Rayners Lane Taekwon-do Academy

Dear BUTF Instructors/members,

I have written this page as a stop gap to dispell some lies that are being said about me.
Please read on.

I left the BUTF in 1999 & set up my Academy. I have, in all these years, never ever posted
anything to do with why I left. It was to me, simply a case of whats done is done & onto
the future.

Unfortunatly some people, especially those in postions of authority, cannot let sleeping dogs lie. Because I left & set up my Academy outside of the BUTF & because it has grown to be one of the best Academys around, some people seem intent on bringing me down, even lieing to their own members to break up friendships, some forged in the heat of battle. Luckily, many have more intregrity than to let that happen.

Considering that the second tenet is "Integretity" it seems incredulous that certain people just cannot practice what they preach, even when at their grades they are meant to be egoless.

I have left this subject alone for nearly 3 years, but still they persist in dogging me & those that know me. If, after this, things still continue, I will post a full report on the whole sorry affair, including the letters proving that the truth is on my side.

THESE ARE THE FACTS
1. I left the BUTF. I was not expelled, I left, plain & simple.
2. I left simply because I was following my dream of setting up my Academy in the way I wanted.
3. I offered to run it under the BUTF but was rebunked because money already coming in (via gradings etc,) was seen as more important than supporting someone setting up a new school, even though for over a decade I put a lot more in than ever got out.
4. I didn`t do the BUTF instructors course simply because it didn`t come up before I left (in between having the option of opening the Academy & myself leaving). But I do think it it too expensive considering your own instructor can teach you just as much, if not more, but that is my own personal opinion.
5. I am a certified coach under the AMA & have the certificate to prove it. (Not that I feel decent instructors need coaching certificates, again, just my personal opinion).
6. I simply followed the code of Eui-Ri (an article of which will be coming soon if you don`t know what it means). This code meant I should leave, period.

WHAT GOING SOLO HAS DONE FOR ME
1. It has opened up a lot more exciting opportunities for both myself & my students. See the other articles (World Championships, courses, Korean Masters, competitions etc.)
2. It encouraged me to teach more than the standard ITF syllabuses taught today. The real way, as TKD was meant to be taught (see my syllabus for details). I don`t hide behind passwords, the whole world can see what I offer, what my students achieve & how & what I teach & run things. I`ve nothing to hide !
3. I have met a great many martial artists since leaving, who are very open, helpful, friendly & honest. (There are of course the same creed of Instructor/Black belts/students within the BUTF as well)
4. I have been approached to join many of the big Associations since leaving, due to the success of the Academy & the students within. These include AIMAA (Grandmaster Hee Il Cho`s Association) & the UKTA (Grandmaster Ri Ki Ha`s Association), plus others. But, for the moment at least, I prefer being solo.
5. It has allowed me the opportunity to write for the martial arts press.

TO SUM UP
I simply want to be left alone to run my Academy & teach Taekwon-do to those willing to learn & put in the effort required. I want my friend & associates to stop being victimised simply because they chose to remain friends with me. This is wrong, to pressure one of your own instructors & their students is wrong, show some integrity. Accept the fact that you made a wrong decision & even though you didn`t have to pick someone to champion, you did & you picked the wrong one. I actually believe in the tenets of TKD & practice what I preach. I am not afraid of a large association, the more I`m snapped at, the harder I`ll fight back, after all its only Indomitable Spirit. Let sleeping dogs lie or a roaring tiger will emerge in its place.