We have T's schedule more solidified for 2023. We are not going to be doing team trials even though he qualified to go to it. He would be fighting in a new age/weight division with 17 year olds and it's just not the year to do that particular event with the deck stacked against him like it will be. It's why we also decided, for now, not to go to US Open either. Those two trips alone would cost close to $10,000 (air fare, hotel, food and car rental). Even if we had the finances to do them I think it would be throwing money to the wind if we did them with him being in a new division. He needs to spend the year doing events closer to home, doing private training + team training, doing cross trainings with other schools near us, and doing any other training camps that come up with USA TaeKwonDo. The goal is to grow, get stronger, and learn as much as possible in this new age/weight division this year so that he can be an even better competitor next year as a second year Junior. And hopefully by the time he's a third year/last year Junior he will be at the top of his game competitively. His new coach is very understanding of things and doesn't pressure us like his last coach did to do all these crazy tournaments. We really appreciate that more than he knows. We really don't see a need to take him everywhere and doing everything when he has got to get acclimated to an entirely new division but that mindset could change. We ideally want his mind to continue to stay strong and move forward in this sport. We don't want to take a bunch of steps backwards this year by doing everything under the sun just to be doing them. Doing everything we can does bring experience though but at what price??? I don't want T to get worn down. Nor do I want him being down on himself should he not be winning like he did last year, which is highly possible when dealing with guys who are basically grown men with him still growing. T found out at the last USA training camp that the 17 year old guys are much stronger. My guy is a realist and he knows how crazy it is to just jump head long into his new division the first year in it. I applaud him for looking at things realistically. Even he knows that he needs more stability in his fight game and that he needs a lot more training to be the competitor that he needs to be for this new division. I'm proud of him for seeing things clearly and making decisions that are beneficial for him even though his teammates are not doing the same. He knows this is beneficial for him and we respect that and we are going with it for now unless we are given a reason to do the opposite. The absolute only thing that could change moving forward is that he decides to go ahead and do US Open after all but that remains to be seen but we have time because that event doesn't happen until March.
We are continuing to seek God on all this but this is the direction we are leaning unless God tells us otherwise and wanted to share it with you all. God opens door and closes them and we will continue to look to him where going or not going to US Open is concerned. It's the only tournament where we could actually change our minds and go but we will need to have clear direction from God on it.
Something I want to ask for prayer on as well, because we are seeking God on it, is that T wants to do AAU Nationals as well as USA Nationals. They are both going to be in Florida this year and only be a four hour drive apart. T's coach is only doing USA though. Pray with us for a coach that can coach T at AAU that will work with T and Doug to get him ready for it.
T's big goal for the year is to medal at either AAU or USA Nationals. He'd be elated to medal at both. But that is his big goal for the year. He knows if he medals at AAU that he gets a chance to fight for a place on AAU's National Team. He knows that making AAU National Team is a long shot given where he is at currently but he also knows that if he grows this year that is actually an attainable goal. I'm praying he has a big growing year this year and that he medals at both Nationals and gets a shot at AAU's National Team and that a coach is available to coach him for AAU Nationals. Please pray in agreement with us for this. Thank you!
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