2009 MTA Black Belt Exam

(November 13, 2009) The MTA held its annual black belt exam in Kalispell the evening prior to the 2009 Big Sky martial Arts Championships. The exam was hosted by Master John Paul Noyes and Big Sky Martial Arts. Sitting on the examination board was Master Scott Miranti (Big Sky Taekwondo, Great Falls), Master John Paul Noyes (Big Sky Martial Arts, Kalispell), and Master Steve Rosbarsky (Missoula Taekwondo Center, Missoula).

Participants and results:

Front Row: Jake Miller (1^st Poom), Jackson Waldher (1^st Poom) , Taylor Reed (2^nd Poom), Ethan Lannaghan (1^st Poom).

Back Row: Master Miranti (examiner), Carol Bibler (1^st poom), Sean Miller (1^st dan), Dave Ward (3^rd dan), Master Noyes (examiner) Debbie Noyes(4^th dan), Eric Retz (2^nd dan), Sean Saadi (2^nd dan), Master Rosbarsky (examiner).

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2009 Big Sky Martial Arts Championships

(November 14, 2009) The 12th Annual Big Sky Martial Arts Championships were held in Kalispell, MT Saturday. Over 170 competitors from 11 schools representing Montana, Idaho, and Canada participated in the event hosted by Master John Paul Noyes and Big Sky Martial Arts.

For results, click here. Photos are posted here.

The Missoula Taekwondo Center (thanks Michael Graef) has also posted highlights from the event on YouTube. You can view he highlights in the viewer displayed below: 

 

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2009 Missoula Taekwondo Championships

(October 24th, 2009) The 6th Annual Missoula Taekwondo Championships were held at the Rita A Mudd Activity Center in Missoula on October 24th. Hosted by Master Steve Rosbarsky and the Missoula Taekwondo Center, this years event was their largest to date.  

The event kicked off with Master Rosbarsky introducing Master Martin from Butte and presenting Miss Abbey Ardiana with a jacket in recognition of her accomplishment of being the First Montanan to win gold at USAT Senior Nationals in 12 years.

Start to finish the competition was extremely efficient and well-run and he day flowed without a hitch with the entire event lasting 4 hours and 47 minutes.

Competitors from all across Montana, Idaho and Wyoming attended the even. To encourage the spirit of togetherness and develop strong bonds with fellow martial artists throughout the state, a Best Sportsmanship Award was presented as well as awards for Best Male and Female Competitors.  The Awards went to (Best Male Competitor) Pushya Krishna, (Best Female Competitor) Stevi Meade, and (Best Sportsmanship) Sara Strickland.

Results will be posted when they become available. The Missoula Taekwondo Center has photos posted here.

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USAT Referee Certification Seminar Set for December 5th in Missoula

The Montana Taekwondo Association will be hosting a USA Taekwondo Referee Certification Seminar in Missoula on December 5th at the Missoula Taekwondo Center. The seminar will be presented by Master Randy Waitman. Master Waitman is a WTF IR (international referee) and just returned from an IR rules seminar in Europe wich will allow him to provide MTA referees with the latest WTF rules and competition trends.

The MTA encourages all MTA-certified referees to participate in this national-level referee certification. Note that all participants must be USAT members and as well as black belts age 16 and older. The cost is $60.00.

For USAT program guidelines and the seminar registration form, click the links below:

• USAT Referee Development Program Guidelines

• USAT Referee Seminar Registration Form

• USAT Referee Seminar Confirmation Letter

Please send your completed registration form and fees to the MTA (postmarked no later than December 2, 2009) at the following address:

Montana Taekwondo Association

Attn.: USAT Referee Seminar

c/o Livingston Martial Arts and MTA President Dan Williams

320 S. 5th Street

Livingston, MT 59407

Hope to see you all there!

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2009 Boise State University Open Taekwondo Championships Announced (November 7th in Boise, ID)

The Boise State University Taekwondo Club would like to invite MTA members and member clubs to participate in its annual Taekwondo Tournament being held at the Boise State University Campus on November 7th, 2009 at the Student union Building.

Click below for the forms needed for this event.  Please look them over and if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact Doug Kellis at 208-866-7878 or the head of the Boise State Taekwondo program, Dr. Drozda (his contact info is listed in the forms)

• General Information

• Competitor Registration Form

• Coach/Official Registration Form

• Flyer

Thank you for your help in making this event a memorable one.

