Team Guidelines and Benefits

Program Guidelines

The following document outlines the MTA’s Cadet, Junior, and Senior Teams program to be put into effect for the 2018-2019 Taekwondo “season,” replacing the previous team program.

If you have questions regarding these guideline, please contact the MTA.

Team Fight-Off Qualification Process

To qualify for the MTA Senior, Junior, and Cadet Team Fight-Offs, athletes must:

  • Be an MTA member in good standing.
  • Be a red or black belt.
  • Meet the age requirements for one of the three teams:
    • Cadet Team: Must be at least 12 years old and cannot be older than 14 as of June 1st of that competition “season.”
    • Junior Team: Must be at least 15 years old and cannot be older than 17 as of June 1st of that competition “season.”
    • Senior Team: Must be at least 18 years old on the day of the fight-offs.
  • Compete in Sparring at a minimum of three (3) MTA-sanctioned events during the Taekwondo “season” leading up to the MTA Montana State Championships where team fight-offs will be held (currently sanctioned events are held five to six times per year in Missoula, Kalispell, Great Falls and Billings). Because of COVID-19 this above requirement will be replace with the following:  All Athletes wanting to compete for a spot on the MTA National Team must work that this years State Championships May 15th in Kalispell, MT.
  • Cadet, Junior and Senior athletes must referee for an minimum of 16 hours (2 Full Days)at MTA sanctioned events.
  • Athletes MUST be red or black belts to earn credit for attending MTA-sanctioned tournaments. NO EXCEPTIONS. A blue belt that becomes a red belt mid-season DOES NOT get credit for competing while he or she was a blue belt.
  • Athletes MUST be at least 12 years old to earn credit for attending MTA-sanctioned tournaments. NO EXCEPTIONS. An 11 year old who turns 12 mid-season DOES NOT get credit for competing while he or she was 11 years old.
  • If an athlete “ages out” of one team grouping into another (for example, turns 15 before June 1st and thus “ages up” from the Cadet Team to the Junior Team before the fight-offs can occur), he or she KEEPS any credit earned at the lower tier to apply towards qualifying at the next tier. Credit  is based on participation, not performance; so age does not affect their “quality.”
  • Credit is re-set to ZERO at the conclusion of the MTA Cadet, Junior, and Senior Team Fight-Offs.

Fight-Offs

Qualifying MTA Senior, Junior, and Cadet Team members compete for spots on the team for which they qualify during a fight-off/team trial competition to be held in conjunction with the MTA Montana State Taekwondo Championships. The available team spots are allocate by weight class as follows:

Seniors (Olympic Weights):

Men, Age 18 & Over, Red & Black Belts (combined):

  • Fly: 127 & Under
  • Feather: 128 to 150
  • Welter: 151 to 176
  • Heavy: 177 & Over

Women, Age 18 & Over, Red & Black Belts (combined):

  • Fly: 108 & Under
  • Feather: 109 to 125
  • Welter: 126 to 147
  • Heavy: 148 & Over

Juniors (Youth Olympic Weights)

Male: Age 15-17, Red & Black Belts (combined):

  • FLY: 105 & Under
  • FEATHER: 106 to 121
  • LIGHT: 122 to 138
  • MIDDLE: 139 to 160
  • HEAVY: 161 & Over

Female: Age 15-17, Red & Black Belts (combined):

  • FLY: 97 & Under
  • FEATHER: 98 to 108
  • LIGHT: 109 to 121
  • MIDDLE: 122 to 138
  • HEAVY: 139 & Over

Cadets (MTA Combined Cadet Weights):

Male, Age 12-14, Red & Black Belts (combined):

  • FLY: 81 & Under
  • FEATHER: 82 to 99
  • LIGHT: 100 to 116
  • MIDDLE: 116 to 134
  • HEAVY: 134 & Over

Female, Age 12-14, Red & Black Belts (combined):

  • FLY: 72 & Under
  • FEATHER: 73 to 90
  • LIGHT: 91 to 103
  • MIDDLE: 104 to 121
  • HEAVY: 122 & Over

The list of qualifying athletes will be emailed to the athletes’ coach and/or BOD members prior to State Championships.

Competitions will be round-robin following MTA sparring competition rules with each slot being awarded to the first place winner in each division.

There will be no entry fee for participation in this fight off competition. Qualifying athletes will be allowed to participate free of charge.

Benefits

Team members receive the following benefits for winning spots on the Cadet, Junior, and Senior teams:

Seniors

  • MTA Junior or Senior Team Uniform

Juniors

  • MTA Junior or Senior Team Uniform

Cadets

  • MTA Cadet Team Uniform

Responsibilities

All MTA Team members will wear their team uniforms at MTA-sanctioned events.

  • Compete in Sparring at a minimum of three (3) MTA-sanctioned events during the Taekwondo “season” leading up to the MTA Montana State Championships where team fight-offs will be held (currently sanctioned events are held five to six times per year in Missoula, Kalispell, Great Falls and Billings).
  • Cadet, Junior and Senior athletes must referee for an minimum of 16 hours (2 Full Days)at MTA sanctioned events.
  • Because of COVID-19 these above requirements will be replace with the following:  All Athletes wishing to compete for a spot on the MTA National Team, must work that this years State Championships May 15th in Kalispell, MT.