Shinn's TaeKwonDo Site - Interview with Master D. S. Shinn

Q. From time to time Master Shinn, you and the Guest Masters who
visit during Black Belt Testing share stories from your past that
TaeKwonDo students can relate to and that allow them to learn from
their Master's experiences. A frequently asked question is "How did
you get your start in TaeKwonDo?" Please tell me that story again.

A. Many students have heard the story of me getting into a fight with
my friend's older sister at six years old. Fighting may usually seem like a
bad thing but it became a good thing because my father immediately
enrolled me in a TaeKwonDo school near our home in Korea. The main
instructor there was Hwang Tae Soo, who went on to become a Martial
Arts movie star in Hong Kong.

Q. Tell me more about the early years of your training

A. At the age of twelve, our family moved to Missouri. I continued
TaeKwonDo training with the black belt students at one of Master Choon
Lee's branch schools. Later at the University of Missouri, Rolla, I joined
the University Karate Club and soon became the leader/teacher and turned
it into a TaeKwonDo Club. I taught classes 4 days a week while getting a
Bachelors Degree in Engineering. The practice floor for the Univ. of MO.
TaeKwonDo Club was nothing like you would imagine, no mats or mirrors,
just a concrete floor in the hallway to the gym and sometimes the
members would meet on the football field.

Between the Bachelors Degree and Graduate school, I took a year off
to be a permanent resident/athlete at the Olympic Training Center in

Shinn's	Adult Program
	Interview With Master D.S. Shinn
	Q. From time to time Master Shinn, you and the Guest Masters who visit during Black Belt Testing share stories from your past that TaeKwonDo students can relate to and that allow them to learn from their Master's experiences. A frequently asked question is "How did you get your start in TaeKwonDo?" Please tell me that story again. A. Many students have heard the story of me getting into a fight with my friend's older sister at six years old. Fighting may usually seem like a bad thing but it became a good thing because my father immediately enrolled me in a TaeKwonDo school near our home in Korea. The main instructor there was Hwang Tae Soo, who went on to become a Martial Arts movie star in Hong Kong. Q. Tell me more about the early years of your training A. At the age of twelve, our family moved to Missouri. I continued TaeKwonDo training with the black belt students at one of Master Choon Lee's branch schools. Later at the University of Missouri, Rolla, I joined the University Karate Club and soon became the leader/teacher and turned it into a TaeKwonDo Club. I taught classes 4 days a week while getting a Bachelors Degree in Engineering. The practice floor for the Univ. of MO. TaeKwonDo Club was nothing like you would imagine, no mats or mirrors, just a concrete floor in the hallway to the gym and sometimes the members would meet on the football field. Between the Bachelors Degree and Graduate school, I took a year off to be a permanent resident/athlete at the Olympic Training Center in p. 2
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