Instructor Profiles
Hwaju Daniel Perez 6th Degree International Instructor & Boosabum Tom Perez 2nd Degree
The Father and Son team led by Mr Daniel Perez have recently taken charge of Tong-Il Taekwondo Canberra.
Mr Perez, who started training in TKD in 1985, was the first to bring the ITF to the A.C.T. back in 1993. He has now been teaching ITF TKD for over 25 years. Mr Perez first received his 1st degree Black Belt in September 1988, and 4th degree in 2001 with which he was the first Australian certified under Unified ITF and Grandmaster Hwang.
He represented Australia back in 1994 in the ITF World Championships in Malaysia and was selected for the 1999 team as well but pulled out due to injury.
Mr Perez competed in four national Championships and won his divisions in all four, beating players like Moustepha El Shiek and Nelson Taoine in the process.
Thomas also competed in a nationals in 2013 and became a national Champion.
Currently, Hwaju Danny teaches at:
Phillip - Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays,
Belconnen - Tuesdays,Thursdays & Saturdays
with instructors Thomas Perez, Alessandro Badalassi, Nic Perez, Wonhee Alfonso & Eiza Perez.
You are very welcome to come and have a chat.
Sabum Paul Bailey | 4th Degree International Instructor
At eleven years of age Mr Bailey started TKD in Brisbane under an ITF offshoot. His parents were reluctant to let him try any contact sports as he was a troubled child with anger management issues. The instructor of the local Dojang convinced his parents that it would do Paul more good than bad.
Two years later, after training sixteen hours every week, Mr Bailey graded for his black belt and was trouble free. He became an assistant junior instructor and helped many people progress further into their TKD life. In 1989 he and his family moved to Sydney where he joined a WTF Dojang instructing, training, coaching and competing at a national level for many years.
In the year 2000 Mr Bailey moved to Townsville where he met Mr Bower and was introduced to the true ITF form of Taekwon-Do. It wasn't until then, that Mr Bailey's training really began. With the incorporation of science and history Paul was able to increase his skill level ten fold.
Mr Bailey recently (09/16) graded to 4th degree Black Belt and an International Instructor. Congratulations Mr Bailey! Mr Bailey moved to Melbourne in late 2017.
Sahyun Scott Bower | 7th Degree Master Instructor and Examiner
Teaching Instructors the finer points of the art is an art unto itself.
Sabum Scott Bower | Career Timeline
1984 Began training under Rhee Taekwon-Do aged 11
1988 Graded to 1st Degree
1989 Began Instructing
1996
Graded to 2nd Degree
Attended Seminar by 8th Degree, Master Suk Jun Kim
1999
Attended Seminar by 8th Degree, Master Choi Jung Hwa
Aligned with the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) under General Choi Hong Hi
First Competition (Regional Tournament) Gold in Sparring and Power, Bronze? in Patterns.
Attended Seminar by 7th Degree, Master Williem Bos
Graded to 3rd Degree
2001
Queensland State Titles: Gold in Patterns, Power and Sparring, Champion of Champions.
12th ITF World Championships: Gold in Power Breaking
Australian Nationals: Gold in Patterns, Power and Sparring
Attended Seminar by Grand Master
2002
ITF Oceanic Championships: Silver in Patterns (was the host organiser so didn't compete in much else)
Graded to 4th Degree
2003
General Choi Nationals: Gold in Patterns, Power Breaking, special technique
2003 13th ITF World Championships: Bronze in Power Breaking, Bronze in Team Power Breaking
2004
ITF Oceanic Championships: Gold in Patterns and Power, Bronze in Sparring
2004 Nationals and Selections: Gold in Patterns, Power Breaking, Special technique, Silver in Sparring
2005
14th ITF World Championships: Gold in Power Breaking, Bronze in Team Powerbreaking
Graded to 5th Degree
2006
National Invitational: Gold in Patterns, Power and Special technique
2011
Graded to 6th Degree
2012
National Titles: Gold in Power
2012 Queensland State Titles: Gold in Power and Special Technique
2013
National Championships: Bronze in Patterns, Gold in Power
2013 UITF World Championships: Gold in Patterns, Sparring, Power, Team Patterns and Team Special, Bronze in Team Power and Team Sparring, Male Veteran Champion of Champions
Appointed Unified ITF Interim Representative for Australia
2017
Received his Masters promotion from Grandmaster Hwang in South Korea.
A number of invitational events and many regional events in the above timeline are not listed although I've attended and competed at them all the same. I can't be certain of the Divisions I've won or where I came otherwise, though I did well winning medals, usually Gold (Medals are in my possession but are unmarked for their divisions). It should be noted though that not every event offered Champion of Champion awards. I also haven't included non-Taekwon-Do recognitions such as North Queensland Sportstar of the Year and Commercially sponsored Newspaper Sportsperson of the Year, etc.
