
New Beginners start at Hall's Taekwondo Centre every 2 - 3 months on specified dates. They are invited to try a class for $5.00 and are then asked to consider joining on a membership basis.
The waiting list gives the potential student a chance to seriously think about his commitment.
It gives him the opportunity to visit the club, maybe watch some of a class through the two-way mirror to the main training hall, or watch a video of an international tournament in the members lounge. The atmosphere is "adult" and professional which may explain why more than 60% of the Club's memberships are adult.
Classes are structured and based on the standards of the Australian Taekwondo Association. Students affiliations are with the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Olympic Committee.
Through those affiliations, students have the opportunity to compete in World Taekwondo Championships, Asian Championships and the Olympics.
Martin Hall's history as a tournament fighter prepares students for the challenge of championship, should they choose to pursue that dream.
His classes however, are not designed around the "sport" or championship.
The traditional art of taeguk and palgae patterns, "pumsei", develop focus, grace, rhythm, concentration, speed, power, balance, and more.
Pumsei, or formwork is practised without a partner, allowing the individual to be totally immersed, concentrating solely on his own performance.
When students from Halls go for gradings they show all previous patterns learned. Black Belt therefore demands 22 different patterns.
Self defence, "hoshinsul", is intensely practised and performed at all grading levels, even 9th Gup, the student's first grading.
Etiquette and the philosophy of taekwondo are also examined.
Special Championship training classes are slotted in for fighters. Early mornings or weekend sessions are not only run by Martin Hall but enlightened by international standard black belts at the club.
Black Belts at the Club enjoy their own black belt classes. They are not required to teach other students until they become qualified Assistant Instructors.
Instead, they sweat during each session continuing their Taekwondo education. Broadening their outlook, they are encouraged to participate in A.T.A. referee seminars and National Coaching Accreditation Schemes. Their personal commitment remains stimulated through hard work and good friendships developed through the Club.
Taekwondo espouses respect and loyalty to the instructors and the club members but people don't blindly follow just because someone is a head instructor or a president of an organisation.
"We try as instructors to earn that loyalty and respect through good classes, planned and properly thought out before the lesson begins."
The club's structure provides emotional security combined with physical power.
"It is our responsibility to be thorough and concerned."
Hall's Taekwondo Centre cannot be misrepresented as "just a business". It is not an aerobics centre where students come and go as they please.
"Taekwondo students discover the importance of continuity. To ease off classes is to lose focus and direction."
"As small children we are encouraged to 'wish' for something - through a tooth fairy or when we blowout the birthday candles."
To stay focused on the dream is the difficult thing.
The direction comes from within. Taekwondo training teaches us that if we keep going to classes, never miss, then we will improve, our dreams will materialise.
The process is slow, but sure.
The instructor must always be there for the classes. Never miss. He must take personal interest in every student, but never intrude.
He should endeavour to learn every student's name during the student's first lesson and never forget them.
Obviously the students at Hall's respond positively to this attitude and after spending several hours with Martin and Jeanette it is impossible not to be impressed. In fact I felt motivated for days afterwards.
Dare I dream the impossible dream?
Could an old digger of 45 soar like an eagle doing a spinning side kick breaking multiple boards?
What was that key that turned an old swimming pool into a thriving full time Martial Arts Centre during Australia's worst recession in 60 years? It was obvious but not easy. The Hall's are continually striving for excellence but regard that, as a journey not a destination.
Gihap!
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