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By Elizabeth Faletti, BASOC Volunteer
The recognition of the sport of taekwondo in the United States has been a very long journey. One of the major players behind that movement is the Bay Area's own Ken Min, BASOC's Olympic Icon for June. As an advocate of the sport within the Olympic and university movements, Ken has served in a variety of capacities. His Olympic experience includes serving as the United States Taekwondo Team Manager at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games where the U.S. team won one gold, one silver for the men's team and one silver, three bronze for women's. Ken also served as a member of the Evaluation Team for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea as a representative of the International Federation and as liaison of the United States Olympic Team.
Now retired from the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, Ken continues to banner the sport of taekwondo within the international community. Forty-five teams will participate in the 7th World University Taekwondo Championships June 12-15 held at U.C. Berkeley, bringing the competition full circle as it celebrates its 16th year. Ken describes the event as, "the best taekwondo event ever hosted in the Bay Area until the 2012 Olympics."
Ken presently resides in El Sobrante with his wife Ann and has two grown children, Sylvia (an MD and former US Navy flight surgeon) and Kwan (an MBA and Managing Editor of New Economy Watch Magazine in Seoul, Korea). Ken took a few minutes to share with us his passion for taekwondo, his commitment to the sport, and why he feels the San Francisco Bay Area is the best place for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Tell us how you got involved in the sport of taekwondo.
Martial arts in Korea is equivalent to basketball and baseball in America. My martial arts (judo and taekwondo) training began in elementary school. I trained in judo for competition but studied taekwondo as a martial art. Judo was introduced into the Olympics in 1964 and taekwondo was introduced into the Olympics in 1988. You should know that taekwondo is a form of mind, body, and spiritual training through action philosophy that goes back 1,000 years in Asia and has only recently been structured as a sport in Western concept. I am one of the people who contributed to this transition through the AAU (until 1978) and, later, the USOC until now. I was the founding president of the United States National Governing Body of the sport of taekwondo in 1974 and led taekwondo to become an official medal sport in the 2000 Sydney Olympics (taekwondo was a demonstration sport in both the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics).
Who has been the most influential person in your life in regards to taekwondo?
Master instructors and senior ranking black belts in taekwondo and judo influenced my dedicated involvement in martial arts throughout my life.
What aspect of taekwondo is most interesting to you?
Martial arts, including taekwondo and judo, is a lifelong training and learning experience through self-training, self-discipline, self-confidence building, and self-defense development, and finally, trying to earn self-esteem and self-respect. That is why martial arts have a ranking system through training and learning which is evaluated by higher ranking masters. I am now a 9th Dan Black Belt in taekwondo, 8th Dan Black Belt in judo, and am in position to evaluate lower ranking martial artists. Since martial arts is a lifelong learning experience, no one receives a 10th Dan Black Belt until after death. There have been a few exceptions for those with superior accomplishments.
How did you get involved in organizing the 7th World University Taekwondo Championships?
As founding president of the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association in 1970, I was involved extensively in building a taekwondo program in a higher educational setting. In fact, the U.C. Berkeley team has won 21 out of 27 National Collegiate Taekwondo Team championships. I have been honored as Coach of the Year four times. The World University Taekwondo Championships was founded at U.C. Berkeley in 1986. I was the Tournament Committee Chairman that helped make the championships a big success with the participation of 21 countries. The 7th World University Taekwondo Championships at Haas Pavilion on the Berkeley Campus from June 12-15 is a homecoming event after 16 years and we are expecting around 45 countries! The World University Championships have been hosted by Spain, Mexico (2 times), Russia, and Chinese Taipei.
How are you involved in the sport of taekwondo today?
I presently serve as chairman of the University Committee, with the World Taekwondo Federation Technical Commission of Taekwondo, as a FISU (World University Sports Federation) Instructor, and in US Taekwondo Instructor Licensing Seminars.
In what other ways have you been involved in the sport?
Since I was involved with the USOC Judo Committee in 1967, I actively participated in judo as president of the National Collegiate Judo Association (3 times), hosted the National Collegiate Judo Championship as tournament director (3 times), hosted the National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships (4 times), National Senior Taekwondo Championships, and International Taekwondo Championships (4 times). I served the first and second terms as National Chairman of Taekwondo, briefly as President and Technical Director of the Pan Am Taekwondo Union, and two terms as President of the North American Taekwondo Union.
What role are you presently playing as a member of the BASOC team?
I have been a part of the Olympic movement from the mid 60's through the 2000 Sydney Olympics. I was involved with the Olympic movement in one capacity or another from sub-committee member to House of Delegates, Executive Committee Member, Education Committee Member, Games Preparation, and Service Committee Member. In fact, I received an Appreciation Plaque when I retired from the USOC in 2000. That is why I will do everything possible to help bring the Olympics to the Bay Area.
Why do you think that the 2012 Olympic Games should come to the San Francisco Bay Area?
The Bay Area well deserves to show the world, through the best world sports movement, its perfect climate and beauty. However, its most important assets are its diversified population reflected in the information technology industry and higher education institutions. And, California has produced more Olympians than any other state!
What do you do professionally today?
I'm now Faculty Emeritus of Physical Education and Technical Director of the Martial Arts Program at U.C. Berkeley which oversees six different clubs with a membership of more than 1,000.
What is your most memorable Olympic moment?
A few things - Taekwondo's recognition as an Olympic Demonstration Sport on June 6, 1985 and taekwondo's recognition as an official Olympic Sport on September 7, 1994 at the Centennial Olympic Congress in Paris where I was honored as the speaker for the World Taekwondo Federation. And, of course, marching in during the open ceremonies of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics along with the USA's best athletes in their respective sports, such as the basketball Dream Team!
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