Introduction

Congratulations on your decision to enroll your child in Tang Soo Do! This art is designed to develop individual character, mental strength, integrity, discipline, and respect. In Tang Soo Do, a child learns respect for authority figures, including parents, as well as respect for him/herself and others.

Tang Soo Do encourages courtesy, patience, loyalty, honesty, and self-control... values that are not specifically taught in most Western sports. Values learned in the studio give the student concrete, practical guidelines for behavior in his life. Martial arts training also helps alleviate the fear most children have about handling themselves if someone physically confronts them.

Tang Soo Do is a traditional martial art that traces its roots back to ancient Korea. For more than 2000 years, the art has been passed down from instructor to student. Throughout its rich history, Tang Soo Do has been refined and polished. Today, the World Tang Soo Do Association continues to ensure that our art remains the best in the world. A studio certified by our Association and headed by a trained, certified Black Belt instructor is a guarantee of the best martial arts instruction available today.

Our founder, Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin, first brought Tang Soo Do to the United States in 1968 and quickly saw it sweep across the country. Within a few short years, requests for Tang Soo Do training began pouring in from countries all over the world, so in 1982, he founded the World Tang Soo Do Association. Now, Tang Soo Do is taught in more than 30 countries in 6 continents and has hundreds of thousands of students worldwide.

Your child’s instructor will be giving you various registration forms when your child first enrolls in the studio, one of which will be the application to join the prestigious World Tang Soo Do Association. Please fill out these forms completely, making sure they are signed by both you and your child, and return them promptly to the instructor.

After your child has submitted his or her World Tang Soo Do application form for processing, headquarters will send him or her a student manual and a registration/identification card requiring his picture. These will be used many times during his or her training. Make sure these two items are kept in a safe and accessible place.

Again, congratulations on making this opportunity available to your child and a warm welcome to both of you!

Questions & Answers

  • ANSWER: In order to teach in the World Tang Soo Do Association, all instructors are required to pass an Instructor’s Certification program. Furthermore, our Black Belt instructors participate in regularly scheduled instructor classes, training camps, and seminars. All of our instructors have also undergone background checks with the Pennsylvania State Police. You may also see several assistant instructors who work with students in small groups or even individually. When you watch a Tang Soo Do class, you see students enjoying themselves in a friendly environment led by caring, knowledgeable teachers.

  • ANSWER: While classes are designed to be fun and exciting, we also teach that what we are learning should never be taken lightly. Safety gear and special equipment are required, and respect for others and self-control are two rules we strongly emphasize. The codes and tenets, which serve as our foundation, reinforce tolerance and compassion for others.

  • ANSWER: We help students reach their fullest potential by teaching challenging classes, setting goals for our students, and giving them the necessary skills to reach those goals. In addition to improving physical conditioning, flexibility, and balance, students learn skills necessary for self-defense. Along the way, students develop integrity, self-esteem, and confidence. We guarantee that dedicated training will result in better focus and concentration. For all these reasons, it is typical that students enrolled in Tang Soo Do also report improved grades in school.

  • ANSWER: Absolutely!!! Every student trains at his or her own pace, so anyone, regardless of age or present condition, can study Tang Soo Do. Karate is done from a standing position, and kicks and punches are learned without body contact. In this way, coordination and flexibility can be increased at any age. Also, when children see important values illustrated by their own parents, they have strong role models to follow. Fun, wholesome activity, like Tang Soo Do, that actively involves the whole family strengthens family ties. It’s true: Families that kick together, stick together!

  • ANSWER: There are several ways for parents to keep up with Dojang information. In addition to announcements made in the studio and communications from instructors via email, another important means of communicating announcements and information about what is going on in our studio, as well as in the broader World Tang Soo Do Association is through our private Facebook group—Vaughn’s Dojang Students & Families. Another is to check the Vaughn’s Dojang website at www.vaughnsdojang.com. Also, there is a white board and chalk board at the studio with information about what’s happening at Vaughn’s Dojang. Your child will bring home flyers and announcements from time to time. Ask to see them. Finally, if you ever have questions, don’t hesitate to speak with your child’s instructor.

  • ANSWER: Classes are scheduled for one hour sessions, two days per week. Later, as students grow in rank and commitment, more classes become available. Please read the section under Class Protocol regarding missing classes.

  • ANSWER: There are a few days during the year when the studio is closed for holidays or a special event. Before leaving home when there is severe weather, check for an announcement on class cancellations in the Vaughn’s Dojang Students & Families group on Facebook, on the website, or on the answering machine when you call the studio at 610-676-0691.