The clubs history is a long one, I’ve been training at Bodmin for roughly 6 years and in that time I’ve had 6 different instructors, not bad. Mr Shields being my sixth instructor is most definite very different from the rest, he is very tough but very fair, as past instructors have not been as strict. I am a very traditional person who likes integrity and a strict environment to train in. I've know of Mr Shields for 6 years, but he's only been my instructor for the last 3ish. At the beginning of my TKD training the standard of the school was ok, but we were all very unfit and are our free sparring was very weak, this is not the fault of the instructor but the fault of the head of the group, the instructor would only teach what he was told to do. So when Mr Shields became our instructor in October 99 it was a very big shock to our systems, we all found training very hard and difficult, but again he was restricted to teach us a syllabus that he didn't agree with. Once we left Atlantic TKD in November 00 I was a little worried of the unknown, and that did scare me, but the whole club backed Mr Shields decision, and he came up with goods. So Mr Shields last year after branched off from Yung Ho Atlantic TKD to go to TTA TKD, which is headed by Grand Master Loh, who is based up in Scotland. Now being with Master Loh for just over a year the club has grown stronger and stronger, his personal knowledge and experience is greatly appreciated. Mr Shields has put most of his spare time towards the club, and he has now got his own website, which by the way is very good. I know from conversations with Mr Shields that he is very happy with the clubs progression and hopes it will continue in the future. As a club we are all very close to one another if one person fails then we are all fail, and vice-versa if one student succeeds then we all succeed, we each feel for each other.

As Mr Shields most senior grade, I have learnt a great deal from him, not just on TKD training but also the management side of TKD. I take as much responsibility as I can take and as much as Mr Shields is prepared to give me, to hopefully relieve some amount of pressure. I’m at present training for my Black belt, which I will be taking in June/July time next year, and when I think about it I already start to feel the butterflies, it will be a life long dream to be awarded a Black belt, but just not any ordinary Black belt but one under Master Loh. Maybe for the future I will be looking to open my own school of TKD under the guidance of Mr Shields and Master Loh. I’m going to Cardiff University next year so that might be when I start to consider opening my own school, because there is no TTA TKD school in Wales. Master Loh has schools in Scotland, Ireland and many in England, but none in Wales so this might be my chance to prove myself, but my main worry will be what happens when I finish University after 3 years or so? I will ask Master Loh's opinion nearer the time.

Yesterday (18th November) me, Mr Shields and four other students all of which are green belts went up to Scotland to compete in the TTA individual championships, and out of the three events overall they entered they came back with 3 silver medals which I was very chuffed for them as well as myself, it could have been more but they were asked to perform a pattern they were not familiar with, and I know they took it hard when they were doing their pattern, I saw the look on their faces, because for the simple fact they didn't really know it, but they all gave it a go. Mr Shields and myself went to the competition as officials; we had had no experience in this department so it was all very new and VERY nerve-racking. We had done a weekend course in officiating but never put into practice. After reflecting on the competition on my own performance as an official, I loved every minute and I didn't make any major errors, and the ones I did make I learnt from them. I was also very impressed with the level of integrity of all the competitors towards myself, even the ones who held a higher grade than myself. Now other TTA groups are beginning to recognise us and we will be making our presence felt even more so in times to come. We will be ready for the TTA Team Championships next year. Congratulation's to the Irish squad who did very well at the competition.

So if you fancy pushing yourself to your physical limits with very satisfactory results give Mr Shields a call and you too could be fighting with the best in Britain and even the World!