2018 AAU Taekwondo Nationals - Weigh-In Updates
05/22/2018
Most athletes, coaches and officials are well aware that the USAT and AAU National Championships have provided somewhat of a conflict for many, many years—all too often forcing some of these athletes to have to choose which of these two events to attend.
Most athletes, coaches and officials are well aware that the USAT and AAU National Championships have provided somewhat of a conflict for many, many years—all too often forcing some of these athletes to have to choose which of these two events to attend. And for much of this time each organization has managed to somehow work around this conflict in scheduling. This year the conflict is causing even more concern than normal within the Cadet and Junior Black Belt athletes (and their families) wishing to participate in both.
In a demonstration of our desire to ‘do as much as we can’ to alleviate this stress, the AAU Taekwondo Program will extend the weigh-in times on Wednesday, July 4th for those athletes competing in Utah from 3 PM to 5 PM. These athletes must bring their USAT credentials to the weigh-in to clearly demonstrate that they did in fact compete at the USAT nationals.
Additionally, for those Juniors competing at USAT on Wednesday and attempting to compete with AAU on Thursday, we will be allowing those athletes to weigh-in on Thursday morning between the hours of 8 AM and 9 AM. This will be a one shot deal—if you can’t make weight on your first try you will be DQ’d (unable to move to another division). Again, these athletes will need to present their USAT credentials at this special early morning weigh-in.
The time to end this conflict in scheduling is upon us. Mike Friello, National Chair for AAU Taekwondo, has offered the USAT CEO, Steve McNally the opportunity to alternate the desired week of the 4th of July! Because USAT has already announced their 2019 dates, the AAU is willing to take the lead on this by changing its already contracted, but not yet announced, dates for next year. In 2020 the AAU would return to the week of the 4th and USAT would book another week. We are now awaiting a firm commitment on USAT’s part to agree to these scheduling changes.
This should benefit all parties involved but is primarily designed to benefit the many wonderful athletes and coaches who have scrambled for years to attend both events. Doing so should increase national participation numbers for both organizations and make everyone’s competitive experience that much easier and less stressful.
#WeAreAAUTKD
In a demonstration of our desire to ‘do as much as we can’ to alleviate this stress, the AAU Taekwondo Program will extend the weigh-in times on Wednesday, July 4th for those athletes competing in Utah from 3 PM to 5 PM. These athletes must bring their USAT credentials to the weigh-in to clearly demonstrate that they did in fact compete at the USAT nationals.
Additionally, for those Juniors competing at USAT on Wednesday and attempting to compete with AAU on Thursday, we will be allowing those athletes to weigh-in on Thursday morning between the hours of 8 AM and 9 AM. This will be a one shot deal—if you can’t make weight on your first try you will be DQ’d (unable to move to another division). Again, these athletes will need to present their USAT credentials at this special early morning weigh-in.
The time to end this conflict in scheduling is upon us. Mike Friello, National Chair for AAU Taekwondo, has offered the USAT CEO, Steve McNally the opportunity to alternate the desired week of the 4th of July! Because USAT has already announced their 2019 dates, the AAU is willing to take the lead on this by changing its already contracted, but not yet announced, dates for next year. In 2020 the AAU would return to the week of the 4th and USAT would book another week. We are now awaiting a firm commitment on USAT’s part to agree to these scheduling changes.
This should benefit all parties involved but is primarily designed to benefit the many wonderful athletes and coaches who have scrambled for years to attend both events. Doing so should increase national participation numbers for both organizations and make everyone’s competitive experience that much easier and less stressful.
#WeAreAAUTKD
Email
Print