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REMINDER! MTA Board of Directors Meeting Set for Saturday, October 24th

Call to Order

 Montana Taekwondo Association Executive Committee and Board of Directors, October 24, 2009, At the Missoula Taekwondo Center in Missoula, Montana

Executive Committee Officers:

• President:  Dan Williams, Livingston, MT

• President-Elect:  Steve Rosbarsky, Missoula, MT

• Immediate Past President:  John Paul Noyes, Kalispell, MT

• Secretary/Treasurer:  Brandon Saltz, Bozeman, MT          

• Executive Director:  Scott Miranti, Great Falls, MT

Montana B.O.D. School Representatives in 2009 are as follows:

• Master John Paul Noyes , Big Sky Martial Arts, Kalispell, MT

• Master Scott Miranti , Big Sky Taekwondo, Great Falls, MT

• Master Donna Vancos , Mining City Taekwondo Academy, Butte, MT

• Master Dave Allen , Billings Martial Arts, Billings, MT

• Master Dan Williams , Livingston Martial Arts, Livingston, MT

• Master Steve Rosbarsky , Missoula Taekwondo Center, Missoula, MT

• Master Brandon Saltz , Taekwondo West, Bozeman, MT

• Master Randy Quam , Quam’s Martial Arts Academy, Belgrade, MT

• Master Rob Berhow, Big Sky Taekwondo, Bozeman, MT

• Mr. Randy Trudeau, Mission Valley Taekwondo, St. Ignatius, MT

Other MTA B.O.D. Representatives are as follows:

• Master James Bartholomew, MTA Athlete Representative

• Master Randy Quam, MTA Coach Representative

• Mr. Brice Cady, MTA Referee Representative

Note: Each MTA registered school gets one representative on the Board of Governors, 2008-2009 school memberships are due, only the schools listed are current MTA members there for having a voting right, (see section 4.1 and 5.1 of the MTA Bylaws).  Any other school that wishes to have a vote must file an MTA School Membership with the MTA membership office prior to the meeting.

I look forward to seeing you all at the B.O.D. meeting to bring ideas and make important decisions to further the progress of Taekwondo in Montana.  A hard-copy of this agenda (and other materials) will be available at the meeting.

Sincerely,      

Dan Williams, President, Montana Taekwondo Association

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MTA Board of Directors Meeting Set for October 24th in Missoula

An annual meeting of the MTA Board of Directors is scheduled to follow Master Rosbarsky's tournament in Missoula on October 24th. The current agenda (subject to change) is below. All members of the MTA and the general public are welcome to attend and observe the meeting. Note that in order to have a vote in the proceedings all directors (i.e. representatives of member schools as well as the Athlete, Coach, and Referee representatives) must be current MTA members and the schools they represent must also be current members.

Agenda

Board of Directors Meeting of the Montana Taekwondo Association: 6:00 PM Saturday, October 24, 2009; Missoula Taekwondo Center; 2305 Grant St. , Missoula , MT  

A)   Call to Order and Roll Call (Williams)

 

B)   Review and Approval of Minutes from the last MTA meeting Oct. 25, 2008 Missoula, MT

C)   Treasures report (Saltz)

D)   MTA Membership, School and Individual benefits (discussion)

a)    Review of the Inclusion in the MTA of out of state members and schools

E)   Relationships with National organization/s

a)    Subcommittees for National organization/s

b)    State Qualifiers

F)    State Championships

G)   2009 calendar of events

H)   Referee certification (Noyes, Williams)

I)     MTA Equipment & Management

J)    Constancy of Rules of competition for MT 2010

K)   Data Program for Point System for athletes (Williams)

L)    Any additional business brought to the Board.

M)  Adjournment

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2009 Montana Invitational Martial Arts Championships

(September 19, 2009) The 2009 Montana Invitational Martial Arts Championships were held in Billings, MT Saturday, September 19, 2009 (click here for results):

"We would like to thank all the support received from the MTA including computer and referee help from Master Dan Williams and Master Scott Miranti.  It was a real treat to see Master Miranti in action on the Judo mat!  The tournament has adopted the MTA competition rules in order to create a Statewide consistency for all players, especially in Eastern Montana.  

 

Other Masters in attendance were Master Randy Waitman, Mark Rosales, Karlo Fujiwara, Scott MacCollum, Mike Bergh, Ben Hun, JD Jones, Curtis Ferrin, Dr. Dean Markovics, Dr. Marisa Pedulla, Mark Wright.  I am sure I forgot to mention some and I apologize.  

 

We really appreciated all the help with the tournament and are glad to say there were no major injuries!

 

Thank you so much MTA!"

