TaeKwon-Do -- it's the art of kicking and punching.
The sport has been around Estevan for close to 40 years. However, according to Master Wayne Brown, it's much more than just a physical activity. “It’s a traditional art, so it’s basically teaching a mental and physical discipline.”
Brown is a 7th-degree master and head instructor for Estevan TaeKwon-Do. He described the discipline as a ranked system, starting with white belts and advancing to black belts and beyond to degrees, culminating in a 9th-degree grandmaster. The Estevan aeKwon-Do Club teaches the traditional style of TaeKwon-Do from the Global T TaeKwon-DoFederation.
“The benefits are many. Let’s say if we’re going to teach someone how to protect themselves—self-defense, all the different athletic skills and physical skills—we want to make sure the mind is being taught at the same time to ensure that the student, the practitioner, is using the skill in the proper manner, and only in self-defense.”
Taekwondo emphasizes not only physical fitness but also mental development. The tenets recited at every class—courtesy, integrity, self-control, indomitable spirit, and perseverance—serve as the foundation for this mental discipline.
“Courtesy teaches students to be respectful, to be tolerant, to mind proper protocol and manners; integrity involves accountability, responsibility, honesty, and morals,” Brown explained. “Self-control is all about discipline, being focused, and goal-setting. The spirit kind of encompasses all of those. I think the biggest thing they take away is confidence, courage, determination, kind of a warrior spirit, a strong work attitude and ethic, and the biggest thing is exceeding self-limitations or expectations because you have to practice.”
Brown also clarified that the TaeKwon-Do practiced at the Olympics is from the World TaeKwon-Do Federation, whereas the Estevan Taekwondo Centre teaches techniques from the Global TaeKwon-DoFederation. “It’s only used in self-defense and never to be aggressive,” he emphasized.
TaeKwon-Do offers opportunities for both competitive and non-competitive participation. The Estevan TaeKwon-Do Club has competed internationally, including in Scotland and Toronto, with plans to compete in Greece in July 2025. Brown summed it up by saying, “It’s not easy, but it’s worthwhile, I can put it that way.”