Highland Park Soo Bahk Do
School History
April 1982 I was attending Highland Park High School and was 15 years old. I had always wanted to get into
martial arts, however the closest studio was in Har Mar Mall, too far away. Mr. Jeff Goodwin began teaching
Tang Soo Do at Highland Park High School, which offered me an opportunity to enroll. I asked my parents
and said I would walk home if they would let me start classes. A bunch of us new white belts began and I
remember Mr. Goodwin saying that few persist on to Dan. A few months later, Highland Park Tang Soo Do
closed and the students attended classes at the Regional Headquarters at Hamline & Randolph. Again I had to
ask my parents, now to drive me also. They agreed to and I continued. I remember training there and seeing
students come and go. I remember at my green belt test having to hold a Kema stance while each person went
through his or her terminology questions. The tests back then were a little more grueling and giving rank away
was not an option. Mr. Goodwin operated a few schools in the metro area including Regional Headquarters,
Hudson Wisconsin, St. Paul Police and maybe another or two. I remember the rare times I was able to see
Seiberlich, Sa Bom Nim who was Mr. Goodwin’s instructor along with all the senior members at the time.
Seiberlich, Sa Bom Nim began formally teaching Tang Soo Do in our region in 1962.
Regional
Headquarters was shut down and I attended classes at the Hudson School for a
short time and that
closed
down. We had classes at Mounds Park
School for awhile and at the St. Paul Police Southwest station on
Hamiline,
by Highland Park Golf course. We had
classes in Minnetonka and at a lumber warehouse in North
Minneapolis. We kind of moved around a bit.
Mr.
Goodwin had organized what he called the “Inner Group”. This was a group of his most serious
students who
were
interested in more than just “showing up for class” and doing the minimum
requirements. These students
he
considered to be in “temple training”.
He developed an endurance test for those interested students who wanted
to
be in the group. This test lasted all
night outside in Little Canada in the woods.
It consisted of drilling on basics
down
the path, judo, Il Soo Sik, Ho Sin Sool, and other surprises. He also questioned our intentions. Anyway, I
passed
and was in. I was at the peak of my
training during this period of time. I
remember testing for 3rd Gup
outside
at Highland Park. My brother and Mr.
Goodwin were there. It began to pour
rain and the mosquitoes
almost
carried me away. I knew that if I
smacked a mosquito or even flinched, I would fail my test. It was a
memorable
experience, I passed. One day Mr.
Goodwin looked at me and said, “you’re going for Dan in the
Spring”. I
said, “yes sir”.
We
Finally ended up outside in Highland Park by Snelling and Edgecumbe. I was now preparing for Dan and the
school
consisted of few students. Somewhere in
there we trained out in Champlin at Ben Mickle’s house. My
brother
Mike started Tang Soo Do in 1984. My
brother and myself were the only active students at one point,
there
were a few students still “in” but didn’t attend regular classes. We started building the school up and reeled
in
a few students and trained at a student’s house in St. Paul, off of 7th
Street. I tested for Dan in the spring
of
1985
in Waterloo Iowa.
After
being promoted to Dan, the school grew a little again. In 1988, I took a leave of absence and got
hired as a
Police
Officer in Springfield Minnesota in January of 1989. I returned to St. Paul after getting hired on the
Minneapolis
Police Department in April of 1990. I
started training under Ellenbecker, Kyo Sa Nim in 1990. Mr.
Goodwin
had moved to Connecticut. Mr.
Ellenbecker was a green belt when I made Cho Dan. Being his student
was
certainly a test of my humility. Not
really, because we got along well and our egos were not a problem. I tested
for
Kyo Sa in Fall of 1993 at Seiberlich, Sa Bom Nim’s cabin. Hwang, Sa Bom Nim attended this test.
Ellenbecker,
Kyo Sa Nim was now a Sam Dan (3rd).
I continued to assist Mr. Ellenbecker with teaching at
Linwood
Recreation Center.
November
9, 1994 I opened Highland Park Tang Soo Do at Hillcrest Recreation Center with
the help of Mr. Mike
Kelly. Mr. Mark Johnson was my first student and he had begun his studies in 1992 while we were still at Linwood.
Mr. Johnson started training in Chung Moo Quan in
1987 and stopped in 1990. He achieved
the rank of 5th section
(equivalent to a 2nd Gup). Mr. Malloy became my student shortly after
the Highland Park school opened.
Ellenbecker, Kyo Sa Nim moved to Stillwater and
eventually asked me if I would operate Linwood also. I assisted
Mr. Mike Kelly until he made Kyo Sa and turned it
over to him.
In
the early spring of 1996, I was getting closer to testing for Sam Dan (3rd).
Ellenbecker, Kyo Sa Nim was also a
Sam
Dan and once I got promoted, I would be my instructor’s senior again. Seiberlich, Sa Bom Nim and
Ellenbecker,
Kyo Sa Nim discussed this issue and Seiberlich, Sa Bom Nim decided to take me
as his student. I was
already
attending The Blue Circle Martial Arts Group, training under him anyway. It was an honor. Ellenbecker,
Kyo
Sa Nim was promoted to Sa Dan and Sa Bom in 1997.
In
the fall of 1996, I tested for Sam Dan (3rd) and was promoted. The name Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan
Changed to Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan after it was agreed by members and the Kwan Jang Nim (Kee, Hwang).
Highland
Park Soo Bahk Do continued to grow. In
1997, Mr. Pete Orth became my student as a 3rd Gup, he
transferred
from Westbrock, Sa Bom Nim due to relocation.
We were permanently located at Highland Catholic
School
for classes. Our school has hosted two
Regional Dan Tests and two Regional Clinics.
We have been a rain
site
for several Summer Clinics and continue to support our region.
In the Fall of 1998, Mr. Mark Johnson tested for Cho Dan at the Courage Center. Mike Kelly, Kyo Sa Nim tested
for Sam Dan, both were promoted. In the Spring of 1999, Mr. Orth and Mr. Malloy tested for Cho Dan at Highland Park Soo Bahk Do and were premoted.
I
attended the 2000 Ko Dan Ja in Carbondale Colorado from June 9th –
17th. I was promoted to Sa
Dan (4th) and Sa Bom. This
was truly a challenging and memorable experience. Our school continues to grow in numbers and
quality. In 2002 I was asked to serve as a Regional
Examiner.
In
January of 2005 I attended Ko Dan Ja in Ramona California and tested and was
promoted to O Dan (5th). We
Have
a good base of students and I am proud of all of you.
I
have learned from many people many valuable lessons. Mr. Goodwin taught the “old way”, which was very
Challenging
and demanding. He taught me at a young
age to be a warrior in life. Ellenbecker,
Sa Bom Nim carried
the
torch and guided me from there.
Hendricks, Sa Bom Nim has been helping me since I started. As a matter of
fact,
she was a green belt helping the new white belt that missed his second class
(me). Seiberlich, Sa Bom Nim
continues
to teach me and guide me on optimizing and maximizing my potential. I am loyal to him and proud to be
his
student. He is the most senior American
in Soo Bahk Do (8th Dan). He
is an extraordinary leader in Soo Bahk
Do.
Our
history continues and you are an important part of our history.
Jack
Kelly