My background; I began Taekwon-Do in March of 1984 and earned my first degree in June of 1988, grading to second in 1996. Until the Christmas of 1998, I was tutored in a system of Taekwon-Do that discouraged competition, painting it as a dangerous and weakening compromise on life-saving self-defence and therefore it was a huge step for me to partake in my first Tournament in 1999. The experience was a groundbreaking insight into the differing points of view on competition, one that would warrant an article all of it's own. I did particularly well at this regional competition, winning my sparring and power breaking divisions. I also medalled in Patterns though I don't remember which place it was. I also tested for third degree this same year. I continued cutting my teeth on seminars and regional comps travelling in some cases up to 8 hours drive each way to participate in them. I generally did well, improving in the Pattern competitions and continuing to do well in sparring, power and special at most of these meets. I also enjoyed many opportunities training with Masters and Grand Masters of Taekwon-Do, an experience in itself learning directly from in some cases, the Original Masters of Taekwon-Do. I somehow escaped getting to and State or Nationals until 2001. In late 2000, I was asked to trial for the National Team travelling to Rimini, Italy for the 12th ITF World Championships. I trained and tried out for all events however was ousted in all of them spare Power Breaking. this was my only individual event. I was also fielded as a member for the Team Sparring event but never took the mat in competition. En-route relocating to Australia's Capital, I contested the Queensland State Titles for the first time and came away winning most of my divisions including Sparring, Patterns and Power. I also earned the Champion of Champions Trophy, an excellent incidental leading into the 2001 World Championships in Italy. For everything that occurred, the Gold Medal was certainly the highlight of my trip to Italy and the Championships. It turns out this was the first time that Australia had won a Gold medal at an ITF World Championship, an auspicious occasion and a very proud moment for me personally.
In 2003, the 13th ITF World Championships in Thessaloniki, I again represented in Power however I also represented in Special technique and Patterns. A bad draw meant I scored DPRK First round in Patterns and didn't progress. I also didn't do well in Special, the only event I did Medal in was Power yet again, however only earning Bronze for my efforts. We also fielded a Power and Sparring Team where we won Bronze for Team Power and went so far as the round prior to the medals round in Sparring being ousted by the Russian team. On a personal level, I was proud to note I didn't lose any of my sparring bouts winning or drawing each one I contested.
2005 saw the 14th World Championships come to Caloundra, Australia. Again, I was able to qualify to represent in all events except Sparring contesting Patterns, Power breaking and Special Technique. I also competed in Team Power Breaking. I regained the World Champion title winning Gold in Power Breaking once again and with a better draw in Patterns got so far as the round before medalling again pipped at the post. I didn't fare well enough in Special to score a medal and in Team Power we again scored a Bronze Medal.
Personal circumstance saw me take a hiatus from active Competition, I began a family not long after testing for 5th Degree in 2005. I kept my hand in Taekwon-Do training but didn't really take to competition seriously again until after I tested to 6th Degree in 2011.
I was offered the opportunity to put together the Australian Team for the First UITF World Championships eventually centring on Hertfordshire, United Kingdom in 2013. With the advent of a World Cup format (i.e. no restrictions per country on entrants per division), we were able to field much of our experience and talent normally narrowed out by the exclusionary conditions of a World Championship. This resulted in Australia proudly performing well, gaining much in the way of medals and experience. I personally won Gold in Patterns, Destruction and Sparring though had to withdraw from the Individual Special Technique event due to injury. We also fielded in team events winning Gold in Patterns and Special Technique and Bronze in Power and Sparring. The Team also took home the Veteran Male and Female Champion of Champions Trophies of which I earned the Male Veterans. This is by far the most successful foray on the International stage both personally as a Competitor and as the National Coach for the Australian Team. I will no doubt along with every other member of the Australian Team take away an invaluable and forever treasured experience from these World Championships. We cultured much in the way of good will and friendships that will last for many years, one we hope to strengthen at the next and every further World Championships we attend.
Although my history features strong competition highlights, the experience and exposure to many of the world's most Senior Taekwon-Do proponents through Seminars and International Events has given me a strong foundation into the Art paralleled by few. Competition detractors aside, the depth and breadth of understanding required to compete in all technical events available to a Taekwon-Do practitioner gives the most unified and practical insight into every aspect of the Art. I have trained personally and attended seminars conducted by many Masters and Grand Masters of Taekwon-Do including Four of the 12 Original Masters; Master Chong Chul Rhee, Grand Master Chang Keun Choi, Grand Master Park Jong Sue and Grand Master Rhee Ki Ha. Although I met with the Founder, General Choi Hong Hi, My one regret is not having the opportunity to attend his seminar before he passed away in 2002. Nonetheless, I strive to teach Taekwon-Do as I believe General Choi envisioned it.
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