Reconnecting with the taekwondo community 21 years on

After hanging up his black belt more than 20 years ago, Bolton Clarke Smithfield resident Michael has reconnected with the taekwondo community.

Michael was a late comer when it comes to stepping on the mat, picking up the sport in his 50s with his son.  

“My son Peter was getting bullied at school so I signed him up to start classes but while I was watching him I thought it would be a great way for us to bond,” Michael says.

“So I joined as well and it ended up being a 10-year journey from white belt to becoming a 3^rd Dan. I was a part of the taekwondo community for 18 years.

“It started as a good experience to support my son and then it became really important in my life.

“When we first started, the instructor told us that only two people end up becoming black belts – those two people ended up being my son and I.”

After becoming an instructor, Michael’s taekwondo journey was put on hold after his late wife Mary became unwell in 2004 and needed fulltime care. As the years went by, Michael didn’t pick up his belt again until the team at Smithfield residential care home connected with a local taekwondo studio.

“We found out about Michael’s achievement of becoming a 3^rd Dan in taekwondo and thought it would be a great opportunity to get him back into a studio,” Lifestyle Coordinator Lisa says.

“I reached out to Next Generation Taekwondo and they were more than happy to have us come in with Michael to their Craigmore studio.

“Michael spoke with the instructors, was given his own headband and he just smiled the whole time and you could see the memories flooding back for him.”

After 21 years, setting foot in a taekwondo studio was something Michael says was invaluable, bringing back fond memories.

“I had put it out of my mind and accepted taekwondo wasn’t a part of my life anymore so having an opportunity to go back to a studio all these years later was wonderful,” Michael said.

“It felt like reliving the old days, nothing had changed and all the children were really talented.

“It was wonderful to be able to reconnect and reminisce about something that was such a significant part of my life.

“If my wife hadn’t gotten sick I would have continued with it so I really appreciate Lisa and the lifestyle team organising this for me and allowing me to experience it again.”