Response to Zanshin article

by  Dick Morgan                 

_____________________

      Recently W.O.M.A.F. received a curious email regarding Master Morgan's Zanshin article. The following is his response to it.

    Thank you for your comments and questions regarding my Zanshin article. Your questions clearly outline the divergent views on the philosophy of teaching martial arts programs. If you have followed our programs, you understand that our philosophy is very martial in its approach. In fact, Mr. Garrison was with President Kim in Korea over twenty years ago, when Mr. Kim was approached by several martial arts leaders who wanted him to be president of a new
martial arts organization, which became W.O.M.A.F.

    These leaders approached him because of their concern about the direction many programs were taking, in Korea as well as world-wide. For over twenty years, we have continued to uphold the principles and the direction that these senior leaders outlined. Most of our senior students and instructors have traveled to train in Korea, and various other programs in Asia as well. Consequently, students that travel are representative of our U.S. programs. As in the U.S., Korea has a variety of philosophies in training. Our programs are very martial, and every student is expected to measure up. If they cannot, or do not, there are martial arts schools on every other corner who are
willing to take anyone.

    Our U.S. schools include many police, S.W.A.T., Special Forces, and Security personnel. Our responsibility is for these individuals to go to work and come home safely. The other students, who are doctors, lawyers, computer programmers, etc., are aware of this, and want to meet those same requirements. Our programs in the Portland
area, which have been in existence since 1970, have always had an ample student base. We test one or two times per year. A student is told to prepare for the test, and that goes with a clear understanding of our high standards and expectations.

    W.O.M.A.F. screens its programs, and instructors must meet the requirements to join. So, your comment about who would want to join an organization with our philosophy was very apropos. We would not accept anyone who could not make the grade that is required to join. W.O.M.A.F. is not a come one - come all organization. Our members are proud of the fact that they are a select "best of the best" in martial arts, world-wide.

    Again, thank you for you email. We are sending your email to all of our W.O.M.A.F. leaders, as it will reinforce their understanding of how martial teaching and requirements vary in the U.S. We are also planning to post your email on our information board, since it is the first negative one we have received regarding my Zanshin article. As far as the negative feelings in the Tae Kwon Do community, we have never felt that martial art training was a popularity contest.  We trust our W.O.M.A.F. members world-wide. Grandmaster Kim is an icon in Korea, and W.O.M.A.F. is the standard that others strive to attain.  Those that cannot or do not measure up are always the first ones that find fault with W.O.M.A.F. expectations and standards.


Sincerely,

Dick Morgan, 7th Dan, W.O.M.A.F.

Link to the original Zanshin article.