This month we have the opportunity to talk to Michael Muleta, who is currently hosting and organising the World Junior ITF Championships in Australia in September this year. He is very high up in the ranks of Australian Taekwon-Do and along with these responsibilities; he is an international instructor, an international referee and runs a successful group of schools across Australia called Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do. Phew!
Fortunately for us at Martial Edge, Mr Muleta gave us some time to share with us his wealth of experience and provided us with an excellent insight into Australian Taekwondo.
Martial Edge: Can you tell us about the World Junior Championships that are being held this year? When and where are they being held? How are the preparations going?
Michael Muleta: The 8th ITF Junior World Championships will be held in Geelong, Victoria –AUSTRALIA from September 14th – 17th 2006. Preparations are going well, and we anticipate a very successful and well run International event. We have confirmation from 25 countries, and anticipate some more in the coming weeks. The 5th Australasian Championships immediately follows the World Championships on the next day, in the same venue.
Martial Edge: How important is that young people are involved in martial arts? How do you feel they benefit?
Michael Muleta: I think the major benefit for young people in martial arts is the development of personal character, self discipline and an awareness of responsible social behaviour. Naturally, the physical aspects of fitness and self defence skills are important in today’s society, along with healthy competition and sporting endeavour, but I think these are often over-emphasized at the expense of the development of Moral Culture.
Martial Edge: Congratulations on receiving the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, how did you feel getting this lifetime achievement award?
Michael Muleta: Obviously receiving anything coming from the Prime Minister’s office, on behalf of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is a great honour. A few of them were handed out to commemorate the millennium, although I don’t think too many went to Taekwondo people. Hopefully, it’s only a half-lifetime achievement award; I like to think I’ve got a bit of a way to go yet.
Martial Edge: How much do martial arts play a part in Australian sport and culture?
Michael Muleta: Whilst we have many martial arts styles and schools throughout Australia, I don’t think it has a major sports profile or profound influence on Australian culture. Taekwondo, in its various versions, is the most widely practiced martial art in Australia, closely followed by Karate. Compared to some of the countries I visit, Australians are spoiled for choice in sports and our climate offers many outdoor options, distractions.
Martial Edge: How would you like to see Australian Taekwondo develop?
Michael Muleta: I would like to see the Australian Government expand the Peak National Organization to include all Taekwondo practitioners, not merely a particular faction or alliance. Not just for Olympic selection eligibility, but for more equity it terms of recognition, funding and status. I think sometimes, senior instructors become too engrossed and infatuated with what happens at International levels where they should focus their priority on the national domestic set-up.
Martial Edge: How did you first become involved in Taekwon-Do?
Michael Muleta: Like most Aussies of my generation, I was brought up from a very young age playing Australian Rules football in winter and cricket in summer. I started playing competitive sport from about 9 years. Around 16, when I moved up into senior sport ranks, I found it was getting very rough, at times violent, and I had better learn to hold my ground. I was moderately talented, playing club ‘A’ grade, but don’t think I was going to be elite in either sport. I started boxing training initially, without the view of competing, after a couple of years I was introduced to a Taekwon-do instructor. I went down and tried out, and the rest is history. I had no specific interest in Taekwondo beforehand. Ironically, after a year or so, I gave up senior Football and Cricket for Taekwondo.
One thing I am grateful for is having the opportunity to train with the Founder, General Choi Hong Hi on 9 occasions. That opportunity is lost on today’s younger students. - Michael Muleta on ITF Taekwondo
Martial Edge: What was it about Taekwondo that gripped you?
Michael Muleta: I think, coming from a sporting background, and being a Physical Education student at University, I was attracted to the intensity of the training. The sessions in the early days were very demanding, and I found it fulfilled a desire I had to engage in something intense, particularly having given up my contact sports. Through lack of opportunity, I did not get involved in competition until I was 2nd Degree Black Belt, in hindsight I would like to have had the opportunity sooner, although at the time it didn’t faze me. I also worked my way through University in the nightclub security industry and trained in Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo simultaneously, under 2 different instructors, during those years.
Martial Edge: Now you are such a high rank, what keeps you continually motivated?
Michael Muleta: My motivation now is more on the development of Taekwondo, not just my own schools, but also on a National level, in my role as National Organization President. I enjoy seeing students kick goals in Taekwondo and become good ambassadors for the art. I get excited by new challenges and opportunities to put things right, or break new ground.
Martial Edge: Which achievements are you most pleased with so far?
Michael Muleta: I think the ability to bring direction and structure to a National Organization previously riddled with corruption and incompetence has been a constant challenge and often a thankless task. Securing the 2006 World Championships for Australia has created many opportunities for our Juniors here, and created a real buzz among the troops. Using my Taekwondo influence and profile to help Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka through raising of funds and personally visiting on a quarterly basis to provide aid. Re-establishing ITF in Sri Lanka as a charitable organization, to assist refugee camps and orphanages.My own competition record (7 National Black Belt Championships and World Championships competitor) is something I am reasonably proud of given I had no regular coach or instructor from the time I started competing, considered myself to have limited ability, and was a late starter on the competition front.The success of my schools, Thoroughbred Taekwondo, in becoming Australia’s most successful ITF school over a consistently long period of time, when early sceptics had earmarked me for failure, is something I am proud of.
Martial Edge: You are involved with a lot of organisation for Australian Taekwondo, how do you incorporate your training within this?
