4th Dan (4th Degree) World Taekwondo Chungdokwan Federation Certified Black Belt
Started Taekwondo in:
2010
My favorite kick is:
Tornado Roundhouse or Reverse Sidekick
One of my favorite forms is:
I really enjoy all of the forms I know. Palgwe Pal Jang is one I enjoy because I like how it links different elements smoothly throughout the form.
One of the life lessons I’ve learned from Taekwondo is:
Going through the belt progressions as a colored belt and the progression tests as a 1st and 2nd Dan helped me to understand the skill of taking an intimidating goal or task and breaking it up into bite-sized pieces to accomplish it.
One of the things I love about helping other students is:
Knowing that martial arts teaches life lessons that extend far outside of the school walls.
One of the things I like about Miamitown Martial Arts is:
I love being able to combine ministry and martial arts to invest into others’ lives. It is a real joy to see that the whole school invests into each other in so many different ways. I believe this is what gives our school this “intangible” feeling of family that you get the instant you walk into class the first night or the 10th year.
My Story
I had played soccer for over 25 years. When the surfaces of the indoor soccer “fields” I was playing on took a toll on my shins my Orthopedic Dr. suggested trying a new sport to rehab before returning to soccer. A few years later, in August of 2010, I found out about Harrison Taekwondo from a flyer in the Harrison, OH 4th of July parade. I began coming to class with the goal of returning to the soccer field within 6 months. Two years later I found myself training for my 1st Degree Black Belt and I was active as an instructor for nearly a decade under Master Beckman.
Fast forward to 2019… During the first half of 2019 I took some time off to explore some back and hip issues that I had been experiencing. I discovered that degenerative disc disease had set in on a few of my discs causing pain and numbness. My doctor and I started putting together a maintenance plan. It was at this time that Master Beckman asked if I could cover class for two months as he worked a job detail out of town. The two month detail turned into a job offer for him and a good career move. He asked if I would take over Harrison Taekwondo. I agreed and so at the beginning of 2020 we moved Harrison Taekwondo from Harrison, OH to Miamitown, OH and renamed the school “Miamitown Martial Arts Ministry” as it became a ministry of Miamitown Church of Christ, the church where I have been serving as the Preaching Minister since 2005. I’m being careful with my back, but I believe this was a “God thing” and so I’m walking in faith. And the story continues…
