Coach's Guide to USA Taekwondo Youth and Cadet Sparring (Ages 10-14) 2026

This is set by USA Taekwondo's Modified Head Contact Rules, and no event may allow more head contact than they permit:

USATKD Grand Prix events and State and National Championships offer both Grass Roots and World Class Cadet black belt divisions. Cadet Team Trials always use full head contact.

No Head Contact: any kick that touches the head (anything above the collarbone, including the neck) draws a Gam-jeom.

Light Head Contact:

• A light head kick scores 3 points. "Light" means a touch to a tap, about 0.1 to 3 on a scale of 10, and that doesn't change with the athletes' age, size or rank.
• Signs of too much contact include the head snapping back or twisting, an audible thump, or injury. A kick like that draws a Gam-jeom and scores no points.

In both: if medical staff decide an athlete can't continue because of a head kick, the attacker is disqualified. Repeated careless or forceful attempts at the head, even without contact, can bring warnings, Gam-jeoms and disqualification.

Before entering the contest area, every athlete must wear USATKD-approved gear:

• Cloth or foam knee and elbow pads are allowed.
• When PSS is used, athletes wear sensing socks (and sensing gloves where the event uses them). The referee checks they work with a test kick before the match.
• USA Taekwondo can disallow any gear it finds unsafe or offensive.

Uniform (dobok):

• A white V-neck USATKD/WT dobok in good condition. Black pants are optional.
• Collar color: black belts wear a black collar. Poom rank (black belts 14 and under) can wear a black-and-red collar. Color belts must wear a white collar and can't wear a black one.
• No tape anywhere on the uniform.
• Belts: only WT/USATKD colors (black, poom black-and-red, red, blue, green, yellow). Striped belts are allowed.

Personal:

• Nails cut short. Clear or nude polish only.
• Long hair tied back securely and tucked inside the headgear.
• No metal or hard items: rings, necklaces, earrings, watches, bracelets, hair clips, and no glasses or sports goggles.
• Nothing on the head except the head protector, except an approved religious item worn under the head protector and inside the dobok.

Taping:

• Hands and feet can be taped for protection, using the least tape needed. All tape needs a stamp from tournament medical staff.
• No hard splints or casts. No tape under sensor socks unless USATKD medical staff approve it for an injury.
• Tape must come off for weigh-in.

Any violation must be fixed within one minute, or the athlete is disqualified.

• When: the day before the athlete competes. The time is in the event information packet.
• Attempts: each athlete gets two official weigh-ins within the weigh-in time. Practice scales that match the official one must be provided.
• What to wear: athletes 17 and under weigh in wearing athletic clothing, with no midriff showing. They can never weigh in in underwear or nude. There's a 0.2 kg allowance for the clothing.
• ID: ages 11 and under can show a passport, birth certificate, Social Security card, school ID, report card or school portal. Ages 12 and up can show a passport, driver's license, birth certificate, Social Security card or school ID.
• Weight limits are exact to 0.1 kg: "not exceeding 41 kg" allows up to 41.0 kg, and 41.1 kg is over. Failing weigh-in is a disqualification.
• Separate sites: boys and girls weigh in separately, with officials of the same gender.
• Random weigh-in (if the event announces it): on the morning of competition, a random sample (usually about 5%) is re-weighed. Selected athletes may weigh no more than 5% over their category limit, and get one attempt. Not showing up is a disqualification.
• Behavior: any irregular action by the athlete, coach or parent during weigh-in can get the athlete disqualified from the tournament.

Cadet (12-14) categories, World Class black belts: boys -33, -37, -41, -45, -49, -53, -57, -61, -65, +65 kg. Girls -29, -33, -37, -41, -44, -47, -51, -55, -59, +59 kg. Color belts and Youth (10-11, -30, -35, -40, +40 kg) have fewer, wider categories.

• Calling: each athlete's name is announced at the Athlete Calling Desk three times, starting 30 minutes before the scheduled contest. If they haven't reported after the third call, they're disqualified.
• Inspection: after reporting, athletes are inspected for body, uniform and protective equipment at the inspection desk (or by the referee at the ring if there's no desk). Any problem must be fixed within one minute, or the athlete is disqualified.
• Coach's Area: after inspection, the athlete goes to the Coach's Area with one certified coach, and can also bring one accredited doctor or physiotherapist.
• Start of the match: when the referee calls "Chung, Hong", the athlete must be in the Coach's Area fully dressed, with all protective equipment. If not, they're treated as withdrawn and the opponent wins.
• Entering the mat: athletes walk on with the head protector tucked under the left arm, bow to the opponent, then put it on.
• Brackets: the organizing committee publishes the list of registered athletes after registration closes, and the draw is done by computer or by hand. Participants are responsible for checking their entries before the draw, so check your athletes' entries. Weight classes next to each other can be combined to make a division.