 

Ed & Stacy Thompson

Kirt & Dru Wagner

Dave & Eve Allen

Martial Arts Academy of Billings

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Adult Taekwondo Students: Call to Assist with Taekwondo Study

(Letter sent to MTA) My name is Minkil Kim, doctoral student in Sport Management Program and Taekwondo instructor at the University of Florida. While teaching Taekwondo classes for two years at the University of Florida, I realized that not many Taekwondo studies have been conducted and published in pure journals, in spite of the fact that Taekwondo is an Olympic sport and the most popular discipline among various martial arts. With that in mind, I have decided to focus my research on Taekwondo.

I am currently conducting a dissertation that identifies variables that affect current and potential adult members’ decision to continue and/or cease their training at Taekwondo schools.  I believe that the finding of this study will be help to gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of marketing techniques to promote attendance, as well as provide important information that may facilitate improved attendance levels and service delivery to the members.  

It would be greatly appreciated if you would forward the survey link below to your Taekwondo students. Participation is entirely voluntary and participants should be over age 18.  It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. There are no risks associated with completing this survey and I can assure complete confidentiality. Individual responses will not be reported. To participate, please click the link below to access the online survey:

Go To Taekwondo Survey 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at minkilk@hhp.ufl.edu. I am extremely grateful for your time and deeply appreciated your assistance with this study.

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2009 Big Sky State Games Taekwondo Championships: Thank You from Big Sky State Games Taekwondo Commissioners Dave & Eve Allen

Eve & Dave Allen - Big Sky State Games Taekwondo Commissioners

(July 20, 2009) Eve and I would like to personally thank all of you who took part in the 2009 Big Sky State Games. It was a great turn out as far as numbers of competitors and a large increase in Judo players. 

We would like to congratulate Grand Masters Jae Ho Park, Suk Byung Park , Karlo Fujiwara, and Shegeki Umemoto for being the first inductees into the MTA's Montana Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Both Grand Master Fujiwara and Grand Master Park, who were able to attend, were surprised and very humble in their acceptance of these prestigious appointments. As was acknowledged, most of us would probably not be involved in Martial Arts if it had not been for these four gentleman. Master Steve Rosbarsky did a very nice job in the presentation of these awards. 

Grand Master Karlo Fujiwara and Grand Master Suk Byung Park receiving their awards.

Inaugural MTA Montana Martial Arts Hall of Fame Induction at the Big Sky State Games Taekwondo Championships

(July 20, 2009) The MTA's inaugural Montana Martial Arts Hall of Fame induction was held during this year's Big Sky State Games.

Four Montana martial arts pioneers were honored at the event, and presented with special plaques acknowledging their contributions in helping to establish Taekwondo, Judo, and Karate-do in Montana. Grand Masters Jae Ho Park (Glendale, CA), Suk Byung Park (Billings, MT), Karlo Fujiwara (Billings, MT), and Shegeki Umemoto (Great Falls, MT) are the first-ever inductees into the MTA's Montana Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Both Grand Master Fujiwara and Grand Master Park were in attendance and able to graciously accept their awards. As alluded to by Master Allen, their roles in the founding and development of Montana martial arts can't be over-stated.

Special thanks go out to Master Steve Rosbarsky for leading this effort to acknowledge these fine gentlemen and martial artists, and for presenting the awards at the event. To view a video of the presentation, click below (video courtesy of Master Steve Rosbarsky and the Missoula Taekwondo Center):

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Big Sky State Games Taekwondo & Judo Results

Click here to view Taekwondo forms, sparring, weapons results as well as results from the Judo competition.

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Successful MTA Referee Training & Certification Seminar Held to Support of the Big Sky State Games

(July 20, 2009) MTA Referee Development & Certification Committee chair John Paul Noyes presented an MTA Referee Training and Certification Seminar in support of the Big Sky State Games Taekwondo event on Friday.

The seminar had 13 participants who were led by Master Noyes through a program designed to instruct and certify new referees on refereeing Olympic-style Taekwondo competition. Topics include an overview of the rules, electronic scoring equipment operation, corner judging, center refereeing, and ring management.

The MTA is unique in that it has developed it's own referee training and certification program designed to meet the unique needs of the Montana Taekwondo Community and as a compliment and gateway to "national" referee training and certification programs (USA Taekwondo and AAU).

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MTA Election Results Are In!

(July 15, 2009) The MTA recently concluded its election of MTA Athlete, Coach, and Referee representatives who will serve as voting directors on the MTA Board of Directors.

