Instructor Profile John Abdallah – Gold Coast

PROFILE

NAME: John Abdallah, 3rd Degree

LOCATION: Gold Coast, QLD

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 1^st 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 2^nd degree in 2006 and my 3^rd 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