聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Kees Taekwondo will continue to hold martial arts lessons in Canora for all ages for the 20th year in a row.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Matthew Bodnaryk, head instructor for Tees Taekwondo in Yorkton, has been travelling to Canora to instruct students on taekwondo every Tuesday and Thursday at the Ukrainian Catholic Hall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 started in Yorkton, but wanted to take on a more important role in teaching in Canora,鈥� Bodnaryk said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Though he has been teaching for three years in Canora, Kees Taekwondo has been holding lessons in Canora since 1996, and takes in everyone from brand new students to trained black belts.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bodnaryk has been impressed with the large following the program has gained in Canora.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 started teaching with 12 students, and now we have just about 40 students from the age of five up to mid-20s.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Those who attend practices may also participate in belt tests, or in any number of the five tournaments Kees Taekwondo members attend every year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Regardless of how many tournaments Canora members compete in, the key messages of the lessons, in Bodnaryk鈥檚 opinion, are respect and dedication.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e want to teach students that hard work and dedication pays off, and that they should be respectful to not just others, but themselves.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he students gain self-esteem and confidence,鈥� Bodnaryk added.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 According to the Kees Taekwondo website, the programs are designed 鈥渢o meet children鈥檚 wants 鈥� fun, challenge, friends 鈥� and adults鈥� needs 鈥� fitness, focus, confidence, discipline, learning, leadership 鈥� and, of course, fun.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bodnaryk is most impressed with all of his students鈥� dedication to the program.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen the going gets tough, they don鈥檛 give up,鈥� he said.
