Why I started Taekwondo ...

I started Taekwondo for several reasons. To explain fully, I need to share a little background.

I first began Taekwondo in 1977, when I was 15 years old. I had always been curious about the martial arts, but truthfully, I only attended my first class because a friend had a coupon and invited me to tag along. At the time, I had a history of being passive, which unfortunately made me an easy target for bullies.

From the moment I stepped into my first Taekwondo class, I felt empowered. As I progressed through the ranks, I developed a sense of confidence for the first time in my life — and it clearly showed at school. On two occasions, bullies tested me, and let's just say they quickly learned that my newfound confidence was forged through real training. After that, they never bothered me again.

Fast forward to 2019: with my children grown, more time for myself and I had fitness goals that I wanted to achieve, I decided to return to the Taekwondo world at the age of 59. I remembered fondly the joy and excitement I had felt as a teenager in training, and I wanted to experience that again. My wife was completely supportive — in fact, she encouraged me wholeheartedly to pursue my passion once more.