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September 7, 2002 was the first tournament I held the position of a Coach. I'd like to thank Master Keith Krotish for hosting the Carolina Open, thus giving me the tournament that provided my start in a wonderful Coaching career.
Master Sang Ho Lee hosts the ETF Nationals every year and hosts one of the best tournaments I've ever been to. It is very well run, the schedule is kept practically down to the second as well as going above and beyond normal competitions. Along with forms, breaking and sparring, competitions also include team demonstration and tag team fighting which take place after a dinner banquet. Master Lee, thank you again for hosting such a great tournament.
Corporal Mike Wimmer, United States Marine Corps, was the first athlete I had coached to gold, and he got it for me at my first tournament coached. Mike, thanks for getting me off to a great start.
Ryan Faulkner, a Marine I coached at the ETF Nationals in 2002, broke his foot in his sparring competition after following my instructions (or orders as a senior Marine and Coach), to go out there and kick someone's a**. He did, and it's just too bad it wound him a short stay in a Hospital Emergency Room.
Master Phillip Rhee, star of several of the Best Of The Best movies, showed a great effort to the Camp Lejeune Taekwondo Team at the 2002 ETF Nationals, providing inspiration to the competitors of the team.