Beyond the Black Belt: Professional Competencies Required for Taekwondo Teaching
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56200/mentor.v5i3.13063Keywords:
Taekwondo, coach, childhood, adolescence, professional trainingAbstract
The teaching of taekwondo to children is often associated with the technical mastery certified by the black belt; however, current demands in sports training, developmental growth, and the comprehensive protection of children require professional competencies that go beyond traditional technical certification. The aim of this study was to critically analyze the professional competencies required for teaching taekwondo to children and adolescents. A critical narrative review of scientific and normative literature was conducted, focusing on youth sports training, coach education, developmental growth, pedagogy, psychology, and child protection within the context of formative taekwondo. The findings revealed that teaching taekwondo during formative stages requires scientific, pedagogical, psychological, and legal competencies that complement technical expertise. Although sports certifications validate discipline-specific knowledge, they do not guarantee sufficient preparation to plan, teach, protect, and effectively support the holistic development of children and adolescents. It is concluded that teaching taekwondo to young practitioners constitutes a multidimensional professional responsibility that requires the integration of scientific, pedagogical, psychological, and ethical knowledge, moving beyond an approach based solely on technical sports accreditation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Richar Jacobo Posso-Pacheco , Miguel Ángel Pavón Flores

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