After more than 30 years dedicated to Taekwondo, Master Darren Naraine has achieved a significant milestone in his officiating career, becoming one of a select number of British Taekwondo members throughout history who have qualified as an International Referee in both Poomsae and Kyorugi.
For Darren, the achievement represents the culmination of years of commitment to the sport, balancing international refereeing, competition, coaching and running a community club, while making sacrifices that have often meant giving up weekends to help Taekwondo continue to grow.
His success follows the recent announcement that four British Taekwondo members – Grand Master William Crouch, Master Darren, Siew Kim Lee and Aaron Leith – had achieved International Referee status in Poomsae following the World Taekwondo International Referee Seminar in Tirana, Albania. The achievement marks an important step in British Taekwondo’s continued development of its officials and strengthens the depth of expertise available across both disciplines.
Darren’s route to becoming a Poomsae International Referee was supported by a new pilot project from World Taekwondo and the European Taekwondo Union to create more opportunities for officials to qualify as an International Referee across both Poomsae and Kyorugi.
With more than 30 years of experience spanning competition, coaching and officiating, Darren was recommended by British Taekwondo to take part in this pilot project, recognising the depth of knowledge he has developed across both disciplines and his potential to contribute to the international refereeing community.
As a Class 2 Poomsae referee, Darren faced a challenge in gaining sufficient judging experience through the conventional pathway because of his existing Kyorugi commitments. However, his long-standing contribution to the sport, experience as an international official and background as a member of the Great Britain Poomsae Squad made him a strong candidate for the initiative, which aims to develop officials with a detailed understanding of both disciplines.
The opportunity represented a long-held ambition for Darren, who had wanted to become an International Poomsae Referee for years but had previously been unable to find a suitable route to achieve it. When the opportunity arose, he embraced the challenge, travelling to Albania for an intensive assessment process involving three days of training, a written examination, a practical assessment and a demanding scoring test, in which candidates had two attempts to achieve a score within a specified margin.
Reflecting on the experience, Darren said: “I just enjoyed it from day one really. I enjoyed helping other people improve and progress through refereeing, and becoming an International Poomsae Referee is something I’ve wanted to achieve for years, but there had never really been the opportunity before. When this chance came up, I jumped at it, and I’m delighted to have been successful.
“The scoring test was the hardest part of the course, because you have two attempts to get your score within a certain margin, and if you don’t achieve it, you’re out. It was an intense few days, but because I’m still competing in Poomsae myself, I felt comfortable with the practical assessment and was able to draw on that experience throughout the course.”
Darren’s achievement is rooted in a relationship with Taekwondo that stretches back to the early 1990s, when he began teaching while studying at university. He established Dorset Taekwondo Association in 1999, building a club that has developed into a not-for-profit community organisation supported by a team of volunteer coaches.
Alongside running the club, Darren has spent 19 years as an International Kyorugi Referee, while also competing as part of the Great Britain Poomsae Team. His experience has extended into coaching, including working with the South of England regional team, allowing him to understand Taekwondo from the perspectives of an athlete, coach, club leader and official.
His dedication was evident even during his student years, when he would referee Poomsae competitions and compete in Poomsae and Kyorugi sparring on the same day, demonstrating an enthusiasm for every aspect of the sport that has remained with him throughout his career.
However, sustaining that commitment has required considerable personal sacrifice, particularly when balancing international refereeing commitments with family life and the responsibilities of running a community club.
“You have to give up a lot to referee at this level. You can spend your whole weekend travelling to an event and officiating, and it can be difficult to balance that with running a successful community club and making sure you’re giving enough time to your family.
“I started teaching in the early 1990s and opened my own club in 1999. We’re a not-for-profit club with a group of volunteer coaches, and none of us really gets paid for the time we put in, so it takes a lot of commitment from everyone involved.
“I’ve come to appreciate the importance of the community side of the club even more in recent years. Trying to develop competitive athletes while also maintaining that welcoming community environment can be difficult, but it’s something we are very proud of.”
That commitment has helped create opportunities for others, with Darren’s club developing athletes who have progressed into the Great Britain Poomsae Team and achieved success on the international stage. Seeing those athletes improve and reach their potential has reinforced his belief in the value of coaching, officiating and sharing knowledge across the sport.
Darren’s dual International Referee status will also provide opportunities to strengthen the knowledge and experience available to athletes, coaches and officials across British Taekwondo. His understanding of both Poomsae and Kyorugi gives him a valuable perspective on the technical standards, rules and judging criteria that shape competition, while his experience as a competitor means he can relate that knowledge directly to the demands placed on athletes.
For Darren, one of the most important outcomes of the course will be the opportunity to share what he has learned with the wider British Taekwondo community, helping other officials develop and supporting coaches to better understand the detail involved in Poomsae performance and judging.
He explained: “I’m looking forward to using this course to teach others what I’ve learned and share that knowledge within the British Taekwondo community. If you’re a Poomsae referee, the knowledge you gain can significantly improve your teaching and coaching, because you develop a different eye for detail and a much clearer understanding of what judges are looking for.
“I want to thank British Taekwondo for giving me this opportunity and recommending me to World Taekwondo to further my career as a Poomsae official. The trust and confidence shown in me means a great deal, and it gave me the encouragement to attend the course and succeed.
“I would also like to congratulate the three other British Taekwondo members who also passed the course. I look forward to making the most of these opportunities and sharing what I have learned with others across the sport.”
For Darren, becoming an International Referee in both Poomsae and Kyorugi is a personal milestone he has worked towards for years, but the opportunity to pass on his knowledge and help others progress may prove just as rewarding as the qualification itself.
His journey reflects the commitment that underpins Taekwondo at every level, from the volunteer coaches keeping community clubs running to the officials giving up their time to support athletes on the international stage, and highlights how experience gained over decades can continue to benefit the next generation.
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