| Master of the Month |
Special Advisor & Member of Organizing Committee for Inaugural
Taekwondo Hall of Fame Ceremony held April 6th, 2007. Inductees
included Great GM Nam Tae Hi, GM Rhee Ki Ha,GM Kim Bok Man, GM
Cho Sang Min, GM Chang Keun Choi,, GM Kong Young II, GM-Park Dong
Keun, and GM Jhoon Rhee.
Trained, studied, taught & promoted Taekwon-Do in over 30 countries
around
the world, including Cuba, South & North Korea
Attended several International Instructor Courses, including 1 that was 2
weeks
duration, 2 that were 1 week long & numerous other seminars taught by
General Choi Hong Hi . Represented the USA at several World Congress
Meetings & attended various World Championships & International
Tournaments, acting as both Head & Assistant Coach for the US Team
Completed several Academic Education Science classes in the Methods of
Instruction in order to enhance my ability to share Taekwon-Do with others
Retired from the NY State Police in 2005, after 24 years of service in order
to teach full time & work on Taekwon-Do research, for a full length feature
documentary on Taekwon-Do history, interviewing several pioneering
Grandmasters & other pivotal figures
Current & past member of the AAU, past member of the USTU Graduated
with a Master of Arts Degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in
Feb. of 1997, after completing 5 extensive research papers and 2 theses on
Martial Arts and Juvenile Delinquency Taught & promoted countless
students to Black Belt Expanded the Original Taekwon-Do School & moved
to its present location in 1994 Assisted with the filming and editing of Official
I.T.F. Training Tapes in 1991, Appointed Vice President of the USTF, the
National Governing Body of the ITF in 1991,Officiated at the World
Championships in Montreal, Canada in August of 1990, later providing color
commentary and technical analysis for ESPY-TV for the Martial Arts World
Television Program on the Madison Square Garden Network Opened the
Original Taekwon-Do School in May of 1990
Produced, Directed and Starred in Taekwon-Do: A Way To A Better Life,
broadcasted on
Channel 24 of Staten Island, NY Cable TV, debuting on November 15, 1989
Head of the U.S.A. Delegation to the 13th World Festival of Youth and
Students, held in
Pyongyang, the Capital City of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea,
the first time students ever competed in north Korea. This historic trip took
place during an event attended by more than 30,000 people from 180
Countries. Presented with numerous Appreciation & Recognition awards for
important contributions to Taekwon-Do by the USTF, TKD Times & others.
Established the Original Taekwon-Do Club as the primary contact and
training center for the ITF/USTF in the NY Metropolitan Area in May of
1988, continuing to present Represented the USA at the ITF World
Congress Meeting and Press Conference, nominated by General Choi
Hong Hi to the position of Director of the ITF & was unanimously approved
by the Congress on April 7, 1988 Goodwill Tour of Yugoslavia with the
National Teams of the USA & Yugoslavia, starting with a Team Match in
Zagreb, marking the 20th Year Anniversary of Taekwon-Do in Yugoslavia
on April 12, 1988 Certified as an International Instructor/Examiner, # 404,
with the ability to teach and test students worldwide, a Class "A"
International Umpire # 380A & Class "B" National Umpire # 270B by the
I.T.F. on July 26, 1987. Interviewed and filmed General Choi, Hong Hi for
Winner Magazine, at his home in Mississagua, Canada during December of
1986, Founded the Original Taekwon-Do Club - ITF Main Gymnasium #311
and USTF Branch # 16,along with 16 other Black Belts during August of
1986
Promoted to IV Dan by the USTF #3200, on August 23, 1986
Trained under General Choi, Hong Hi for the first time, at a Seminar he
conducted in Houston,TX from July 17th to the 21st, 1986 Enrolled as a
Lifetime Member of the ITF #3200 in January of 1986, Named Vice
President of Kim's Taekwon-Do School in December of 1986,
Demonstrated Taekwon-Do on the Harry Lipsig Manhattan, NY TV Show in
1984, Met General Choi, Hong Hi, IX Dan, a principal founder of
Taekwon-Do and President of the I.T.F. and officiated at the General Choi's
Cup held in Bergenfield, NJ in November of 1984. Head Coach for the NYC
Taekwon-Do Team to the AAU Junior Olympic Games held in Jacksonville,
FL during August of 1984 Designated Zone Defensive Tactics Instructor for
the NYS Police in 1983. Enrolled as a Lifetime Member #3200 of the United
States Taekwon-Do Federation, the National
Governing Body for the ITF on July 25, 1982 Graduated from the New York
State Police Academy in Albany, NY after completing 6 months of extensive
training, which included defensive tactics and physical fitness training in
March of 1982 Sworn in as a NY State Trooper by Gov. Hugh Carey on
October 19, 1981 Promoted to I Dan Black Belt by Master Kim Kwang Sung
and Master Kwon Jae Hwa, the Pioneer of Taekwon-Do in Germany on
July 22, 1977 and Certified by the I.T.F. # A-1-2654 and named Assistant
Instructor at Kim's Taekwon-Do School Started training in Taekwon-Do,
The Korean Art of Self Defense in the early 1970s, atInternational
Taekwon-Do Federation Main Gymnasium # 21, in Brooklyn, NY, under
Kim, Kwang Sung, a VII Dan Master Instructor, who was Certified by the
ITF, which was the 1st & the oldest worldwide Governing Body of
Taekwon-Do.
| Master George Vitale |
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| Past Masters of the Month |