The new representative are:

• MTA Athlete Representative - James Bartholomew of Missoula Taekwondo Center

• MTA Coach Representative - Randy Quam of R. Quam Martial Arts Academy

• MTA Referee Representative - Bryce Cady of Martial Arts Academy of Billings

Please join the MTA in congratulating our new reps and especially in thanking outgoing reps Debby Noyes (Coach) and James Corbin (Athlete) for their dedication and hard work as members of the MTA Board of Directors. The new reps will serve until December 31, 2010.

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Don't Forget the Big Sky State Games this Weekend in Billings!

(July 15, 2009) Please be sure to support the MTA and Big Sky State Games Taekwondo Commissioners Dave and Eve Allen during this year's event! Click here for a copy of the seminar registration form. There will also be an MTA Referee Training and Certification Seminar the day before the event at the Martial Arts Academy of Billings, 528 Lake Elmo Dr. Friday July 17th beginning at 2:30 PM.

ALL MTA ATHLETES, COACHES, AND REFEREES are encouraged to attend to compete and support of the Montana Taekwondo Community.

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Montana Taekwondo Athletes Earn 9 Gold, 4 Silver, and 6 Bronze at 2009 USAT and AAU National Championships

2009 USA Taekwondo Nationals

(July 14, 2009) MTA President Dan Williams, President-Elect Steve Rosbarsky, and Secretary-Treasurer Brandon Saltz led the Montana team at the recent USA Taekwondo National Taekwondo Championships held June 30^th to July 5^th in Austin, TX.

Results:

• Abbey Ardiana of the Missoula Taekwondo Center (Missoula), Gold in women’s age 18-32 black belt sparring (featherweight) to become the 2009 US National Champion (World Class). Abbey is the first adult black belt national champion (World Class) from Montana since UM Big Sky Taekwondo’s Nick Terstenjak in 1997. Chance Cole of Big Sky Martial Arts was Jr. Black Belt Champion in 2003 and competed at the Junior World Championships in Greece as a member of the US Jr. National Team. Abbey will be attending a USA Taekwondo team selection and development camp in January.

• Ashley Raihl of Livingston Taekwondo Academy (Livingston): Bronze in junior 8-9 green belt sparring (World Class).

• Austin James of the Missoula Taekwondo Center (Missoula), Gold in men’s featherweight 18-32 black belt sparring (Grassroots).

• Brandon Saltz of Taekwondo West (Bozeman), Gold in men’s Ultras forms and Silver in men’s Ultras sparring.

• Dylan Ardiana of the Missoula Taekwondo Center (Missoula), Gold in junior 12-13 red belt sparring (Grassroots).

• Erich Junghans of Taekwondo West (Bozeman), Silver in junior 10-11 red belt forms.

• Erik Eng of Taekwondo West (Bozeman), Bronze in junior 12-13 red belt forms and Bronze in junior 12-13 red belt sparring (World Class).

• Josh Homer of Livingston Taekwondo Academy (Livingston): Gold in men's 18-32 green belt Forms and Gold in Men's 18-32 Green Belt Sparring (World Class).

• Mariah Raihl of Livingston Taekwondo Academy (Livingston):  Gold in junior 12-13 green belt forms and Silver in junior 12-13 green belt sparring (World Class).

• Tanner Gnauck of Taekwondo West (Bozeman), Bronze in the 14-17 black belt sparring (Grassroots).

2009 AAU Taekwondo Nationals

(July 14, 2009) With over 2,000 competitors in attendance at this year’s AAU event, Montana Taekwondo athletes did an outstanding job at the 2009 AAU Taekwondo National Championships held June 29^th to July 4^th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

MTA Past-President John Paul Noyes led the Montana team attending the event and reported that the tournament was very well-run and that competition each day started promptly at 9 AM and finished by 3-4 PM. “With over 2000 competitors, it was a great event. Most competitors had 4-5 fights to finals and the forms divisions had more than 20 competitors in each.  The officiating was well managed. Overall this was a great tournament and outstanding showing for Montana’s Taekwondo athletes.”

Results:

• Alan Bowman of Big Sky Martial Arts placed 1^st in men’s black belt sparring (middleweight). Winning 8-1, 6-4, (opponent bowed out of semi-final match due to injury), and 7-6 in the finals, Alan is the 2009 AAU National Champion Men’s Black Belt Middleweight Champion and will be participating in AAU National Team Trials on September 11-12. Winner of this round robin competition will be on the AAU National Team and travel to the Dutch Open as part of the team.

