Taekwondo: Master kicks into action with a smile

Lin Yi Hsiang demonstrates with Rhiannon O'Neill as Kesi O'Neill looks on. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Taekwondo is a combative sport.

So one piece of advice passed on to local players by a visiting master may have raised a few eyebrows.

Master Lin Yi Hsiang, from Taiwan, has been combining a visit to New Zealand with coaching sessions for Kiwis in Auckland and at Tauranga/Mount TKO run by Master Kesi O'Neill, a New Zealand coach and president of NZTU (NZ United Taekwondo Association).

"He has told them they must have a smile - a smile changes everything." said O'Neill.

He first met Lin at the World Junior Championships in Taiwan last year and the Taiwanese master expressed an interest in visiting New Zealand for a holiday.

Never ones to pass up an opportunity to give his charges the benefit of others' experience, and with one eye on the Olympics in 2016, O'Neill and Auckland's Master Filo Tiumalu agreed to host him if was prepared to combine his holiday with some coaching.

"Things in taekwondo are changing all the time. In New Zealand, it's a small minority sport and it's hard, unless you go to overseas tournaments to keep up with things."

However, he says, there are people like Lin who want to experience New Zealand and who are prepared to coach while they are here.

"The language barrier is hard, but movements and techniques are all the same and he relates to the students really well."

With an increasing emphasis on head shots rather than body shots, reflected in scoring, Lin has been focusing on blocking techniques as well as poomsae (similar to karate's kata), leg blocks and sparring.

Lin was the deputy head of the WTF Qualification Tournament for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and the 10th WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships and head of the Asian Cup group.

"With his level of expertise, it's quite an honour to have him here and now he is our contact in Taiwan. He is talking about bringing a team to New Zealand.

"The more people who travel here, it exposes us to what's happening and also exposes us to other cultures."

O'Neill says having Lin as a contact in Taiwan, where competitions can attract players in the thousands, is a great boost for Tauranga/Mount TKO.

"We have brother clubs in Australia, Scotland and Ireland and we have one in Taiwan now. If I send students there and I can't go, at least I know they will be well looked after."

O'Neill is keen to find sponsorship to help his charges get to competitions.