The owner of a Taekwondo gym in Red Deer will return as head coach for Canada’s Poomsae team.
Master Seoungmin Rim, who owns a gym in Red Deer, another in Airdrie and two in Calgary, was recently reappointed as the head coach of the national team by Taekwondo Canada.
Master Rim has served as the national head coach for about 10 years with Taekwondo Canada, but he said “his time was up” as coach after the 2019 Pan American Games. He is viewing his return as head coach through a different eye.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I’m going to take this with a beginner’s mind,” said Master Rim.
“Every success will be like my first success. I used to be focused on very few individuals to make the podium, but now I want to … encourage more participants from different provinces. Right now, just like other sports, very few provinces, like Ontario, B.C. and Alberta, dominate the sport.”
The coach said he also wants to prepare the team for the 2023 Pan American Games, which will be held in Santiago, Chile. His favourite part about coaching is creating a “positive impact and positive influence” for the athletes.
“Of course seeing them on the podium is very rewarding, but also seeing them become a better individual is very rewarding too,” he said.
Dave Harris, Taekwondo Canada executive director, said the organization is “extremely pleased” to add a coach of Master Rim’s calibre.
“His experience as a coach and administrator in Poomsae has made him not only a standout nationally but internationally as well. I believe that he will allow us to improve our Poomsae program significantly,” said Harris.
Rim produced the first gold medalist for Canada at the 2011 World Poomsae Championship. Since then, he has gone on to coach Canadian athletes to numerous medals at a significant number of championships across the globe, Taekwondo Canada said in a press release.
Rim was also key in the development of Poomsae in Canada and was responsible for the creation of the National Poomsae Training Program, and the development of a National Poomsae Referees Program.
He began his role Monday.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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