Campus Life
Members of the Cornell Taekwondo team practice in Helen Newman Hall Feb. 1.
Combining self-defense, exercise and, lately, competitive success, the Cornell Sport Taekwondo team has thrust kicked its way to the top.
In October 2012, Cornell defeated MIT at the Eastern Collegiate Taekwondo Conference. The win against its noted rival was Cornell's second in the event's history, boosting them to the top of the 30-school league, which includes the eight Ivy League schools.
Taekwondo, the ancient Korean martial art, encompasses combat techniques, exercise, meditation, philosophy and a host of other sport-related benefits, including a strong sense of teamwork.
Freshman member Austin Jarrett, a fourth-degree black belt and former two-time New York state champion in the heavyweight division, says Cornell's victories "can be attributed to our hard work and dedication. É We support each other and try to help each other improve. Team success is much more important than individual success."
The Taekwondo team practices in Helen Newman. See larger image
Captain Jovanny Fuentes '14 says that enthusiasm for the sport motivates team members to succeed. "What makes a player great is not what they do at practice, but on their free time. People who are excited about sparring will walk around during the day throwing kicks. This may seem like it isn't doing much, but your mind is in taekwondo [mode]; you are living it. It is this simple act of keeping it in your mind that brings success.
"A player excited about Poomsae [a sequence of martial techniques performed with or without the use of a weapon] will randomly practice their front kicks while walking up stairs, or their back stances while listening to someone ramble. Your body then begins to make these motions a part of who you are, so when you need them most, it will be as simple as walking," Fuentes says.
The Cornell Taekwondo team, which has about 50 members, is coached by Han Cho and is open to all. Boxing and grappling exercises along with footwork and kicking drills help participants improve their skills in the two tournament events, sparring and Poomsae. Sparring entails two two-minute matches in beginner, intermediate and black belt divisions of competition. The athletes also take mental and physical breaks for team bonding activities. "We often hang out outside of practices. Even over winter break we meet up and have dinner or watch movies," Fuentes says.
Jarrett adds, "The team practices together and fights together; however, it is more than that. The team is a brotherhood." Fuentes says of his personal taekwondo experience: "I have grown in ways that I never expected: the way I face challenges, the way I handle success, the way I handle failure. I have become more balanced in my mind, as cheesy as that sounds."
Cornell Taekwondo competed at a Princeton tournament Feb. 13, placing second in their division. The final tournament will be held April 21 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.