Downey's Taekwon-Do 
NEWS

Winter Storm policy: When the weather conditions are poor and you are wondering if classes are going ahead please call 753-4248 one hour before class starts and we will have a recording stating whether or not classes are going ahead as scheduled or cancelled. We will also place a notice in this section of our web site one hour before class starts. 

Any class cancellations due to poor weather conditions will be posted here.

Saturday, February 6th: classes will be going ahead as scheduled.

February News 2010

Colored Belt Test (does not include those testing for Yellow Belt): Sunday, February 21st at 2:00pm at St. James United Church. 
Black Belt Test: Sunday, March 28th at 2:00pm at St. James United Church.
Candidates for 1st Degree Black Belt: Courtney Au, Jacob Williams
Candidates for 2nd Degree Black Belt: Connor Chafe, Brandon Clarke, Ethan Whelan
Candidates for 3rd Degree Black Belt: Kelly Spurrell, Dylan Harris, Stephanie Roberts

Class Change for St. James United Church: The 3rd Wednesday of the month class, Wednesday, February 17th will instead be held on the preceding day, Tuesday 16th (Green Belts 6:30-7:30; Blue to Black Belt 7:30-8:30)
Class cancellation for Reid Center location: there will be no class on Thursday, February 11th due to the Frosty Festival.

Halifax Competition meeting: There is a meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 25th at 8:30pm at SJUC location for students who are interested in competing in Hiltz Taekwon-Do competition in Halifax on Saturday, April 17th. A competition training schedule and information regarding the hotel will be given out at the meeting. Training sessions will be held on Thursday's 8:30-9:30pm at SJUC location starting on Thursday, March 11th. 

Black Belt test results: Congratulations to the 7 students who successfully passed their Black Belt test on Sunday, January 31st. 
Promoted to 1st Degree Black Belt: Zachary Stagg and Miranda Berge
Promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt: Barry Dyer, Matthew Dyer, Troy Squires, Austin Squires, and Christine Pinsent. 

The test lasted 4 hours and included patterns, designated pattern step-by-step; 3-2-and 1 steps, self-defense, theory, free sparring, pad drills, and board breaking. 


Class Change: St. James United Church: The 3rd Wednesday of the month class (January 20th) will instead be held on the preceding day, Tuesday, January 19th:
Green Belts: 6:30-7:30
Blue Belts and up: 7:30-8:30

Hiltz Taekwon-Do Competition in Halifax, Nova Scotia: Mr. Hiltz will be holding his annual competition on Saturday, April 17th. There is presently a seat sale on both Air Canada and West Jet ($60.00 one way). Book your ticket early to get the best price. We are hoping to send a large contingent to the competition. Master Downey and Mrs. Downey will be leaving West jet flight #651 on Friday April 16th at 1:45pm and returning on West jet flight #622 on Sunday at 11:10am. If interested contact Denis Martin, travel agent, at Legrows Travel, 758-6781. Further information on the competition, including Hotel, etc.. will be available in February. 

Interesting piece of Trivia: Allan Hawco, the producer, writer and star of the new CBC drama "Republic of Doyle" was a Red Belt in Downey's Taekwon-Do. He had practiced Taekwon-Do for approximately 3 years before he began to focus on acting. Master Downey remembers him as a very athletic, talented, and competitive student. The first episode of the show airs on CBC TV Wednesday, January 6th at 9:30pm Newfoundland time. Congratulations to Mr. Hawco on his achievements in acting and directing. Maybe one of the future episodes could focus on Mr. Hawco, a private detective, returning to his Master for guidance and advice on how to improve his self-defense skills, obtain his Black Belt and gain a greater sense of self-control. Now that would be an interesting episode for Martial Art enthusiasts.

Happy 20th Anniversary to Downey's Taekwon-Do:1990-2010. Master Downey opened his first Taekwon-Do school in 1990 at Virginia Park Community Center in St. John's East. His first class had 15 students. Downey's Taekwon-Do has since grown into one of the largest and most respected Martial Arts schools in Newfoundland and Labrador with over 50 active Black Belts including one 5th Degree Black Belt (Mrs. Downey) and five 4th Degree Black Belts: Mrs. Cathy Reid, Mrs. Joanne Collins, Mr. Paul Burke, Mr. Wayne Pinsent, and Mr. Paul Snow. Over the past 20 years Master Downey has promoted over 200 students to Black Belt. He has kept up to date with the international standard for ITF Taekwon-Do by completing 9 international instructors courses (6 with the legendary founder of ITF Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong Hi). Master Downey is the president and founder for the International Taekwon-Do Federation of Newfoundland and Labrador (ITFNL) and in  April 2009 he was elected into the position of CTFI vice-president East. Congratulations from your students, instructors, family and friends. During our annual seminar in May (Saturday, May 15th, see the events page) we will also hold our 20th Anniversary Celebration. 