USA Taekwondo can change the number of rounds, round length and rest periods for a particular event (for example, 2 rounds of 2 minutes). The event outline gives the format, including whether it's total score or best of three rounds.

The round ends when the referee calls "Keu-man" (stop) or the clock runs out, but a Gam-jeom can still be given for some actions after time expires.

Legal techniques: a straight punch with the knuckles of a tightly closed fist, and kicks with any part of the foot below the ankle bone. Punches and kicks can go to the trunk protector (not the spine). Only kicks can go to the head, and only where the division allows head contact.

Full Head Contact rules (2026):

Light Head Contact divisions: a light head kick scores 3 points, with no extra points for a turning kick to the head. Turning kicks to the trunk still score 4.

How points are counted:

• With the electronic scoring system (PSS), trunk and head kick points come from the sensors, which can be set to different levels by weight, gender and age group. The judges add the extra turning-kick points and score punches.
• A back kick only counts as a turning kick if the head and shoulders rotate.
• Without the electronic system, judges score everything, and most judges must agree for a point to count (2 of 3, or both of 2).

Each Gam-jeom gives the opponent 1 point. A Gam-jeom for passive behavior (crossing the line, falling down, or running away or avoiding) in the last 10 seconds of a round gives the opponent 2 points. Any points scored with the prohibited act are cancelled.

Prohibited acts:

• Crossing the boundary line with any part of the foot (not if the opponent's foul pushed them out)
• Falling down (not if caused by the opponent's foul, a mutual collision, or straight after scoring with a turning kick)
• Avoiding or delaying: stalling, turning the back to run away, crouching or ducking below the waist to avoid kicks, pretending to be injured, or stopping the match to adjust protective gear. If neither athlete engages for 3 seconds after the referee's "Gong-gyeok" (attack) command, both get a Gam-jeom, or only the one who backed away.
• Grabbing, or pushing for longer than one quick push, pushing the opponent out, or pushing to stop them kicking
• Leg blocking and cut kicks: lifting the leg to block, kicking the opponent's leg to stop a kick, lifting the leg or kicking in the air more than 3 times or for more than 3 seconds to impede attacks
• Kicking below the waist
• Attacking after "Kal-yeo" (break)
• Hitting the head with the hand
• Butting or kneeing
• Attacking a fallen opponent
• In a clinch: hitting the trunk with the side or sole of the foot, or hitting the back of the head
• Misconduct by the athlete or coach

Head kicks draw a Gam-jeom in No Head Contact divisions, and in Light Head Contact divisions when the kick is more than light.

Events use either total score over three rounds or best of three rounds (the event outline says which).

Total-score format:

• The higher three-round total wins.
• Point gap: a 20-point lead at the end of round 2, or at any time in round 3, ends the match.
• Golden round: if it's tied after three rounds, a fourth round of 1 minute is fought and the earlier scores are wiped. The first athlete to score 2 points, or whose opponent gets 2 Gam-jeoms, wins. If neither happens, superiority decides it: first a punch point in the golden round, then more hits registered by the scoring system, then more rounds won, then fewer Gam-jeoms over all four rounds, and finally the officials' decision.

Best-of-three format:

• Each round is won separately, and winning two rounds wins the match.
• A 15-point lead in a round ends that round.
• 5 Gam-jeoms in a round lose that round.
• A tied round goes to: the most points from turning or spinning kicks, then points from higher-value techniques (head, then trunk, then punch, then Gam-jeom), then more registered hits, then the officials' decision.

In both formats: 10 Gam-jeoms lose the match (Referee's Punitive Declaration). A match can also end by Referee Stops Contest, withdrawal or disqualification.

Knockdown (from a legal scoring technique):

• The referee calls "Kal-yeo" (break), sends the attacker away and counts aloud from 1 to 10.
• Even if the athlete gets up straight away, the referee must count to 8 ("Yeo-dul") before restarting. Your athlete shows they want to continue by raising clenched fists in a fighting stance several times.
• If they can't show they're ready by the count of 8, or the referee decides they can't go on, the opponent wins by Referee Stops Contest (RSC).
• In No Head Contact and Light Head Contact divisions, the referee never counts after a kick to the head. A head kick strong enough to need a count is treated as excessive contact and penalized.

