I joined the UC Taekwondo Club during my second semester at UC. While I had studied Taekwondo in my home town for many years, I wanted to take a semester to settle into the rhythms of school before adding too many activities. Once I joined, I immediately felt like a part of the team. I was more than a few months out of practice, but training with the team put me back into the groove. I learned a different style of Taekwondo than the one we practice on campus, so I did have to learn new basic motions and form patterns. I also started casually competing in tournaments with the club. Although I was new to competitive Taekwondo, I am a veteran competitor in figure skating, so I was glad to see my competitive background carried over nicely into Taekwondo.
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Soon after I joined the club, I took the role of Vice President because I saw a great opportunity to help the club grow. I was responsible for organizing fundraisers and handling transportation documents/arrangements for the club.
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After the current President graduated, I won the election to take over the role. As the President, I worked hard to improve our relationship with the Club Sports office. Working with our coach, I helped put together a more structured competition team so that as the club continues to grow, we are able to ensure our club is well represented in competitions. Each year, I put together an expense summary and budget proposal with the treasurer, then presented our situation to the Club Sports Board as they work to allocate the upcoming year's funds. While I stepped down as president, I still play an active mentoring role to the current president, passing on my experience so that the club continues to grow even after I graduate.
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As a fourth degree black belt, it is my responsibility to help mentor my teammates and instruct classes as needed. This summer, I have taken on the responsibility of leading practice one day a week. I am hopeful that this opportunity will help me develop myself as a leader and allow me the opportunity to develop my own teaching style.
