As a British Taekwondo club instructor, you lead sessions to help your students grow; see them develop their skills in front of their eyes, and flourish into well-rounded human beings thanks to the Integrity, Self-Control and Respect instilled in them.
But sometimes an instructor’s influence can go even further than what happens in the dojang, it can become a matter of life or death. Just ask Master Paul Jones.
The Llantwit Major and Head of Wales Taekwondo TKD instructor – who achieved his 7th Dan at the UK Kukkiwon Office High Dan Promotion Test last year – has been teaching the Martial Art for over 38 years, and has nurtured plenty of national and international Champions during that time.
Having medaled all over the World in all disciplines of Taekwondo, passing on the skills and knowledge is his passion to school children, all the way to elite military units.
But when a student comes back into his class to tell him the self-defence skills he learned saved his life, nothing can quite compare:
Paul explains: “I was teaching at an international college for 16-18-year-olds, and one of the lads I was teaching there was Italian. He went back home during Easter and two guys put a knife to his throat.
“Luckily, he remembered the session we did on the last session before we went back to Italy, and managed to get the knife off the guy before they ran away.
“When I went back to the college to do another session, he literally ran to me, jumped on me, and was crying, telling me that I’d saved his life.
“I was then crying. But it’s moments like that, knowing they just have that confidence, something like that is just incredible.”
Master Paul has been instilling that self-belief into his students; whether it is memorising a pattern for an upcoming grading, gaining confidence to push your own boundaries, or simply by producing an inclusive welcoming environment where everyone can train together.
That work is evident in the classes in his Vale of Glamorgan base, with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds coming together to practice the Martial Art, while simultaneously learning life skills that can be used even when the dobok has been packed away.
For Paul, Taekwondo isn’t just an interest or a hobby, it is a way of life. He lives and breathes the very essence of the artform, and his willingness to pass on that mantra to everyone who walks through the doors in Llantwit Major has proven to be life-changing on numerous occasions.
He continues: “It’s just showing that we’re inclusive. It’s showing people that they can do Taekwondo, because people aren’t always aware that there’s so many different avenues to get involved in Taekwondo.
“As an example, I had an autistic student join me a few years ago, and his Dr told me that I changed his life. People thought he wouldn’t be able to do it but the change was incredible in his daily life. Patience and making the person believe in themselves is always possible with in martial arts.
“It’s a passion, the sort of effect you have on their life. It’s a positive, it’s always a really good thing.”
As well as the work in his club, Paul also helps encourage people of all abilities to take up Taekwondo in Wales, and recently helped showcase the Martial Art at an event run by InSport, a Disability Sport Wales project which aims to support delivering inclusive sporting sessions.
The session saw over 400 people of all abilities be given the chance to try over 25 sports, with Paul’s Taekwondo taster proving to be one of the most popular opportunities during the day.
Nothing is more powerful than being able to see yourself work towards a goal and achieve it, and Paul’s work in empowering his students continues to have an everlasting effect on those who attend his sessions.
“For me, it’s a passion. A passion for seeing someone learning skills and transforming their life through what they have learned in Taekwondo,”
That inclusive atmosphere and camaraderie will be on full display this weekend, when the National Sport Centre in Cardiff welcomes the British Taekwondo community and beyond for the 6th Wales International Taekwondo Championships on Sunday 24th May.
From the Welsh Dragon that will be roaming through the venue to the warming rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau to get the day up and running, as well as the captivating action on the mats, it promises to be a day to remember in Cardiff, with Paul setting out his expectations for the day:
“It should be an event where people have fun,” he smiles. “We have the dragon going around for all the kids to interact with. It’s at the National Sports Centre in Cardiff, which is quite an iconic centre. People love it there.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming the British Taekwondo community and international Poomsae and Kyorugi players to Wales, and most importantly seeing our community coming together to celebrate all aspects of Taekwondo.”
With over 500 athletes set to take to the mats in Cardiff over the Bank Holiday weekend, a festival of Taekwondo awaits in the Welsh capital.
The 5th Wales Taekwondo Poomsae and 6th Kyorugi International Championships will be taking place on Saturday 23rd and 24th May at Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, CF11 9SW
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