Injury time-out:

• The referee calls "Kye-shi" and allows 1 minute of first aid (the commission doctor can ask for up to 2 minutes).
• If the athlete can't continue after that, the opponent wins. If the injury came from a prohibited act that drew a Gam-jeom, the athlete who caused it loses.
• If the referee judges the pain is only from a bruise, they order "stand up". Refusing three times ends the match by RSC.
• Broken bones, dislocations, sprained ankles and bleeding qualify for first-aid time.

Head contact divisions: in No Head Contact or Light Head Contact divisions, if medical staff decide an athlete can't continue because of an illegal head kick, the attacker is disqualified. If you or your athlete choose not to continue after medical staff clear them, it counts as a withdrawal (a loss). Being too scared or upset to continue after a head kick isn't grounds to disqualify the attacker.

USA Taekwondo sets mandatory time out of competition for athletes Cadet age (12-14) and younger:

• An athlete who is knocked out, loses consciousness for any length of time, or doesn't pass all neurological tests by USATKD sports medicine staff within 20 minutes of the head contact:
  • can't continue that day
  • is out for 50 days
• A second concussion within 90 days: 90-day suspension. A third within 180 days: 180-day suspension.
• Any athlete who can't continue a match because of a serious injury (to any part of the body) can't compete for 30 days unless a USATKD-designated doctor certifies they've recovered.
• An athlete hit in the head hard enough to need medical staff must stay under observation for at least 20 minutes.
• Before returning, the athlete must be checked by their own doctor and show a written release. No activity at all (running, weights, taekwondo) until every symptom has cleared.

In No Head Contact and Light Head Contact divisions: if a hard head kick leaves an athlete unable to continue, the athlete can't compete in any more sparring that day and must have a full concussion assessment. They're out of sparring for 50 days (14 and under) unless fully cleared, and need clearance from a USATKD-designated concussion specialist before returning.

Most states also have youth concussion laws that set their own return-to-play steps.

Instant Video Replay (IVR), where available:

• You get one IVR appeal per contest, made by raising your blue or red card. If the appeal succeeds, you keep it. The Technical Delegate can set a different number for a particular event.
• Once you raise the card, the appeal counts as used. The referee asks you why, and the Review Jury decides within 30 seconds. Its decision is final.
• The review covers only one action that happened within 5 seconds of your request.
• You can challenge:
  • penalties against the opponent for falling down, crossing the boundary line, attacking after "Kal-yeo" or attacking a fallen opponent
  • technical points (for example, turning-kick points)
  • any penalty against your own athlete
  • the referee forgetting to cancel points after a Gam-jeom
  • a judge giving a punch to the wrong athlete
  • an unscored head kick, but only when electronic head scoring isn't in use
• You can't challenge points the electronic system (PSS) scored or didn't score for punches or kicks to the trunk, or kicks on an electronic head protector.

Technical card: this is separate from IVR. Use it for timing errors, a PSS malfunction, points not cancelled after a Gam-jeom, or the operator entering a decision wrongly. If the Review Jury finds nothing wrong, your athlete gets a Gam-jeom. Either way, you get the card back.

After the match (when there's no IVR, or for rule issues): the certified coach can file a written protest within 10 minutes of the contest, with a non-refundable fee. The Competition Supervisory Board decides by majority vote, video isn't accepted as evidence, and its decision is final.

Your behavior can cost your athlete points. The referee gives your athlete a Gam-jeom (a 1-point deduction that goes to the opponent) for coach or athlete misconduct, including:

• not following the referee's commands or decisions
• protesting officials' decisions inappropriately
• trying to disturb or influence the outcome of the match
• provoking or insulting the opposing athlete or coach
• an unaccredited doctor or other team official sitting in the doctor's seat
• any other serious misconduct or unsportsmanlike behavior

For excessive misconduct, or refusing the referee's commands, the referee can give a Gam-jeom and raise a Yellow Card. That sends the matter to the Extraordinary Sanctions Committee, which can sanction the coach or athlete.

Other rules for coaches:

• Only one certified coach (plus one accredited doctor or physiotherapist) goes to the Coach's Area with the athlete.
• Throwing the towel into the ring forfeits the match (the opponent wins by withdrawal).
• Tampering with the electronic scoring system (PSS), or trying to change its sensitivity, gets the athlete disqualified.