A relaxing family vacation in Maui included time on the mat for Westlock Taekwondo Club owner Sabine Goller who was one of two referees at the 14th annual 2018 Maui Open Taekwondo Championship held Dec. 8.
A fifth-degree black belt, Goller is also certified to oversee matches in Canada and has been pursuing her international accreditation. She was asked to help out at the tournament after her teacher, master Linda Kwan suggested she volunteer.
“My husband and I were going to take two weeks, then my mentor told me about how they had a tournament,” said Goller. “So I contacted them and while I’m not an international referee yet, they said they would welcome me to come referee their tournament.
“The reception was awesome. They had kids from all the different islands of Hawaii.”
Held at the Lahaina Civic Center, the Maui Open featured divisions for all ages and levels and included 160 competitors.
Although primarily a local event, it has attracted athletes from around the globe over the past decade including teams from Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Canada, Philippines, India, Nigeria, Australia and the mainland U.S.
The experience was worth it as Goller saw things as a ref she would not see as an instructor, competitor or coach.
“I’ve been a referee for many years, but to be able to see it from that side is totally different. Coaches try to give their competitors the edge and see how far they can go before they are called on an illegal move,” she said.
“For example, you can push, but not out of the ring. So you might push your opponent, then kick them as they’re moving out. Then your competitor gets a penalty, which is one point taken off.
“Also, you can push them so they fall over. If they fall over, they get a full-point penalty as well. They’re really sneaky.”
She enjoyed the opportunity to wear a different uniform, too.
“The referee uniform here in Canada is black pants, with a white dress shirt and a tie, with a black blazer and taekwondo shoes. They’re very precise on it,” she said. “But in Hawaii they wear an aloha shirt.”
Following the hectic day, Goller went on to enjoy her vacation, though she noted Maui is not for the shallow pocketed.
“Two weeks, no rain, nothing under 25 degrees, didn’t have to get up to go to work, how could you ask for anything more?” she said with a laugh.
“It’s an awesome place but it is very expensive. The food is almost double what it is here. If you go to a restaurant, you’re spending at least $25 per person and that’s a cheap place.”
Now back home, Goller is preparing for more tournaments, though in a more traditional capacity. First the club will head to Whitecourt at the end of January for a tournament, then hitting a Red Deer tournament Feb. 9, with an Edmonton appearance the following week, while the Westlock Taekwondo Club will host its tournament March 16.
