| When I first opened the Taekwon-Do
school in the Constance & Buckham's Bay
Community Centre in 1994, I had been training in,
and teaching martial arts for more than a decade (6
years in Taekwon-Do and 5 years in Karate). I
had been instructing at the Kanata Taekwon-Do
Academy since
1990, and was a 2nd Dan black belt when
we offered those introductory
classes at the Community Centre. After years of
training
and teaching under my instructors and Masters,
I was excited at the prospect of building
and operating my
own school. The "little club" in Constance
Bay grew
very gradually; but, we persevered every
Tuesday evening and Saturday morning, even
if it meant private & semi-private
lessons! Slowly, word got out
that we were offering martial arts training in "the
Bay", and by our
second year, we had more than a
dozen
students, children and adults.
Now, 15 years later, our
school has grown to nearly 100 students; including
a number of "homegrown" 1st, 2nd and 3rd Dan black belts.
Over the intervening years we have developed a strong
identity in the community and today, we have a very active
club that hosts and participates in numerous Taekwon-Do,
social/family, and charitable fund-raising events annually.
As a certified International Instructor
and Examiner, I see the benefits for our students and
our club in associating with an established international
governing body, and as such our school is a member in
good-standing of the the Global Taekwon-Do Federation,
founded by the renowned Grand Master Park Jung Tae. At
the same time, we maintain close and cooperative ties
with many like-minded martial arts instructors and schools
across Canada and the U.S. whether they are in the GTF,
the ITF, the WTF or unaffiliated.
I am very proud of our students and
instructors, and what we have accomplished together
in the past 15 years...I'm looking forward to the next
15!
Sincerely,
Sabuhmnim Ron Sparks
|
