AAU TAEKWONDO PROGRAM ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS

12/18/2017


National Sport Chair, Mike Friello, announced today two new major appointments within the National Program; both revolving around the National AAU Taekwondo Official’s Program.

National Sport Chair, Mike Friello, announced today two new major appointments within the National Program; both revolving around the National AAU Taekwondo Official’s Program.  Effective immediately, Master Larry Beach of Concord, NC has been promoted to National Chief Referee for the Program.  Master Beach is one of the longest tenured officials within the Program having joined the ranks of AAU Officials in 1995.

“In those 22 years, Master Beach has distinguished himself as one of our best, if not the best, national officials within the Program.  I can’t remember a year in which Larry was not present and leading the official’s corps at our National Championship.  In addition to his national work, Master Beach continues to work a great many of our State/District Championships including New Jersey, Virginia, Potomac Valley, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Southeastern as well as many more that I’m sure I’ve missed,” says Mr. Friello.

We are extremely fortunate to have Master Beach with us and even more grateful that he has continued to support the Program following his formal work retirement which occurred this past year.  Once of Master Beach’s first assignments will be assisting with a National Clinic Administrator’s Certification course in Dallas, TX early next month which is being hosted in conjunction with the annual AAU National Team Training Weekend.

Additionally, Master Friello has appointed Master Chuong Pham to the position of AAU Taekwondo Educational Chair International Taekwondo Liaison.  In this context, Master Pham will serve as our intermediary with the International Taekwondo community such as the WT and PATU.  In doing so, Master Pham will keep the AAU Taekwondo Program fully up to date on the WT Rules and interpretations of those rules which seem to be changing even more often than annually.  Master Pham will also serve the Program in helping us to develop and maintain our working relationship with the entire International community of Taekwondo Unions throughout the world and assisting our new Chief Referee in developing new training courses and policies.

“Master Pham, as our former National Chief Referee, did more to help AAU Taekwondo develop its referee corps over several years than any one individual person.  He has almost single-handedly raised the quality and performance of our National Officials to the high level that we see today” said Mr. Friello.  Most recently Master Pham served as Chief Referee at our AAU Taekwondo Team Trials in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  And in that position he was responsible for soliciting the help of a great number of International Referees who comprised more than half the official’s corps at this event.  Many of the coaches and National Officials at Trials indicated personally to Mr. Friello that this was indeed the best Team Trails event ever hosted and by the far the best officiated.

“Together, I have no doubt that Masters Beach and Pham will develop those training programs that will help us reach the next level of professionalism and quality within our Official’s Corps and ultimately benefit all coaches and athletes within the Program.”