TKD feds

[sensei8]

What I've garnered about the ATA is that their tournaments are CLOSED tournaments. To compete in one of them, you have to be an ATA student, especially their bigger tournaments as well as their World tournament.

[DWx]

Interesting input, guys, very insightful.

Can I compete in ITF, WTF, and ATA tournaments if my school isn't a part of their group? What are the chances of a school that doesn't list membership in one of these groups still regularly attend their tournaments?

Also, how good is tkd for engaging the kids? I know TKD and karate are similar in many ways, but my 5yo is bored with karate. Do you think tkd could liven things up for him?

Whether you can enter a competition depends on the individual tournament and the organizers. The ITF tournaments I've been to all allow non-ITFers to compete but of course it is under ITF rules. There is definitely no point competing in forms as you would have to do the ITF ones and in the ITF way to win but as long as you understand their sparring rules there should be no problem.

[sensei8]

Interesting input, guys, very insightful.

Can I compete in ITF, WTF, and ATA tournaments if my school isn't a part of their group? What are the chances of a school that doesn't list membership in one of these groups still regularly attend their tournaments?

Also, how good is tkd for engaging the kids? I know TKD and karate are similar in many ways, but my 5yo is bored with karate. Do you think tkd could liven things up for him?

Whether you can enter a competition depends on the individual tournament and the organizers. The ITF tournaments I've been to all allow non-ITFers to compete but of course it is under ITF rules. There is definitely no point competing in forms as you would have to do the ITF ones and in the ITF way to win but as long as you understand their sparring rules there should be no problem.

Would the competitor have to be a student of TKD to compete??

Would the competitor be required to wear a dobok, as apposed to a gi??

To enter said ITF "Open" tournament!!

In the Open tournaments that I've ever entered in my days, the style was of no consequence and the competitor could wear their normal uniform and belt.

[bushido_man96]

What I've garnered about the ATA is that their tournaments are CLOSED tournaments. To compete in one of them, you have to be an ATA student, especially their bigger tournaments as well as their World tournament.

Yes, they are closed. You have to be an active ATA member to compete. That doesn't mean you can't be in a different style, though, either. I know there tends to be some angst out there about the ATA having a closed tournament circuit, but the ATA is big enough that it can do it well, and it really helps with quality control in a way, too.

I think there is also a misunderstanding that ATA members aren't allowed to compete in open tournaments, and this is not true. There are ATA members that have competed in WTF qualifiers as well as MMA.