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THE AMERICAN CLUB
MAR / APR 2017
As 5:30 p.m. rolled around, kids sporting Taekwondo
gear bid farewell to their friends and parents and filed
into the Zone Studio… save for a little 5-year-old boy.
His loud and pitiful wails conveyed his reluctance to
attend the Taekwondo lesson. As he entered the class
gingerly, Master Patrick welcomed him – not with open
arms, but with a stern expression and strict demeanour.
Master Patrick assured his young student that his fears
of getting hit during the free sparring segment of the
class was valid, but not something he ought to be
afraid of. Learning how to defend himself was part and
parcel of the learning process.
It is precisely Master Patrick’s no-nonsense approach
and attention to his students’ different needs and
personalities that set his classes apart from those taught
at other institutions. The black-belt holder structures his
lessons around 5 core values: Respect, Perseverance,
Self-Control, Indomitable Spirit, and Modesty. At his
classes, children learn more than just self-defence skills;
they learn values that they carry for life.
His strong rapport with his students’ parents also plays
an instrumental role in the success of his classes. As
much as possible, Master Patrick involves parents
in every stage of their child’s journey and progress
in Taekwondo, from routine updates and feedback
after classes, to presentation of belts after the passing
of an exam.
About Master Patrick
Master Patrick has taught at The Club for 37 years, since
1980. He picked up Taekwondo when he was 11 years
old, and has won numerous medals from National
Taekwondo Championships. He was also crowned
champion in the Master event for Poomsae at the
National Poomsae Championship in 2011. (Titbit: He
even set the Guiness World Record for the most number
of vinyl records smashed in 30 seconds!)
Register your kids in Taekwondo classes for lessons
beyond the classroom.
Lessons for life
For more information or to register, please call 6739-4413 or email
youth@amclub.org.sg.