Moore named captain of combined martial arts team
ADRIAN MOORE was recently named captain of the 2017 Jamaica combined martial arts team, becoming the first graduate of the McKay Security Jamaica Taekwondo Association High School Martial Arts League to skipper the unit.
A former Jamaica College fighter, Moore takes over the reins from Nicholas Dusard, who is away studying in Trinidad. He is the third captain of the combined martial arts team, founded in 2001 by its first captain, now manager, Jason McKay.
“It’s really a great honour, and I am grateful to be the first graduate of the high-school programme to be named captain. I have had great mentors such as Olympian Kenneth Edwards, Nicholas Dusard, and Mr McKay himself, who sponsors the high-school programme,” said 25-year-old Moore.
“Coming out of that programme, it moulded me to be the person I am, being able to balance studies with training,” he added.
The highly successful combined martial arts team selects the best fighters based on points gained internationally and on the local-tournament circuit in addition to adding promising fighters as invitees each year end.
Moore has been a member of the squad for five years, senior only by former captain McKay, Dusard, and Edwards, who now resides overseas part time.
SUCCESSFUL TENURE
Dusard had an extremely successful tenure, leading the team to its greatest-ever achievement, winning the International Taekwondo Federation World Cup on home soil, Montego Bay 2014, despite being in the hot seat when Jamaica lost to New Zealand at Gold Cup 2016 in Orlando two years later.
McKay described Dusard’s tenure as “incredibly successful”.
“The Gold Cup is important and we have won it on numerous occasions, but he took Jamaica to a World Cup title, which we had never before achieved,” he pointed out.
The former captain said that Moore’s appointment was fitting, based on seniority.
“He is expected to do a fine job, though I would have liked to see Edwards as captain before he retires. It’s just that every time he is in line to be appointed, he is not available due to his international training schedule,” he said.