Viking_Yearbook_91

• • • • • Above: Two opponants practice their Tae Kwon Do. T he Soccer Club competes at the Port– land Indoor Soccer Center year round against other club teams in Oregon. Their team is co-ed, although presently there are more men than women in the program. The group is more competitive than recre– ational. "(The club) gives people the opportunity to play who have some experience," said Vicky Reid, Soccer Club president. Reid said she realizes there are many soccer players at PSU who don't play anymore. She is concerned with trying to reach these people. "The club is getting larger, but there are a lot of soccer players who don't know about it," Reid said. One of Reid's plans for the club include a men's outdoor soccer team. "In indoor soccer there are only five or six players on the field from each team. In outdoor soccer eleven players can be on the field at once," said Reid. Members play the game because they enjoy it. "It's awe ome. It's hard to explain. I love it, that's all there is. I didn't expect to play this much. I will play as long as I can- as long as my body ·~ stays in one piece," said Jeff Abbott club member. • • • Michelle Keeseker Student Activities/Club Sports ••••••••••••• • P SU's Tae Kwan Do Club is the biggest club in Oregon and this year hosted the Northwest collegiate champi- onships. Tae Kwan Do, a Korean form of karate, de– pends on kicks as its fighting method. "It's simi– lar to kick boxing. We wear head gear, chest protectors, shin pads, and forearm pads. In Tae Kwon Do, your weapon is leg kicking. There are spin kicks, wheel kicks, back kicks, high kicks to the head. This is full contact fighting," said Ted Nelson, TaeKwonDo club president. PSU's club is mostly competition-oriented with both individual and team fighting. The club hosted two tournaments at PSU, besides the Northwest championships. One was held in fall and the other in spring. People come from as far away as Canada to compete. "The club gets bigger every year and our budget grows. As long as you have more money, you attract more people," said Nelson. The 1991 U.S. National Competition will be held at the Convention Center in Portland. "The club will help get that tournament go– ing and set up," said Nelson. "Right now every– one's training hard for nationals. People are try– ing to promote quickly to get their red belt to get to nationals," To become involved in TaeKwonDo, "it's best to start by taking a beginning class. That' the way I did it. I got addicted to it," said Nel– son. A different attitude pervades this sport. "You don't press beginner. Advanced people don't take on beginners. You respect other's abilities and try to work with them. [Tae Kwon Do] rotates around respect. Everyone respects everyone else for the ability they have," said member Tom Jensen. • • • Michelle Keeseker