• Jack Waldher of Big Sky Martial Arts placed 1^st in red belt junior 12-13 featherweight sparring, overcoming his opponents (bye), 8-1, 8-2, and 9-2 in the finals to win the division. 

• BJ Bach of Big Sky Martial Arts place 2^nd in red belt junior 10-11 lightweight sparring, outscoring the players in his division 14-5, 11-4, and 14-5 before losing to the eventual champion 17-10 in his first ever national championships.

• Dakota Arndt of Big Sky Martial Arts placed 3^rd in green/blue belt junior 10-11 year old featherweight sparring with successful 9-4, and 7-4 efforts before falling 10-11 in the semis (also his first nationals). 

• Bella Waldher of Big Sky Martial Arts placed 3rd in white/yellow 8-9 year old flyweight sparring.

• Danielle Smith red belt 14-17 welter weight lost her first match 11-18 to the eventual division winner.

• MTA Past President and current Referee Development and Certification Committee Chairman John Paul Noyes also served as a referee for three days of the event. 

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Montana Athletes Win Gold at the 40th Annual UC Open Taekwondo Championships

(May 30, 2009) Six Montana taekwondo athletes competed at the 40th Annual UC Open Taekwondo Championships in Berkeley CA this past weekend. Missoula Taekwondo Center Chief Instructor and MTA President-Elect Steve Rosbarsky (a seven-time champion of this event) and Taekwondo West Chief Instructor and MTA Secretary/Treasurer Brandon Saltz served as coaches at the event.

Results:

• Austin James (Missoula Taekwondo Center) and Ryan Watson (Missoula Taekwondo Center) both won their opening competitions versus Korea to eventually earn gold medalis in the black belt feather and light weight divisions.

• Amanda Rosbarsky (Missoula Taekwondo Center) won silver in black belt forms competition.

• Brandon Saltz (Taekwondo West) won gold in both executive poomse and sparring.  Mast Saltz was also awarded the Best Male Athlete Award at the event.

• Jack and Bella Whalder (Missoula Taekwondo Center) also won their respective sparring divisions.

Outstanding job, everyone!

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MTA Elections...Member Ballots Due June 30th!

The MTA is holding elections for Athlete, Coach, and Referee representatives. The MTA's Athlete, Coach, and Referee representatives serve as voting directors on the Montana Taekwondo Association Board of Directors and represent the over all membership in MTA matters. All MTA members are eligible to vote (parents of members under age 18 may vote on the behalf of their children). Click here for the ballot which must be printed, filled out, and received by the MTA Secretary/Treasurer no later than June 30, 2009. Results will be announced July 1st on the MTA Web site.

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MTA Hosts Successful Competition Clinic in Missoula

(May 23, 2009 – Missoula, MT) The MTA hosted an MTA Competition Clinic in Missoula, MT over the Memorial Day weekend. MTA President-Elect Steve Rosbarsky and his school, the Missoula Taekwondo Center, hosted the clinic, which was led by Master Rosbarsky and MTA President Dan Williams and MTA Past-President John Paul Noyes.

The clinic was attended by more than 25 athletes and coaches from Kalispell, Missoula, Livingston and Bozeman. The 4 ½ hour clinic was designed to assist the athletes in deepening their understanding of Taekwondo and bring everyone together as a team in preparation for upcoming USAT and AAU national Taekwondo events. Coaches had the opportunity share knowledge while working with athletes from other schools while the athletes were able to train with a wider variety of athletes than they would at their home schools.

Another MTA Competition Clinic will be in Kalispell at Big Sky Martial Arts on June 20^th from 10am – 3pm.  The cost of the clinic is $25 all of which goes into the MTA to support athletes and their dreams in Taekwondo.

Thanks go out to the Rosbarsky’s for the donation of their gym, as well as to the MTA coaches who made the trip at their own expense and contributed their time and knowledge. Photos of the clinic are available here.

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Montana Taekwondo Athletes Shine at USA Taekwondo National Qualifier

(May 16-17, 2009) Outstanding weekend for Montana Taekwondo athletes in Colorado at the USA Taekwondo Qualifier held May 16-17 in Colorado Springs, CO.

• Abbey Ardiana (Missoula Taekwondo Center) earned four gold medals, placing at the top of two black belt sparring divisions as well as two black belt forms divisions.

• Taylor Walters (Missoula Taekwondo Center) also earned gold in mens' black belt sparring.

• Alan Bowman placed third in black belt sparring, having to bow out due to illness.

• Josh Homer (Livingston) earned gold in both adult green belt sparring and forms.

• Ashley Raihl (Livingston) earned gold in junior green belt sparring.

