Toogee Martial Arts (TMA) founder and Grand Master Robert Frost, in his ‘seminar and grading tour of PNG’, was at Port Moresby Technical College yesterday which saw him upgraded Port Moresby TMA senior and junior students in their coloured belt categories.
When interviewing him about the seminar and grading tour, Grand Master Frost said that the tour is all about helping the students and Taekwondo in general.
“That’s what the essence is all about, in helping the students and Taekwondo overall to be better”, said Grand Master Frost.
Among the POM upgraded students were three seniors (Black belts) who have been promoted from 2nd Dan to 3rd Dan Black Belt and 1st Dan to 2nd Dan respectively. The two 3rd Dan Black belts are, Momo Leka and Liawe Michael-Dojang Instructors (Training Hall Instructor).
Also, promoted in the red belt class to black belt is the Liosi Siblings-Jollar and Marshall.
Jollar is a 17 years old grade 10 student at Gordons Secondary School while her brother Marshall is 18 years old, among others, are the only red belts who received their black belts.
Furthermore, Grandmaster Frost said that the problem he observed with PNG Martial Artist as an outsider is that there is no one helping the instructors' and students to be consistent with their training and upgrading. “There is nobody helping them”, said Grandmaster Frost.
“For the black belts and instructors, some of them have been training since the 80s, that’s 30 or 40 years and some have not been graded in 25 years. That’s too long. In normal circumstances, in Australia, America or Europe that’s two years between 1st and 2nd Dan”
Meanwhile, the Australian based 9th Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo and TMA Grandmaster will be in PNG for the next one (1) week which is now in the final stage of his tour which started on Friday 7th and will finish on 19th April. He started the grading in Lae, then to Kimbe and yesterday he was at POM Technical College for the POM student’s promotion and seminar.
Today, he will be leaving for Bougainville for the final leg of his journey which he is looking forward to training with the students and black belts there.
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