World Tang Soo Do Association

ENHANCE LIVES THROUGH THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TRAINING OF TRADITIONAL TANG SOO DO

THE ASSOCIATION HAS 23 REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD, 19 OF WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE. EACH REGION HAS AT LEAST ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EACH YEAR. FURTHER, THE ASSOCIATION HOLDS A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON A BIANNUAL BASIS, DURING WHICH ASSOCIATION MEMBERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHER TO RENEW FRIENDSHIPS, ENGAGE IN HEALTHY COMPETITION, AND LEARN THE LATEST TECHNIQUES OFFERED BY THE ASSOCIATION. EACH REGION ALSO HOLDS NUMEROUS SEMINARS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, DURING WHICH STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM A VAST ARRAY OF MASTER INSTRUCTORS. CHAMPIONSHIPS AND SEMINARS PROVIDE A FORUM FOR MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING THE TRADITION OF TANG SOO DO. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)EACH REGION ALSO HOLDS AN ANNUAL BLACK BELT CAMP FOR ITS BLACK BELT AND CHO DAN BO (ONE LEVEL BELOW BLACK BELT) MEMBERS. THESE CAMPS TRAIN OVER 1,000 STUDENTS IN THE ART OF TEACHING TANG SOO DO, AND PROVIDE ATTENDEES A CHANCE TO LEARN NEW SKILLS AND ENHANCE EXISTING ONES. IN ADDITION, THE ASSOCIATION HOLDS THREE CLINICS PER YEAR FOR ITS MASTER INSTRUCTORS - ONE IN THE US, ONE IN EUROPE, AND ONE IN SOUTH AMERICA. DURING THE CLINIC, MASTER INSTRUCTORS HAVE A CHANCE TO REFRESH THEMSELVES ON BEST PRACTICES TO TEACH TANG SOO DO, AS WELL AS ENHANCE THEIR OWN SKILLS. TYPICALLY, THE COMBINED ATTENDANCE AT THESE MASTERS' CLINICS EXCEEDS 300 MASTER INSTRUCTORS.

NEWSLETTERS ARE TYPICALLY PUBLISHED SEMI-ANNUALLY. THE NEWSLETTERS ARE SENT TO 10,000 MEMBERS PROVIDING THEM WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF UPCOMING EVENTS, CHANGES IN PROGRAMS, AND NEW PROGRAMS. IT ALSO PROVIDES A FORUM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS BETWEEN MEMBERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING PROGRAMS.ASSOCIATION STAFF PACK AND SHIP MERCHANDISE AND PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES TO MEMBERS.

TESTING OF INDIVIDUALS IS REQUIRED TO DETERMINE THEIR LEVEL OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. INDIVIDUAL STUDIOS TEST THEIR STUDENTS AND SEND THE RESULTS OF THE TESTING TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR REVIEW AND PROCESSING OF STUDENT CERTIFICATIONS. BLACK BELT TESTING IS DONE BY REGION, AND MASTERS TESTING IS DONE INTERNATIONALLY. THERE IS A EUROPEAN MASTERS CLINIC, A NORTH AMERICAN MASTERS CLINIC, AND A SOUTH AMERICAN MASTERS CLINIC. MASTERS MUST ATTEND ONE OF THESE THREE IN ORDER TO TEST.IN 2023, THE ASSOCIATION ADMINISTERED GUP (NON-BLACK BELT) TESTS TO 20,790 INDIVIDUALS, NON-MASTER BLACK BELT TESTS TO 816 INDIVIDUALS, AND MASTER TESTS TO 39 INDIVIDUALS.

EACH NEW MEMBER IS PROVIDED WITH A MANUAL, ID CARD, AND STICKER. MANUALS PROVIDE A BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSOCIATION'S REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TECHNIQUES THAT MUST BE LEARNED TO ADVANCE IN RANK. ID CARDS PROVIDE A RECORD OF EACH MEMBER'S ADVANCEMENT IN RANK. AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023, THERE WERE 16,852 ACTIVE MEMBERS; OF THESE, 6,000 WERE EITHER AT THE BLACK BELT OR CHO DAN BO LEVEL.