• Mariah Raihl (Livingston) earned gold in both junior green belt sparring and poomse.

Congratulations and excellent job, everyone!

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MTA to Provide Support for Big Sky State State Games Taekwondo Event

(May 15, 2009) The Montana Taekwondo Association will be providing support to Big Sky State Games Taekwondo Commissioners Dave and Eve Allen for this years Big Sky State Games Taekwondo event (July 18).

In addition to tournament equipment and technical expertise, the MTA will be providing a team of MTA-certified referees to work the event. The MTA will also be presenting an MTA Referee Training & Certification Seminar the day before the tournament in support of the competition. All persons interested in Taekwondo refereeing are encouraged to participate and become MTA-certified referees. The minimum age for the seminar is 15 for corner judges and 18 for center referees. You do NOT need to be a Black Belt to participate. Click here for a copy of the seminar registration form.

ALL MTA REFEREES are strongly encouraged to referee at this event in support of the Montana Taekwondo Community.

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Upcoming MTA Competition Clinics

(May 14, 2009) The Montana Taekwondo Association will be presenting two competition clinics in preparation of upcoming USAT and AAU national tournaments. The cost is $25 for MTA members and $35 for non-members. Everyone is welcome to participate.

The first clinic will be hosted by Master Steve Rosbarsky and the Missoula Taekwondo Center in Missoula, MT (2305 Grant Street) on Saturday, May 23rd. The clinic will be split into two sections will the first open to all participants (10:00 AM to Noon) and the second (1:00 to 3:00 PM) open to Montana State Team members only (athletes who are actually planning to go to USAT or AAU Nationals).

The second clinic will follow the same format and will be hosted by Master John Paul Noyes and Big Sky Martial Arts of Kalispell (301 Main Street).

Click here for the clinic registration form.

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2009 MTA Montana State Taekwondo Championships

MTA Hosts Another Successful State Championships

(May 9, 2009) The Montana Taekwondo Association held its annual Montana State Taekwondo Championships in Great Falls on Saturday, May 9. Big Sky Taekwondo of Great Falls and Master Scott Miranti hosted the successful event. Competitors from 10 schools participated in the event, competing in forms and Olympic-style free-sparring.

Custom medals were awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and team awards went to Taekwondo West of Bozeman (1st), Big Sky Martial Arts of Kalispell (2nd), and Big Sky taekwondo of Great Falls (3rd). Individual awards are posted here. Photos will be made available as soon as they are available.

The MTA and Master John Paul Noyes also presented an MTA Referee Training & Certification Seminar the night before the event. 11 new referees were certified by the MTA in support of the tournament.

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MTA-Certified Referee Refereeing at 2009 USAT National Qualifier Featured on the USA Taekwondo Web Site

(May 11, 2009) MTA-Certified Referee Sean Farrell refereed at the 2009 USAT National Qualifier held in San Jose, CA this past weekend...and his efforts resulted unexpected recognition for his dedication to Taekwondo and refereeing when a photo of him in action appeared on the main page of the USA Taekwondo Web site.  Thanks to MTA President Dan Williams for alerting everyone of this . Click the image to see a larger version, or visit the USA Taekwondo site at www.usa-taekwondo.us.

Mr. Farrell is a USA Taekwondo-certified referee and also holds AAU Class D and MTA Class B-2 certifications achieved through his tireless participation in the Montana Taekwondo Association's referee training and certification programs.

The MTA hosts annual USAT and AAU referee certification programs for anyone interested in pursuing refereeing at the national level. The MTA is the only USAT-recognized state association to have developed its own highly successful referee training and certification program. The MTA program is geared specifically at developing referees at the state/grass roots level and was created to (1) ensure that Montana Taekwondo Community Taekwondo events are fully supported by a large pool of knowledgeable and skilled referees who's focus is on Montana Taekwondo Athletes, and (2) serve as a gateway into refereeing for those who might otherwise not be interested in participation in a "national-level" referee program.

Since its launch just prior to the 2007 MTA State Championships, the MTA Referee Training & Certification Program has trained and certified more than 100 referees (USAT, AAU, and MTA at various levels) and has been extremely successful in reestablishing and upgrading the skills of the Montana Taekwondo Association's pool of referees. For information regarding the MTA Referee Training & Certification Program, click here or contact the current MTA Referee Training & Certification Chair, MTA Past-President John Paul Noyes.

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MTA Hosting Competition Clinics May 23rd & June 20th

The Montana Taekwondo Association (MTA) will be presenting two competition clinics in preparation of upcoming USAT and AAU national tournaments. The cost is $25 for MTA members and $35 for non-members (everyone is welcome to participate).

