TAE KWON-DO: Sleaford instructor Pearce promoted with prestigious award

Sleaford martial arts Instructor Jill Pearce has been awarded promotion to seventh degree black-belt.
Ninth degree black belt David Oliver with Jill Pearce.Ninth degree black belt David Oliver with Jill Pearce.
Ninth degree black belt David Oliver with Jill Pearce.

The prestigious award recognises those who have given outstanding service to Tae Kwon-Do with a minumum of 31 years’ dedication to the sport.

At an awards ceremony in London last weekend, Jill received her certificate from grandmaster David Oliver, ninth degree black-belt, president of Tae Kwon-Do International.

Jill, 58, was commended for her hard work and devotion to the martial art by the Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain and it was mentioned during the event that she is only the second woman in Great Britain to achieve this award.

Grandmaster Oliver went on to add that Jill’s ethos of a Tae Kwon-Do class, structured to suit the student not the student to suit the teaching, is the main reason for her success as an instructor.

Jill said: “ I’m absolutely thrilled to attain this level and I hope I can offer a bit of inspiration to other women in what can be accomplished in martial arts.”

She still trains regularly with area chief instructor Malcolm Scholes, in Grantham, and travels throughout the world to gain knowledge and experience from the original pioneers of Tae Kwon-Do.

“The modern teaching methods emphasise the need to work with control and respect which means you can learn self defence without having to get hurt” said Jill. “Female athletes are aware of the benefits of Tae Kwon-Do and the way it can complement their other sports disciplines. It is not uncommon to find a class of 30 students completely full of women.

“I don’t want to just wear the title of seventh degree. I’m going to put it to good use and promote the sport to the whole community and have plans already in place to establish new classes in schools to endorse the advantages of the martial arts syllabus to school age children.”

Jill teaches in Sleaford every Tuesday and Thursday at Carre’s Grammar school and is planning to open a new school in Cranwell on Wednesdays at the village hall. The timetable on offer includes family sessions, women only classes and special early sessions for children over five years of age.

Anyone interested in further information about Tae Kwon-Do can contact Jill on 07496 012048 or email [email protected]

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