Frans

PROFILE

NAME: Frans Christensen, 5th Degree

LOCATION: Aberdeen, NSW

 Frans

BRIEF HISTORY: 

Frans started Taekwon-do training in 1985 with Peter Spokes, and three years later received his Black Belt. He stopped training for an extended period of time due to work commitments and his instructor suffering a chronic injury.

Frans started instructing for Ilshim International TKD when he opened a club in Aberdeen in October 1997.

As a competitor, Frans competed in his first tournament the following year in Bundaberg and won the heavyweight division.  That same year he hosted the Upper Hunter championship in Muswellbrook, and has hosted a number of other tournaments over the subsequent years.

In October 2000 Frans represented Australia in Japan (First Asia Championships) and won a Bronze medal.

In 2002, he won the heavyweight division of the New Zealand Open Championships, known as the Epson Cup.

In 2003, Frans was selected to represent Australia at the ITF World Championships held in Poland.

In 2004 Frans was invited to coach the junior team for the ITF Junior World Championships held in Italy.

In 2005 Frans was selected to represent Australia at the ITF World Championships held in Dortmund Germany, but unfortunately he was unable to attend this event.

In 2007 Frans was promoted to the Head Coaches position for the Australian team for the ITF World Championships held in Canada.

He has since retained the Head Coaches position for the 2009 World Championships in Argentina, and the 2011 World Championships to be held in Wellington (New Zealand).

In 2010 Frans was appointed as Tournament Director for Ilshim International TKD.

He was also promoted to 5th Dan Blackbelt in Aug 2010.

With all of his personal achievements, Frans’ greatest achievements and rewards have come from his ability to train his students to the highest levels of Martial Arts excellence and through him, many of these students have gone on to represent Australia on the National and World Stage.

In his time as a Taekwon-do Instructor at Aberdeen, Frans has had a significant number of individual students who have represented Australia at World Championship level, with some representing on a number of occasions. Many of his current and former students hold multiple National and International titles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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P_Harper

PROFILE

NAME: Paul Harper, 5th Degree

LOCATION: The Basin, Melbourne

 P_Harper

 

 Brief History:  

I began training in 1985 when I was 12 years of age at a local Taekwon-Do school.  To start with the school was small, and at times I was the only student, which was great for me!

My first gradings were under Master Yun.  By the time I reached red belt Master Yun had left ITF and as my instructor was a second degree meaning he was unable to grade me to first degree.  This was when I first met Master Daher.  At the time he was a Fourth Degree and I traveled to Ballarat to do a seminar with him before traveling back three months later to grade under him.  I was 16 at the time.  I did well at my grading but Master Daher told me to put on weight and cut my hair as I had long hair at the time and was very skinny! 

I trained for another 2 years with Knox Taekwon-Do before the school closed.  Over the next 7 years I tried to find an ITF school in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne but had no luck, so I dabbled with Kickboxing and Karate a little.  When I was 25 I learned of a club at Mt Waverley and ventured over to check it out.  The instructor said that they were having a grading the coming weekend and that I should come down and watch.  I turned up at the grading and walked in the room and to my surprise the examiner was Master Daher!  He recognized me straight away.  I then began Instructing at the Mt Waverley club, and a short time later I graded for 2nd Degree under Master Daher.

In March, 2004 I graded to Third Degree and in December, 2006 I graded to 4th Degree.  Some highlights along the way have been grading trips with Master Daher, traveling to the World Championships in Germany in 2005, and Canada in 2007 as part of the National team. 

A large part of my family does TaeKwon-Do with me which is fantastic.  I love being able to train with my wife and two sons.  I can’t wait for my little kids to be old enough to train alongside all of us. 

Master Daher has had an enormous influence on my life and I thank him for his guidance, assistance, support and friendship over the last 20 years. 