The first clinic will be hosted by Master Steve Rosbarsky and the Missoula Taekwondo Center in Missoula, MT (2305 Grant Street) on Saturday, May 23rd. The clinic will be split into two sections will the first open to all participants (10:00 AM to Noon) and the second (1:00 to 3:00 PM) open to Montana State Team members only (athletes who are actually planning to go to USAT or AAU Nationals).

Click here for the registration form.

The second clinic will follow the same format and will be hosted by Master John Paul Noyes and Big Sky Martial Arts of Kalispell (301 Main Street).

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2009 Paradise Valley Taekwondo Championships

(April 25, 2009 – Livingston, MT) MTA President Dan Williams and the Livingston Martial Arts Academy hosted the 2009 Paradise Valley Taekwondo Championships. One of Montana’s oldest and largest martial arts tournaments, this Montana Taekwondo Association (MTA)-affiliated event regularly plays host to international and Olympic-caliber athletes from all over the United States. This year’s tournament featured 19 Teams from Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Special awards included:

• Top Female Competitor: Karina Degidio

• Top Male Athlete: Pushya Krishna

• Top Teams: 1^st Place, Taekwondo West (138 team points); 2^nd Place, Missoula Taekwondo Center (65 team points), 3^rd Big Sky Martial Arts (57 team points)

• Top Referees: 1^st James Bartholomew, 2^nd Dave Allen, 3^rd Glenn Parks

• Farthest Distance Traveled: Ashley and Mariah Raihl (1,727 miles)

Individual results are posted here. 

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2009 Bozeman Taekwondo Championships and MTA AAU District Championships

(March 28, 2009 – Bozeman, MT) Master Brandon Saltz and Taekwondo West of Bozeman hosted the first annual Bozeman Taekwondo Championships on April 28 in Bozeman. The MTA-affiliated event was also an AAU District Championships with top finishers qualifying for this years AAU Nationals. Results are posted here. Photos of the event are available courtesy of Master Steve Rosbarsky and the Missoula Taekwondo Center here.

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MTA Sends Team of Referees to MTSC's Montana State USAT Qualifier

(March 21, 2009 – Missoula, MT) The Montana Taekwondo Association (MTA) recently sent a team of referees to Missoula to assist the Montana Taekwondo Sports Council, Inc. in its efforts to put on this year's Montana State USAT Qualifier. MTA President Dan Williams, MTA Past-President John Paul Noyes, MTA President-Elect Steve Rosbarsky, MTA Executive Director Scott Miranti, MTA Athlete Rep James Corbin, and MTA Member James Bartholomew met in Missoula on Saturday and presented themselves to the MTSC and it's president, Master Kim Sol, to offer their, and the MTA's, assistance as a gesture of goodwill and cooperation between the two organizations. Further details on the event will be posted as they become available.

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Montana Taekwondo Athlete Featured on the USA Taekwondo Web Site

Missoula Taekwondo Center black belt Abbey Ardiana is currently featured in a photo essay posted on the USA Taekwondo web site. Click here to go to the essay ("The Fight Within" - both words and photos).

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MTA Black Belts Participate in 2009 USAT Kukkiwon Special Test (Kukkiwon Dan Certification)

(February 13-15, 2009 – USAT, Las Vegas, NV) MTA President Dan Williams, MTA Past-President John Paul Noyes, Bill Hughes, and Marie Hughes participated in the "Kukkiwon Special Test - USA" held at the US Open in Las Vegas, NV February 13-15, 2009. Click here for details and photos.

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2008 MTA Black Belt Exam (Kukkiwon Dan Certification)

(November 14, 2008 – MTA, Kalispell, MT) The MTA held its annual Black Belt exam in Kalispell, MT. Black belt candidates tested for Kukkiwon dan certification as part of this MTA program and membership benefit. Click here for the list of candidates, promotions, and photos.

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2008 Big Sky Martial Arts Championships

(November 15, 2008 – Big Sky Martial Arts, Kalispell, MT) From MTA President Noyes:

“I would like to thank each and every one of you who participated in and supported the 11th Annual Big Sky Martial Arts Championships on Saturday, November 15 at Flathead High School in Kalispell. As always, it is an honor to work with such a dedicated group of martial artists and friends. This year we had more than 140 participants and while we used the MTA's double-elimination formats for both sparring and forms, we were still able to wrap up the event by 3:15. Thanks again, and everyone here at Big Sky Martial Arts is looking forward to seeing everyone at future MTA events.”

