Ramona California, USA - 5th Dan Blackbelt presentation by Grand Master (Kwan Jang Nim) H.C. Hwang 2015 during Ko Dan Ja testing week.
What an amazing honour to have a rank promotion issued personally by Kwan Jang Nim H.C. Hwang in front of so many like minded martial art practitioners. This is a proud moment that will remain in my mind always. Thank you to my Instructor Glenn Sa Bom Nim for arranging this opportunity!
Side Note: A Ko Dan Ja testing is a week long training experience originally designed by the Founder Hwang Kee, to culminate a practitioners many years of physical practice to achieve an understanding of mental discipline and determination . The week long period requires a strong Moo Do (disciplined) mind to endure 16-18 hour days of training seminars leading to the final group presentation in front of the Kwan Jang Nim and the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).
I first started my Martial Arts training at 16 years of age in 1982 under the instruction of Mr Colin Handley. He was a student of Master Choon Bong Lee who would later become my Instructor. I continued to train and achieved my Red Belt before Colin Handley made the decision to leave Australia to pursue an acting career in the USA with Chuck Norris. At that time I was not aware that Chuck Norris was actually a student under the World Moo Duk Kwan Founder Hwang Kee, while he was on Service duty in Korea. At this point Colin Handley's school was dissolved and only a few students followed on of the Black belts (Mike Fenner) who decided to at that point open his own school.
On the 23rd of March 1991 I was awarded my first dan black belt (Cho Dan) officiated by Master Dale Eagling. In 1995 with Mike Fenner leaving South Australia I opened my own Location at the Seaview Downs Primary School. At this time I was introduced to Master Choon Bong Lee (by Mike Fenner) and I became a private student due to any evening security work. Within a short time I relocated to the Forbes Primary School, which was much closer to my home.
On the 23rd of June 1997 I was awarded my 2nd Dan promotion (WTF) World Taekwondo Federation number 05100063. In late October 1999, I located an empty building not far from the Forbes location, which became my Full Time location. After many months of work with my father we cleared and renovated the building, painted, tiled, painted some more, cleaned more, slayed training jigsaw mats, hung heavy bags, laid carpet and much more. The official opening on the 15th of January 2000 coincided with a visiting Korean Taekwondo University Team who attended to perform a demonstration along with the formal opening ceremony. In December 1999 I was awarded my 3rd Dan promotion. In 2002 we were out growing the training area so we expanded into an adjoining building taking our facility to two training rooms and over 420 square metres of space.
In December 2003 I was awarded the rank of 4th Dan , where I severely damaged my knee requiring a reconstruction. In 2004 was elected as the State Tournament Director and later was elected to the Senior Vice Presidents positions.
In 2006, we renamed as Taekwondo-fit Australia and after a compete Studio face lift, we entered the State Small Business Awards and were awarded first place. At this time now we began re building our Kids programs to improve the students experience and outcomes with a more age specific structure. A 4-6 year and 7-11 year program was rolled out along with an Instructor development class.
As years rolled on the studio continued to grow and we continued to evolve with the junior programs taking on 3 age groups, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-9 years. In 2006, having become an independent Studio from Master Lee, I made contact with the Australia Moo Duk Kwan Federation and began communication with Kriton Glenn, who was at the time the Senior TAC (technical advisor) in Australia. In early 2007 he advised that he had discussed my situation with the World Moo Duk Kwan and Grand Master H.C. Hwang and as a result invited me to attend the SEALS (South East Asian Leadership Seminars) to be held in Canberra later that year. After attending the 4 day training event and have discussion with the Grand Master, I was invited to join the Moo Duk Kwan bu the Grand Master. This commenced the transition process to the new training curriculum for myself and my students. In 2009 Glenn Sa Bom Nim and several other seniors attended our Studio in Adelaide and conducted a transition/ training weekend that consisted of a day and a half training and a student presentation to formally rank the students in the WMDK structure. The results for the Dan members were sent to the WMDK and were several months later awarded their official Dan Bon and rank acceptance certificates.
In 2009 I was invited to attend the USA to test to the rank of 4th Dan Master, which was a full week of training 16-18 hour days in the lead up to a presentation on the list day to the Kwan Jang Nim (Grand Master) and seniors. Early in 2010 I was awarded the rank of 4th Dan Master and presentation of my certificate was conducted personally by Kriton Glenn in my Studio. 2011 - 2016 I was elected and held the position of Board member on the Australian Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation Board and South Australia become an offical Region (4) with the support of the Kwan Jang Nim.
2009 - 2020 I attended many Ko Dan Ja events in the USA, which continues to forge many amazing friendships and training experiences that helps me maintain a strong knowledge base of the Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan to ensure I continue to support the membership in Australia.
2021 - I became time eligible for my 6th Dan testing however due to the global pandemic travel restrictions, this was pushed out until 2023 when I attended the USA Ko Dan Ja week in Tulsa, Oklahoma which I successfully completed my 6th Dan requirements.
I look forward to continually providing leadership to the members of all ages,
In the Moo Duk Kwan,
Ray Sargeant