Michael Muleta: Honestly, training does suffer compared to when I was a student, or a sole club operator. Currently, I am President of the National ITF Organization, have a chain of almost 30 schools that I service as an Examiner and Chief Instructor, am the National Director of Tournaments and Umpiring, working a full-time position as the Director of Health and Phys Ed in a large Melbourne Grammar school, run my own merchandise company, and work as a Sports Coaching and Fitness consultant and lecturer – so that often doesn’t leave many hours in the day for training – I squeeze in the odd session when and where I can, in between trying to spend some quality time with my wife and 3 kids. I am interstate almost every weekend and overseas 3-4 times per year. I often get envious of instructors who have plenty of time on their hands to maintain their training to a high level – however, these guys often make little or no positive contribution to Taekwon-Do at the administrative level. I think once you become a higher rank, you have some obligation to put something back, and unfortunately sometimes that comes at the expense of your own training, to a degree.
Martial Edge: You also run a successful group of Taekwondo schools across Australia, how does being an instructor benefit your own Taekwondo?
Michael Muleta: My knowledge of Taekwondo increases the more people and places I teach, even where physical attributes sometimes wane due to the factors I mentioned previously. People often say you improve from teaching, that is only true if you are extending your knowledge and constantly researching your art (and others) rather than just rehashing what your instructor taught you.
Martial Edge: You are an international instructor, what does this involve? Have you taught abroad? Where?
Michael Muleta: ITF requirements for International Instructor are a minimum of 4th degree Black belt, and the completion of an International Instructor’s Course. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend about 12 International Courses, by choice, as I always feel you pick up something new, and like to take advantage of the opportunity to just be a student for a few days. One thing I am grateful for is having the opportunity to train with the Founder, General Choi Hong Hi on 9 occasions. That opportunity is lost on today’s younger students.I think the requirements for International Instructor are too easy, and should be competency based, not merely attendance and cash based. I think, at a minimum, an International Instructor should have some form of relevant formal qualification, such as a diploma in teaching, sports coaching, fitness or some related field, in addition to being assessed on their ability to teach Taekwon-Do at an advanced level.A lot of instructors hide behind their stripes.I’ve been involved in some form of Taekwondo in over 20 countries. Most recently I have taught seminars in Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa, USA and New Zealand. I am considering invitations from Nepal, Algeria and Nigeria at the moment.
Martial Edge: What do you enjoy about refereeing, are there any matches you’ve really enjoyed, or any you haven’t?
Michael Muleta: I really do enjoy refereeing, particularly in the sheep stations divisions, with senior black belts. World Championships bouts really create an adrenalin rush, almost matched by being a competitor, without the risk of getting KO’d.My favourite bout was refereeing Rua Kaiou (NZ) vs Neil Franks (Sth Africa) in 1995 – they were both very senior, very close personal friends of mine, and very competent warriors, who fought twice on the same day – once in team and once in Individual for a 1-all result. It had everything. I was fortunate to referee both these bouts, and never forget the skill and spirit these guys showed. I souvenired one of the blood stained ring-mats.I think it was some All-Blacks vs Springboks vendetta spilled over.It was one day I was happy to be a referee and not a competitor. The bouts I don’t like to referee are where people just resort to brute force and aggression, with little or no technique or finesse about them.
Martial Edge: Have you ever competed or taught Taekwondo in the UK? How were your experiences?
Michael Muleta: I have been to London twice, for short periods, and struggled to find schools there. I am sure there are many, though. I haven’t had the chance to train or teach there, but I do have a student who currently runs a school in the UK, having moved from Oz last year.My mum is Irish, and I have a couple of Irish TKD friends who have trained with me in Oz, and have since gone back, that I would love to get across and train with again.I will be back in 2007 for the next ITF Senior World Championships.
Martial Edge: What are your goals for the future, what else would you like to achieve in the world of Taekwon-Do?
Michael Muleta: Short term, I want these World Championships to be memorable and regarded as one of the best organized ITF International events they have seen.
Longer term, I would really like to become more closely involved in the ITF parent body administration and feel I have a lot to offer, and could help it become more efficient and progressive.I would like to pass my schools, in a successful condition, on to my senior students and retire gracefully, knowing I made a positive contribution and changed some lives for the better, and with the respect of my peers.
Interviews 
This month we have the opportunity to talk to Michael Muleta, who is currently hosting and organising the World Junior ITF Championships in Australia in September this year. He is very high up in the ranks of Australian Taekwon-Do and along with these responsibilities; he is an international instructor, an international referee and runs a successful group of schools across Australia called Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do. Phew! 
Michael Muleta: The 8th ITF Junior World Championships will be held in Geelong, Victoria –AUSTRALIA from September 14th – 17th 2006. Preparations are going well, and we anticipate a very successful and well run International event. We have confirmation from 25 countries, and anticipate some more in the coming weeks. The 5th Australasian Championships immediately follows the World Championships on the next day, in the same venue. 
profile to help Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka through raising of funds and personally visiting on a quarterly basis to provide aid. Re-establishing ITF in Sri Lanka as a charitable organization, to assist refugee camps and orphanages.My own competition record (7 National Black Belt Championships and World Championships competitor) is something I am reasonably proud of given I had no regular coach or instructor from the time I started competing, considered myself to have limited ability, and was a late starter on the competition front.The success of my schools, Thoroughbred Taekwondo, in becoming Australia’s most successful ITF school over a consistently long period of time, when early sceptics had earmarked me for failure, is something I am proud of. 
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