First class in 2010: Regular Program: classes will resume on Tuesday, January 5th. at the Reid Center and SJUC locations.
                                Little Dragons Program: Saturday, January 9th 12:30-1:30pm SJUC

Black Belt Test Candidates (Test Date: Sunday, January 31st 2010)
I Dan (3): Courtney Au, Miranda Berge, Zachary Stagg
II Dan (8): Connor Chafe; Brandon Clarke; Barry Dyer; Matthew Dyer; Christine Pinsent; Austin Squires; Troy Squires; Ethan Whelan
III Dan (1): Stephanie Roberts

December News / 2009

December 19 2009: Santa visits the Little Dragons (age 5-7) for their final class of 2009. The back row shows Master Downey and Mrs. Downey with Assistant Instructors for the Little Dragons Program: Mr. Matthew Dyer and his father Mr. Barry Dyer, and Mr. Pinsent and his wife Mrs. Christine Pinsent. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Last Classes for 2009: The last classes for 2009 will be on Saturday, December 19th

Recent Test Results: Congratulations to the 40 students who tested for yellow stripe on Saturday, December 13th. Good luck on your journey to Black Belt. It will be a life changing experience mentally, physically and spiritually. Remember, if you can conceive it, and believe it, you can achieve it! 

Class Change at SJUC location: The 3rd Wednesday of the month class (December 16th) at SJUC will instead be held on the preceding day, Tuesday, December 15th: Yellow and Green Belts/Blue Stripes: 6:30-7:30pm; Blue Belts and up 7:30-8:30pm

Black Belt Test Candidates (Test Date: Sunday, January 31st 2010)
I Dan (4): Courtney Au, Miranda Berge, Jacob Williams, Zachary Stagg
II Dan (10): Connor Chafe; Brandon Clarke, Matthew Dines; Barry Dyer; Matthew Dyer; Christine Pinsent; Austin Squires; Troy Squires; Sharon Vere-Halloway; Ethan Whelan
III Dan (2): Dylan Harris; Stephanie Roberts

Pictures of Master Downey's 7th Dan Testing: While in Argentina for the World Championships Master Downey was given some photos of his testing in June 2007 for his 7th degree Black Belt test. Go to the Instructors   section of this website to see the pictures. 

Pictures from the 2009 ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Argentina. 

 

Mrs. Downey and Master Downey with the Umpires from Norway: Mr. Snorre, Master Garanes, and Mr. Hallgeir. This picture was taken outside Grandmaster Marano's dojang in Mar Del Plata while waiting for the Umpire meeting to begin. Norway is a small country but it has over 7,000 students! 

Mrs. Downey showing the proper way to sit while umpiring. She is using the electronic scoring system which was used in all rings for patterns and sparring. Try sitting this way for 8-12  hours per day for 4 days!

Master Downey with his "ring council". Master Downey was the center referee for several sparring matches as well as center referee for senior female and male patterns 4th - 6th Dan, team patterns, and Senior pre-arranged sparring. 

Mrs. Downey with Mr. Mustafa El Sheikh and Mr. Steve Weston, Umpires from Australia. Congratulations to Mr. El Sheikh on his promotion to 6th Degree Black Belt during the World Championships. 

Mrs. Downey with our dear friend and technical director from New Zealand, Master Paul McPhail. 

Master Downey receiving copies of the New Zealand TaeKwon-Do magazine (Taekwon-Do Talk), and a DVD of the pioneers of TaeKwon-Do, from Master Davidson (president of ITFNZ) and Master Paul McPhail (technical director for ITFNZ). These two Masters will now have the daunting task of preparing for the ITF Taekwon-Do Junior and Senior World Championship in March 2011 in New Zealand. ITF TaeKwon-Do is very popular in New Zealand which has over 90 Taekwon-Do schools. At the recent World Championship in Argentina their country placed 2nd behind Argentina. ITFNZ is known for it's high technical standard and exceptional organizational skills. Their World Championships will be an event not to miss. 

      

Left picture: Some of the Canadian team members at the start of the opening cermonies.  Right picture: Team member from Downey's Taekwon-Do, Cody Dunne (center). Cody won his first fight against Uruguay and lost his second fight to Slovenia. This has been a great learning experience for Cody and he is now focused on making the national team in November 2010 in British Columbia and competing for Canada at the World Championships in New Zealand in March 2011. 

