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About the ATA Taekwondo Club of Boca Raton


As a member club of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), we are a martial arts institution focusing on academic achievement, discipline, physical health and much more. We have a number of assistant instructors and high-ranking students who assist in the achievement of learning objectives. One of our most important objectives is to make learning at our club an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Our club's family-like atmosphere plays a strong role in making this happen. Unlike many other extracurricular activities, taekwondo can strongly supplement your everyday life.

What is Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is a martial art originally developed in Korea. Its literal meaning is Hand-Foot-Method. The ATA's official definition of Taekwondo is "a martial art that trains people mentally and physically."

What Is the Recommended Training Time?

We recommend at least two classes per week. However, if a student wishes to attend more often, he or she may do so without a change in the fee. Many of our students enjoy the lessons so much that they attend three or four times a week.

What Are the Benefits of Taekwondo?

The benefits of taekwondo are countless! However, there are some that rank very high, including:

*Build confidence
*Build self-esteem
*Learn self-defense
*Increase flexibility
*Improve academic performance
*Improve physical fitness
*Relieve stress
*Have fun

About the Staff

Our chief instructor, Mr. Miguel Nelson, is a professional educator who works for the Palm Beach County School System. He employs innovative ideas in his lessons to heighten the level of learning and to keep the students' interest level high. In addition to the productive mental and physical training, his lessons create a fun and enjoyable environment for learning. A former ATA world champion, he is currently (as of October 2001) a 5th-degree black belt.

The assistant instructors also play an important role at the ATA Taekwondo Club. They come from all sorts of professional, educational, and ethnic backgrounds, yet work together for the common goal of training taekwondo students in a spirit of true teamwork.

Things to Know about the ATA and SongAhm Taekwondo

* The ATA was founded in 1969 in Omaha, Nebraska.
* The founder of the ATA was Grandmaster H. U. Lee.
* The current president of the ATA is Grandmaster H. U. Lee's younger brother, Grandmaster Soon Ho Lee.
* Grandmaster Lee is the president of the ATA (American Taekwondo Association), STF (SongAhm Taekwondo Federation) and the WTTU (World Traditional Taekwondo Union).
* ATA headquarters are currently located in Little Rock, Arkansas.
* Grandmaster Soon Ho Lee's school is in Panama City, Florida.
* There are nine colored belts and nine degrees of black belt.
* Each form creates a pattern on the SongAhm star.
* The colors on the ATA Boca Raton club patch are the original belt colors of Song Ahm Taekwondo: White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Red and Black.
* We tie our belts evenly to symbolize a balance between the physical (right side of the belt) and the mental (left side of the belt).