 Paul Harper

CharlieVB1

PROFILE

NAME: Charles Van Beelen, 4th Degree

LOCATION: Sunshine Coast, QLD

CharlieVB1

 AGE: 55

RANK: 4th Dan

TRAINING: Started training in 1996

ACHIEVEMENTS: Competed in Five World Championships.

BEST RESULTS:

BRONZE MEDAL IN INDIVIDUAL POWER BREAKING, NEW ZEALAND 2011

BRONZE IN TEAM POWER BREAKING, NEW ZEALAND 2011.

BRONZE IN TEAM POWER BREAKING IN CANADA 2007

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? Standing on the podium in New Zealand receiving my Bronze medal.

How did I get started?  My son wanted to try Taekwon-do after seeing an advertisement in the local paper. We went along to watch and he was soon training two days a week. I would take him to training and would sit on the side to watch. After a few months, the instructor coxed me on the floor, just to have a bit of fun with the kids. I soon found myself grading to yellow belt, but told myself I would never grade too much further than that. It has now been fourteen years and I have now graded to 4th Dan.

I started Power Breaking from about Green belt, and loved it from the start.      (I think it must be a guy thing). I found I had a “nack” for it, plus a great instructor, but never thought I would be at the level of World Champs. Just goes to show anyone can achieve anything if they put their mind to it. There is one more goal for me to get, hopefully that will be done at the 2011 New Zealand World Champs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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John_Profile

PROFILE

NAME: John Abdallah, 3rd Degree

LOCATION: Gold Coast, QLD

 John_Profile

BRIEF HISTORY: 

It all started when my brother talked me into Taekwon-Do training at the age of 21, just to add to the many number of sports that I was already involved in. It was 1989 and the Club was just starting up at the Newport Surf Club Sydney NSW. It had only 5 members, which quickly grew to a constant 15 training. This is when I fell in love with the sport. I reached Green belt before the Club went through a few changes and numbers slowly dropped. This is when I first met Master Daher as he offered to take over the Club. Impressed with what I saw, I knew then, this is where I wanted to be.

The Clubs numbers dropped to only my brother and I so we then decided it was time to join Master Daher’s own Club at Hornsby. The discipline, respect and intense training taught me many great things and allowed me to develop a number of skills. Little did I know back then, I was being taught by one of the best instructors Australia had to offer. My commitment to the art quickly grew with my brother and I constantly competing to be better than each other, this helped to develop our skills and passion for TKD even more. I would travel 30mins to attend his classes and I did that 4 times a week, very rarely missing a class. Even when he moved the Club a further 20mins away to Parramatta, he still couldn’t get rid of me.

I trained with the Australian team for two world championships and as a red belt I was gaining a lot of respect with the team. My brother and I attended every tournament that was held when we were coloured belts and either one of us would always take out the first place trophy. In 1993 I attained my 1st degree black belt over a gruelling 1 and a half day grading of patterns, technique, sparing, theory and breaking boards and roof tiles. I continued my training and assisting Master Daher with the running of the Club for quite a few years after, never tiring from the enjoyment that I would get from training.

I moved to the Gold Coast in 2002 where I was involved in starting a Club that Master Daher volunteered me for, which I eventually took over and with the help of Michelle Riesser-Keenan, we are striving to have the best Club within the organisation. I graded to my 2nd degree in 2006 and my 3rd degree in 2009. I have moved to a more senior position within the IL Shim organisation working closely together with not only my instructor but a great friend Master Daher.

BEST MOMENT: 

Travelling with Master Daher on a 7 day grading and seminar trip, throughout Queensland as a red belt. If you ever get the chance to do something like that, you will learn so much and have a great time.

John Abdallah 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


   

 

                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bruce_Fischer_photo

PROFILE

NAME: Bruce Fisher, 3rd Degree

LOCATION: Redlands, QLD

Bruce_Fischer_photo

BRIEF HISTORY: 

I started training in Taekwon-Do in 1986, where a work colleague was teaching a few people at Dunwich, North Stradbroke Island. The small class quickly grew into a club and my journey with Taekwon-Do had started.