Canadian senior female team on the medal podium (Silver medal in team patterns)

Canadian team member, Mr. Steven Legrow (far right) Bronze medal in Patterns (4th - 6th Dan). Mr. Legrow also won a Bronze medal in Male Hyperweight Sparring. 

November 2009

Cody's World Championship Schedule, Mar Del Plata, Argentina: Cody will be sparring on Friday, November 27th (1:30-5:00pm). Mar Del Plata time is 1/2 hour ahead of Newfoundland time. There are 35 competitors in his division (Junior Boys Heavyweight Sparring). Good luck form everyone at Downey's Taekwon-Do and family and friends. May the "Fighting Newfoundlander" spirit be with you. 

 

Argentina here we come! Master Scott Downey, Cody Dunne (center) and Mrs. Cathy Downey will be heading to Mar Del Plata, Argentina, South America, on Saturday, November 21st. Master Downey and Mrs. Downey are 2 of the 4 Umpires (officials) selected to represent Canada at the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships from November 26-29th. Cody Dunne is a student of Downey's Taekwon-Do and trains at the St. James United Church location in St. John's. Cody is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and has been training at Downey's Taekwon-Do since the age of 5, where he started in the Little Dragons program. Cody has been successful at many provincial and National competitions and earned a spot on the Canadian team at the 2009 Nationals in Montreal. Cody will be competing in the Junior Boys Heavyweight division in sparring (fighting). The trio will need to bring some summer clothing since Argentina has just entered their summer and temperatures will be from 25-30 degrees Celsius. The trio will have to travel to Toronto, then from Toronto to Chile, then Chile to Buena's Aries, Argentina, and then from Buena's Aries to the city of Mar Del Plata, Argentina. It will take 17 hours of flying time to reach their destination. Good luck from Downey's Taekwon-Do assistant instructors, students, family and friends. 

This picture shows 1st Degree Black Belt, Ms. Sharon Vere-Halloway (center), with her instructors/coaches: Master Scott Downey (7th degree Black Belt) and his wife, Mrs. Cathy Downey (5th Degree Black Belt). Ms. Vere-Halloway was selected by the Vancouver Olympic Committee to be a torch bearer for the Newfoundland segment of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. She will be doing her segment in Bay Roberts on November 14th at 8:08am. Her number is OTR016-010 and will be posted on the side of the road marking her starting area. She will be on Route 70 near the Bay Arena. Master Downey and Mrs. Downey will be there to show support for Sharon. If there are any other Downey's Taekwon-Do students interested in supporting Sharon please show up at the above location and time. 

There will be no classes at St. James United Church on "Remembrance Day", Wednesday, November 11th. Students who usually go on Wednesday can instead go on the preceding day, Tuesday, November 10th at the following times:
Yellow Belts and Green Belts: 6:30-7:30
Blue Belts to Black Belt: 7:30-8:30

Rumble on the Rock III: ROR III was held on Saturday, October 31st, Halloween, at the College of the North Atlantic, in St. John's Newfoundland. It was a great success with over 120 competitors including 50 Black Belts. There were competitors from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Ontario. Mr. Hiltz of Hiltz Taekwon-Do in Halifax, Nova Scotia,  was presented with the "Most Supportive School Award". A sincere thank you to all the Black Belts who did a great job at officiating the event. The event ran smoothly and efficiently and finished at 3:00pm. 

Master Downey, host of the event, presenting Mr. Hiltz of Hiltz Taekwon-Do with the "Most Supportive School Award"

 

Black Belt competitors/officials at the 3rd Annual Rumble on the Rock.

 Class changes for November at St. James United Church:  

The Saturday, November 7th classes will instead be held on the following day, Sunday, November 8th at the following times:

Little Dragons: 2-3pm
Green to Red Belts: 3-4pm
New Beginners and Yellow Belts: 4-5pm

The Wednesday, November 18th class (3rd Wednesday of the month) will instead be held on the preceding day, Tuesday, November 17th. Green Stripes to Blue Stripes 6:30-7:30; Blue Belts and up 7:30-8:30pm.  

Class Changes for November at Reid Community Center, Mount pearl:

Due to the Reid Center being used as a mass H1N1 immunization site classes at the Reid Center will instead be held at the following locations and times:

Mondays: 6-7pm at O'Donnell High School on Ruth avenue.
Thursdays: 6-7pm at Park Place on park Avenue (formerly called the legion)

This change will be in place for the entire month of November. Classes will resume as scheduled at the Reid Center in December.