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Grand Master Jung Ho KimChief Instructor8th Degree Black Belt (Judo)
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Master Richard ThomasSenior Instructor & School Manager4th Degree Black Belt (Taekwondo)
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Master James WardJudo Instructor5th Degree Black Belt (Taekwondo)
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Shari MayJunior Judo Instructor3rd Degree Black Belt (Judo)Shari May has trained under Grand Master Kim for the past 18 years attaining a 3rd degree black belt in Judo and a 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo. Shari has trained in both national and international Judo training camps including many camps in Albany, New York at one of the USA Judo National Training Site. There, Shari trained with some of the best judoka and judo instructors in the country. She also trained at Yong In University, a private university located in Kyonggi Province, Korea – to improve both her personal performance as well as her teaching skills. Shari has competed in multiple local, state, national and international judo tournaments and won the Silver Medal in the World Master’s Championship in 2005. Shari was the lead Junior Judo Instructor for 6 years at Kim’s Martial Arts Academy in Bartlett. Shari often accompanied her junior judo students to tournaments. She was especially proud to have six students take first place in their respective divisions in the state tournament in Nashville, Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, Shari began doctorate school and fully credits the discipline of martial arts training to the achievement of her goals in life. Shari is passionate in teaching the fundamentals and discipline of judo to her students. Shari believes the martial arts instill personal discipline, responsibility and the confidence that allows one to accomplish whatever they pursue. |
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Dr. Lance WrightTaekwondo and Weapons Instructor6th Degree Black Belt (Taekwondo)Dr. Wright started Taekwondo at the age of fourteen with George Minshew in Huston, TX. After a hiatus for college, he started training again with nationally ranked competitor Jimmy “Gato” Tabares and obtained black belt in May of 1986. Later he trained for several years under world kickboxing champion (and later IBF world boxing champion) Troy Dorsey in Dallas, TX. He trained in Okinawa Kenpo for a few years while in North Carolina and at that point began Okinawa Kolaudo (weapons), which he still practices. He returned to Taekwondo in 1993. He was awarded 6th degree black belt in 2012. He believes in physical fitness training (weights and aerobics) to enhance ones martial arts training. |
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Allison BrayTaekwondo Instructor3rd Degree Black Belt (Taekwondo)Mrs. Bray is a 3rd degree black belt instructor. At the age of thirteen she, along with her parents and two oldest brothers, started Taekwondo with Daire Burton in Bartlett, TN, as a family activity to stay fit. Her Taekwondo career paused for college and graduate school, but she (with her husband and children) resumed Taekwondo study in 2008 at Family Taekwondo Center (now Collierville Taekwondo) to teach their children the invaluable lessons she had learned from Taekwondo. She believes the Tenets of Taekwondo (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control, and indomitable spirit) can help guide one’s decisions, outlook, and drive to accomplish all that is desired. |
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Sanford LyonSenior Instructor3rd Degree Black Belt (Taekwondo)Mr. Lyon has been a member of the Collierville Taekwondo family from the very beginning. He is a loving husband, father, and grandfather. In addition to teaching Taekwondo at least one night a week, Mr.Lyon frequently volunteers at his church and is always happy to provide his unwavering support to his friends and family. |
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Dr. Len LothsteinJudo Instructor2nd Degree Black Belt (Judo)Dr. Lothstein began his commitment to combative sports in his early teens with wrestling and boxing in New Jersey and Maine. In 1979, while in graduate school in Nashville, he started his Judo instruction with Brazilian master Valdir Castro, continuing his training and competition in New York, before moving to Memphis in 1988 and joining Kim’s Martial Arts Academy in 1994. He believes that Judo training develops physical conditioning, self-confidence and mental acuity akin to chess training, and, as such, is an ideal athletic pursuit. |
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Patricia HenleyJunior Judo Instructor2nd Degree Black Belt (Judo)Patricia Henley is a 2 nd degree Black Belt in Judo and 1 st degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She is married to Jeff Henley and has two children Skylar and Drake. She originally began Taekwondo back in 2003 at Kim’s Martial Arts Academy when she enrolled her son Drake into Taekwondo at the age of 4. He is currently a 3 rd degree Black Belt. While enrolled in Taekwondo she was invited to Seoul Korea for the “World Hanmadang” to compete in their tournament(s) along with other Black Belts from all over the world. Patricia has competed in multiple local, state and national Judo Tournaments. In 2006 she competed in her first National Judo Tournament as a green belt in Orlando FL. She managed to take home a bronze medal in 48kg. All the while with Patricia competing in Judo tournaments she was a Certified Personal Trainer at Powerhouse Gym and a Powerlifter. She began her powerlifting in 1996 with her husband Jeff and competed in her first State Meet in Murfreesboro TN and took home a bronze medal. As she continued with Powerlifting, she competed in several local and state meets to go on and break a “Tn. State” record along with an “American” record in 2012 for the Squat(s) 285lbs, Bench Press 209lbs, and Deadlift 325lbs. Upon retirement of Powerlifting, she is currently assisting in the teaching at the Collierville Taekwondo Judo school. |
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Cody PrentisJudo Instructor1st Degree Black Belt (Judo)Mr. Prentiss is a native of Memphis, TN. He started learning judo at the age of 14 with his father and two older brothers at Kim’s Martial Arts Academy in Bartlett, TN. While his training paused during college, he resumed practicing judo at Master Kim’s after graduating with his bachelor’s degree. He believes that judo is a wonderful discipline that helps build muscle, community, and mind. It gives students a great opportunity to better one another through competition while emphasizing mutual respect for your fellow judoka. He tries to pass on that traditional to new students as both a teacher and student of judo. |
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Allison DufourJunior Instructor3rd Degree Black Belt (Taekwondo)Allison Dufour currently attends Christian Brothers University and is in the honors program. Having developed an interest in martial arts from an early age, she joined Collierville Taekwondo in the summer of 2011 and has loved the art ever since. She earned her first degree black belt in July of 2014, her second degree black belt in July of 2015, and plans to continue her training for the foreseeable future. Allison loves to help with all ages and ranks. She believes she has learned more than anyone could ever teach her by helping others succeed. She is thankful for all the experiences Taekwondo has given her and for the experiences to come. |