 A work move in 1989 saw me in Dysart, Central Queensland which just happened to have a Taekwon-Do club. In 1991 our instructor organized a visit by Il Shim International Taekwon-Do – Master Daher. This Taekwon-Do was impressive and not long after, our instructor joined Il Shim International Taekwon-Do.

I attained my 1st degree black belt in 1996. A move to Brisbane in 1998, found me travelling 40 minutes to an Il Shim club. I graded for my 2nd degree in 1998 and started my own club in the Redlands that year.

In 2007 I attained my 3rd degree.

Over the years I have attended numerous seminars and training courses with Master Daher, as well as the International Instructors course in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

The passion I saw in Master Daher in 1991 continues today.

 Taekwon-Do has taught me perseverance, to keep on chipping away to strive for that next belt or to better a poor technique and I trust my students will learn this as well as the other tenants of Taekwon-Do.

 

Describe your best moment in Taekwon-do: Gaining my 3rd degree after some physical setbacks and seeing my first two students ( one my son) get their first degree black belts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


   

 

                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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David_Proctor

PROFILE

NAME: Dave Proctor, 3rd Degree

LOCATION: LaTrobe Valley, VIC

 David_Proctor

BRIEF HISTORY: 

Early in 1986, aged 9, and after many Bruce Lee movies, I pestered my parents into letting me try martial arts.  After trying a local Karate school in Moe, a family contact reminded Dad that his second cousin was the local Rhee International Taekwondo senior instructor. I can remember the first night and the nervousness I felt, so much so that Dad joined in.  We trained for about  5 years (the memory blurs a bit with time!) at which stage Dad had achieved his First Degree and I was Brown Belt (2nd Gup).  At which time we decided to take a break.

We returned (along with my sister) to Rhee Taekwondo in (about) 1992. 1993 was VCE for me so, naturally, I trained 4-5 nights a week! Thankfully a sparing accident left me with a couple of badly broken bones in my foot which preserved my university aspirations as I could only train 2 nights a week. I completed VCE and was accepted into Melbourne University – which had a Rhee TKD club.

A month into first semester I attained my First Degree, I also met my future wife that month so it was a busy time. Some time later the instructor left and I was both club secretary and instructor. This was a huge challenge as we had over 150 members; my largest class was 74 students- rather intimidating for a newly promoted First Degree Blackbelt.

Two years later I left Melbourne to pursue other study. Returning to Melbourne, getting married and starting an apprenticeship left little time for Tae Kwon-Do but in 1996 I resumed training with Rhee Tae Kwon-Do with my wife starting as a beginner. Two years later I was again graded by Master Rhee earning a Second Degree.

I then returned to the LaTrobe Valley, in Gippsland Victoria, still training with Rhee TKD. After a time I left Rhee TKD and joined Southern Tae Kwon Do (no relation to Southern ITF). There I was asked to start a club in Morwell, which I subsequently moved to Traralgon. At around this time Dad restarted training in Taekwon-Do. By default I was given a 3rd degree Blackbelt by the club’s director in late 2006- I thought I was going to the grading to make up the numbers for sparring!

After much soul searching I decided in 2009 to seek out another Taekwon-Do organisation. My criteria were relatively simple, or so I thought:  A professionally managed organisation, consistent standards applied impartially to all students, ITF style and, most importantly, headed by a true Master of Taekwon-Do.

After much searching and discussion with people in the Taekwon-Do community in late 2010 I discovered Il Shim. I asked around and found some people who knew of Il Shim by reputation and spoke highly of the organisation but did not directly know any Il Shim member. I emailed the organisation who put Mr. Paul Harper in touch with me. Mr Harper travelled to Traralgon to meet me and invited some students and I to attend a MasterClass and grading to meet Master Daher.

Finally I’d found what I was searching for, a true Master of Taekwon-Do and a properly managed organisation. I raced to join myself and my students.

Taekwon-Do Highlights.