Click here to go to results for the 2008 Big Sky Martial Arts Championships. Photos will be posted here as they become available.

Another note from President Noyes: “By the way, team and creative forms results are not listed in the final results. This year as a bit of fun, we let the kids name their teams and combine themselves however they pleased. The result is that our records keeper had no idea which team, for example “Team Butterfingers,” belonged to what school. And yes, there really was a “Team Butterfingers.”

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Fall 2008 MTA Board of Directors Meeting

(October 25, 2008 – MTA, Missoula, MT) A meeting of the MTA Board of Directors was held in Missoula on October 25, 2008 at the Missoula Taekwondo Center. A quorum of the MTA Board of Directors was present, including MTA President John Paul Noyes, MTA President-Elect Dan Williams, MTA Secretary Brandon Saltz, MTA Treasurer Steve Rosbarsky, MTA Executive Director Scott Miranti, Club Director Donna Vancos, Coach Director Debbie Noyes, MTA Member Austin James, and MTA Legal Counsel Shane Vannatta. Items discussed during the meeting included: 

• Past Meeting Minutes

• MTA Treasurer’s Report & Banking

• MTA Membership Review, Fees & Ongoing Membership Efforts

• MTA Bylaw Changes

• MTA Relationship with USAT and AAU

• MTA State Championships for 2009

• MTA Referee Certification

• MTA Equipment Rental, Storage & Insurance

• MTA Tournament Guidelines

• MTA Athlete Point System

• Status of Outgoing MTA Executive Committee Members

• Upcoming MTA Elections & Executive Committee Appointments

The complete meeting minutes for the October 25, 2008 meeting will be made available here as soon as they are approved by the board. Please Note: The MTA Board of Directors is comprised of directors (one each) from each MTA member club as well as (one each) Athlete, Coach, and Referee director elected by the membership. All MTA Board of Directors Meetings are OPEN meetings. They are open to the full membership and the general public. All interested parties are welcome and encouraged to attend whenever they are held.

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2008 Missoula Taekwondo Championships

(October 25, 2008 – Missoula Taekwondo Center, Missoula, MT) The 5th Annual Missoula Taekwondo Championships were held Saturday, October 25th at the RAM Activity Center in Missoula, MT.

Photos of the event (courtesy of the event host, Missoula Taekwondo Center and Master Steve Rosbarsky) are available here. Results will be posted as soon as they are available.

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2008 - 2009 MTA Tournament Schedule

(September 1, 2008 – MTA) The Montana Taekwondo Association has announced a tentative schedule for the upcoming season of MTA-affiliated tournaments:

• October 25, 2008 – The Missoula Taekwondo Championships. Hosted by the Missoula Taekwondo Center and Master Steve Rosbarsky. RAM Activity Center, Missoula, MT. 

• November 15, 2008 – Big Sky Martial Arts Taekwondo Championships. Hosted by Big Sky Martial Arts and Master John Paul Noyes. (Venue TBD), Kalispell, MT. 

• March 2009 – Bozeman Taekwondo Championships. Hosted by Taekwondo West and Master Brandon Saltz (venue and date TBD). 

• April 2009 – Paradise Valley Taekwondo Championships. Hosted by Livingston Livingston Taekwondo Academy and Master Dan William (venue and date TBD). 

• May 2009 – Montana State Taekwondo Championships. Presented by the Montana Taekwondo Association and hosted by Big Sky Taekwondo of Great Falls and Master Scott Miranti (venue, and date TBD). 

Please check the MTA Calendar on a regular basis to verify locations, venues, and dates for these events. Contact the host club for details. Registration packets will be made available on the MTA web site as they become available.

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2008 MTA State Taekwondo Championships

(May 31, 2008 – Bozeman, MT) The 2008 MTA Montana State Taekwondo Championships was held in Bozeman on May 31, 2008. Results for the event are posted here. Please note that this year's event was also a sanctioned AAU District Qualifier; therefore, this years medalists are both Montana State Champions and AAU District Champions.

Congratulations to the winners and many thanks to event host Taekwondo West and Master Brandon Saltz (and all the volunteers who contributed) for putting on an outstanding event. See you all next year!

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MTA Hosts 2008 USAT Qualifier in Missoula

(May 17, 2008 – Missoula, MT) The MTA held a USAT Qualifier in Missoula, MT on May 17, 2008. The event was hosted and organized by the Missoula Taekwondo Center and Master Steve Rosbarsky. Results will be posted as they become available,

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