The Enugu State Taekwondo Association has said learning the sport is good for child upbringing, having diverse physical, mental and emotional benefits, including enhancing personal security.

According to it, it also aids strategic leadership direction in life, mental development, increases self-esteem, focus, confidence and self-discipline, among others.

The Chairman of Enugu State Taekwondo Association, Ebere Amaraizu made the assertion while speaking in Enugu on the Second Half Programme for Enugu State Taekwondo School.

He said that taekwondo remained a sport formulated with a high level of discipline and culture of respect for self, upper belt graders and authorities within the sports.

The chairman said that the sport also involved high level mediation, quietness and listening, which are necessary to build the cognitive mindset of a child in order to reason or brainstorm issues deeply.

According to him, being a sport with a high level of physical and mental focus, a child will imbibe the tenets of being focused, intentional and directional in all he or she does growing up.

On the programme, Mr Amaraizu said that the association wants to deepen its partnership for speedy implementation of its programme for Enugu State Taekwondo School.

He maintained that the programme would take the school into full-scale partnership with relevant non-governmental organisations and governmental organisations including well-meaning stakeholders.

Mr Amaraizu, who disclosed that part of the programme would be maintaining a good taekwondo training ground at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu and getting more training facilities, appreciated Taekwondo Grandmaster, Dennis Ani, and his coaching team for their coaching and mentoring efforts.

He added, “Taekwondo is a sport for child development and strategic leadership owing to its tenets which include perseverance, integrity, courtesy, self control, indomitable spirit and respect among others. Our taekwondo school shall be partnering with Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness foundation. This will be for positive emotions, resilient mindset and mental health interface to keep the mind set in proper shape, and to help scale up their cognitive, affective and psychomotor abilities for a greater society. It will help the school to keep up with the pace of the multi-sports activities framework which is also championed by Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation. We are also going to partner with Rangers International Football Club Foundation Enugu for other developmental resources.’’

Mr Amaraizu noted that child development required a lot and assured that the association was scaling up their programme and deepening partnerships to achieve great goals.

(NAN)