Watching my father and daughter train together – we regularly have three generations training together.

Seeing students who entered my hall years before as beginners achieve their Black Belt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


   

 

                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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shawnsutton

PROFILE

NAME: Shawn Sutton, 2nd Degree

LOCATION: Coomera, Gold Coast

 

shawnsutton

 

BRIEF HISTORY:

I first came across Taekwondo when I was looking for a sport to get my 10 year old daughter into, something that will keep her physically active, but also teach her discipline and respect. She had attended a Taekwon-do class with a friend and thought she might want to give it a go. I knew a friend from Soccer that ran a local school (Mr Wayne Ebert at LowerHuttTaekwondoAcademy) so I took her and two of her brothers to have a look. All three decided they wanted to give it a go, although they felt a little embarrassed because it seemed quite strange to them. I joined them up and wearing their new Doboks they got into it.

I had broken my leg playing soccer the year before and mentioned to Mr Ebert that I needed to get active again. He said “why don’t you join in”, now at 37  I thought I would look a little silly at the back in my white belt with a bunch of kids, then an ex work colleague of mine walked in with a yellow tip on a white belt. Without being disrespectful, he was a “little” bit older than me and I though well if he can do it so can I. There my journey in learning Taekwon-do began

For the first year or so I felt fairly uncoordinated but managed to work through to my Green tip, I was more enthusiastic than my kids at this point as there was something about Taekwon-do that was alluring. At the beginning of 2009 my family and I all moved to the Gold Coast for a better lifestyle and future for the family. I asked Mr Ebert who to contact about ITF Taekwon-do on the Gold Coast, he advised me to “contact Master Daher as he is a good friend of ITFNZ”, I went on to their website and found some contact details for the only club on the Gold Coast, it was a bit further from where I live than I first wanted to travel, but after a couple of months on the Coast I thought it was time to check out Mr Abdullah’s club, and I liked what I saw, a family friendly ITF style Taekwon-do school.

We joined up and I haven’t looked back since, at one stage my wife Helen and all 4 kids had joined, but the logistics and the kids other sporting activities worked against us. My 3 boys and I are the only ones currently training.

As I progressed through to my Red belt, I began looking for ways I might assist Mr Abdallah in running the club. I think it extremely important that all members assist with the running of the club where they can. I began helping to update the website and thought “why not put a new website together” I socialised this with Mr Abdallah and away we went, we also created a presence on Facebook.

I’ve also recently had the privilege of working with Master Daher to add more value to the ITF Australia/IL Shim Taekwondo Website, and  a number of other activities that Master Daher is working on as he brings the organisation back up to it heydays of the 1990s. I am also fortunate to be to train at Master Daher’s Parramatta club when in Sydney for work, and this has given me an opportunity to learn from the most senior Master in Oceania.

Inspired by the passion and drive from Master Daher and Mr Abdallah, I have opened a club at Coomera, Northern Gold Coast. My aim is to help students, young or old, be the best they can be in Taekwon-do and take that through to life in general.

In more recent times I have Graded to 2nd Degree and represented Australia in Power Test at the 2013 World Championships in Benidorm, Spain.

Kind regards,

Shawn Sutton

 

Nathan_Tyson

PROFILE

NAME: Nathan Tyson, 2nd Degree

LOCATION: Sydney, NSW

Nathan_Tyson 

BRIEF HISTORY: 

I started (Rhee) Taekwon-Do in 1985, training solidly for 5 years. I reached my 1st Kup before finishing high school.

I commenced Jurisprudence/Law at UNSW in 1990 and over the next 7 years I trained sporadically, but the demands of university study and the need to work casual jobs to support myself through my studies made it difficult to attend regular classes.

I met Master “Jim” Lim (5th Degree Black Belt, WTF) in 1998 and he asked if I would be willing to assist with instructing a junior class at La Perouse NSW. Over the next 18 months I trained with Master Lim and assisted with instructing class. I was awarded my 1st Degree Black Belt by Master Lim (WTF) in late 1999.

