DHAHRAN, 30 August 2005 — The Abqaiq Saudi Aramco Community and Recreation Services under the stewardship of administrator Mohammad Al Khamssan hosted the First Safety and Management Seminar on Taekwondo last Friday.
The successful event attended by some 200 participants representing various taekwondo clubs in the Eastern Province, among them, Al-Khobar, Dammam, Hofuf Flying Tigers and Phiippine School in Dammam Taekwondo clubs, was organized by Abqaiq Saudi Aramco Taekwondo Club.
The seminar held at the Saudi Aramco Abqaiq School forms part of preparations for the Kyeorugi(sparring) tournament to be held on Sept. 23.
Jojo A. Gonzales, chief instructor and founder of ASATC who is a 4th dan blackbelt certified by World Taekwondo Federation and Philippine Taekwondo Association, initiated the seminar with full support from the officers, members and parents of the club. Jimi T. Gonzaga is the assistant instructor and also a certified WTF 1st dan blackbelt.
Certified blackbelts Milo Maligaya and Robert Mercado of Riyadh King Tigers Taekwondo Club drove all the way from Riyadh to lend their full support and provide assistance during the seminar.
The club president, Robert Catalan, in his opening remarks said the one-day seminar was conducted in line with Saudi Aramco’s safety first policy values.
In the seminar, topics about understanding taekwondo as Olympic sport and martial art and how to become bonafide members of World Taekwondo Federation and Philippine Taekwondo Association were discussed by Gonzales. This was followed by viewing of taekwondo video clips which the young students enjoyed. Clemens Mones, a Saudi Aramco staff nurse gave a presentation about first aid. Mass promotion was also conducted for white, yellow and bluebelts.
One of the highlights of the seminar was the referee drill and workout which were mostly participated by parents. Parents were given the chance to experience how to be a referee in an Olympic-style taekwondo match.
Interested parents who showed good potential to be referees will be trained further and will be tapped in the future competitions. The seminar was concluded with the awarding of certificates of participation.
Ken Antoine, a Saudi Aramco pilot who participated in the mass promotion, has high praise for the seminar. He said: “ It gave a better understanding about what a person can benefit from Taekwondo. Jojo and Jimi really know how to motivate their students to strive to do better.” The event was memorable to grade school students Mishari Al-Bakhat, Khalid Al-Dulaim and Abdulrahman Al-Dulaim who all experienced actual mass demonstration, board breaking and sparring with protective gears only two months after they have joined Abqaiq Taekwondo Club.
Art Mones, the club vice-president did a superb job as master of ceremonies while Bong Mungcal, the club secretary, was in charge of venue preparation and registration.
The officers of Abqaiq Taekwondo Club expressed their sincere thanks to the members of the working committees who helped make the event a success. They are Abdullah Al-Bakhat, Husam Al-Dulaim, Cesar Casanas, Karen Formoso, Christene Tunay, Marilyn Vallejo, Clemens Mones, Cely Casanas, Beng Mungcal, Jerry Hernandez, Cherry Hernandez and Josie Catalan. The event was also supported by Saudi Aramco Abqaiq Recreation Services headed by Mohammad Al-Khamsan and its staff Saeed Amir, Terry Villarete and Abdulhakkim Ashfak.
