‘Children have kept me sane with online lockdown lessons’
TAEKWONDO MASTER HAS HELD HUNDREDS OF HOME SESSIONS
IN MARCH 2020, thousands of sports activities were placed on hold while the nation went into lockdown.
This included Master John Webster’s Taekwondo classes held in The Curve centre, in North Kensington, for children as young as four years old.
Around 200 children a week attended the Taekwondo classes before the pandemic, and when lockdown came Master Webster said it was their motivation to learn that encouraged him to take the sessions online.
Throughout the pandemic he has now completed almost 1,500 online training sessions, holding as many as seven in one day.
“To be honest, the kids at The Curve’s rate of accelerated learning was brilliant – within a year they were already winning trophies that would usually take two years,” Master Webster said.
“They just had a desire and dedication so that warranted having more sessions.
“Initially when the kids did it it was a bit strange, but after that they get used to it.”
Master Webster, who has coached two-time British Olympic medallist Lutalo Muhammad, said the sessions also gave the children social contact in a time where they could not see friends or school teachers.
Master Webster currently carries out four sessions a day, seven days a week – and more during half-term – for children as young as four, also holding sessions for older advanced students, his oldest being 76-years-old.
Even with more than 50 years of Taekwondo experience, Master Webster, who is the coach for the New Zealand Taekwondo team, said online sessions still came with their challenges.
He said: “The most challenging part was there’s certain things you just can’t do. We had to modify what we’re doing.
“Taekwondo is quite a physical sport. We’ve had to make it a little bit more specific, look at their speed, agility, quickness, set them targets.”
Through the pandemic, Master Websters students have still participated in competitions online, where some have won gold.
Because of his efforts through the pandemic to deliver the sessions, Master Webster has been recognised for an award from the Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea.
Master Webster said: “It’s nice to be recognised by your peers or the parents.
“It’s nice, but its the kids that drive you forward. If it wasn’t for those kids, I wouldn’t be able to survive a lockdown watching Netflix. They’re keeping me sane.
“If I could give this award to the kids and the parents, I’d give it to them, they deserve it more.”
On average, Master Webster is seeing 20 children a day attend his sessions, with new students still joining.