In 2000 my second child was born and my family moved to a new area in Sydney. I then stopped Taekwon-Do training as I couldn’t find a local club and also had the responsibilities of a young family and my career. In 2004 we moved to western Sydney.

In January 2009 I fortuitously met Master Daher and Mr Greg Ferguson (2nd Degree) who had recently started a club in Toongabbie. I wanted my children to begin training and Master Daher also encouraged me to return to my training. In December 2009 I attained certification of my 1st Degree Black Belt with the ITF.

I attended the 50th ITF International Instructors Course in New Zealand in March 2010 and was privileged to witness Master Daher achieve his 8th Degree Black Belt. I also attended the 2010 National Championships in Hobart to support my daughter and other Il Shim competitors in August 2010.   

I achieved my 2nd Degree Black Belt at the Senior Black Belt Grading held at the Gold Coast in September 2010.

I am currently an Instructor with Il Shim Taekwon-Do at the Toongabbie and Parramatta clubs.

 

 

Michael_McGaw

PROFILE

NAME: Michael McGaw, 1st Degree

LOCATION: Bundeberg, QLD

 Michael_McGaw

 BRIEF HISTORY: 

I first started Tae kwon-do back in 1999 as a form of self defence and fitness training for my security position. Luckily for me my first 2 free introductory lessons were enough to save my life in a “Wrong Place Wrong Time” situation.

Training up to 5 times per week I graded to Black Belt in 2001 and opened my first club. Unfortunately due to work commitments I had to close this club.  Later returning upon a career change, I stepped into the roll as administrator for the Bundaberg Club. Upon the request of Master Daher I have now stepped into the role of Senior Instructor for Bundaberg and commenced a rebuilding phase doubling the number of students on the floor in the first promotion.

I have been selected in the Australian Squad on 2 previous occasions and unfortunately missing selection due to injury on both occasions. My pet event in Tae kwon-do is power breaking and I am striving to achieve my goal of national selection.

Michael McGaw

Wade_Brereton_26-08-2010

PROFILE

NAME: Wade Brereton, 1st Degree

LOCATION: Redlands

Wade_Brereton_26-08-2010

BRIEF HISTORY: 

My IL Shim career had a late start with me not commencing my first class until August 2007 at age 26. I had dabbled in other styles of martial arts as a kid but like a lot of kids I didn’t have the drive and determination to stick with it. I met my wife when I was 18 and she came with a little sister who was a student of Taekwon-Do. Meghan was a member of Ill Shim Taekwon-Do Redlands Club and was under instruction by Mr Bruce Fischer. I came to a lot of her grading’s and on one occasions met Master Daher and was instantly inspired. It was obvious to me that Master Daher was not only a great teacher but an inspiration to his nation wide following. I watched Meghan grow and develop her skills in Taekwon-Do asking me at every opportunity to come along and learn with her. I finally agreed and came to my first lesson in August 2007. Meghan was already a 3rd Degree Black Belt so I had a lot of catching up to do.

I participated in my first breaking seminar on the SunshineCoast in September 2007. It was here that I met Mr John Abdallah from the Ill Shim Taekwon-Do Gold Coast club. My love for Taekwon-Do and determination grew after a board break went wrong leaving me with a sore wrist and giving Mr Abdallah a good laugh. I was determined to prove myself and what I could do.

I have participated in a number of tournaments. The first was in October 2007, another in October 2008 and one in early 2010, achieving a third, second and first place respectively. It was at the 2010 tournament that I learnt a valuable lesson. I learnt that achievements should not be measured by how many trophies you receive but by how you feel about yourself and knowing that you have put your heart and soul into your event. This came about by watching children half my size sparring children twice their size. They are the trophy winners in my eyes. This lesson is partly why I want to start my own club. To teach the real meaning of achievement through working hard and being the best you can be. By looking up and saying I can do this.

Wade Brereton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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