Our Instructors

My name is Dave Roper and I was born on November 5th 1983.

In September 2000 I joined the British Army; I served in the PWRR for 5 years. I was part of the Battalion Boxing Team. After leaving the Army in 2005, I looked locally for Boxing Gyms without success.

I took up the martial art Choi Kwang Do in Dorking with Mr Tipson. After my first class I was hooked. I was promoted to Assistant Instructor in March 2006. In 2007, I graded for my 1 st degree Black belt in Atlanta, USA, in front of Grand Master Woo.

I was promoted to Chief Instructor in May 2007, and opened Leatherhead CKD on July 3rd. In June 2009 I successfully tested for my 2nd Degree Black belt, and have been promoted to Associate Examiner.

Thank you for taking the time in reading my profile.

Pil Suhng!

Hello,

My name is Kirsten Roper. I work full time at a Primary School in Reigate as an HLTA in charge of Pastoral Support.

I started Choi Kwang Do in July 2007, when the school opened. Leatherhead CKD is an enjoyable, welcoming community of people, who continually aspire to become better, more confident martial artists. I have already become a more confident person, and this shows through all aspects of my life.

Leatherhead CKD has allowed me to meet people with all different backgrounds and experiences. It has also given me the privilege of training, supporting and teaching them.

Pil Suhng!

I have moved from Poland to England in 2006. In Poland I used to train Judo for about 4 years. After a year since I moved in I have started to look for another martial art. Judo was all about grabs and throws, and so I wanted to try some punching and kicking. I decided that I want to do Taekwondo, and I started looking around for a school. A friend has told me that there is one in his school. It turned to be Choi Kwang Do – A completely fresh concept martial art partly based on Taekwondo. Towards the end of 2007 I participated in my first class.

Since the very beginning I liked it, and after half a year I became an Assistant Instructor. Now I come to nearly all training sessions, and I improve my condition and flexibility. I have also gained much self-confidence, knowing that I can defend myself. I am planning to keep doing Choi, and hopefully get to black belt and beyond.

I have always been interested in Martial Arts and studied judo as a child and kung fu for 5 years in my twenties. I became disillusioned with what I perceived to be more of money making organisation than a hobby and sport and stopped as business and family responsibilities increased.

Having always wished to return to martial arts I tried a couple of local kung fu clubs but was not satisfied with their approach. As soon as my son Luca at 4 was able to start training, I renewed my search and was recommended to try Mr Ropers' school, LCKD. I was very impressed from the first lesson, with a great mix of study of the art and games serving to hold the young students attention and the emphasis based on sound core values. I was so impressed that I joined myself followed by my partner and recently our young daughter.

After just over a year of study and being extremely happy with all aspects at LCKD, I was fortunate enough to be able to become an Assistant Instructor. I have found the club to be very friendly with high quality tuition. The CKD training syllabus makes the art easily studied at all ages with minimal strain to the body. I would whole heatedly recommend LCKD to anyone regardless of age and ability.

My name is Jakub, I was born in 1998 and I come from Poland. When I was 4, I already loved martial arts, and I had started Judo. I moved to England when I was 8, and was very sad to leave my Judo behind! My dad got the job as caretaker at St. Andrews School. When my brother and I found out that Choi Kwang Do classes were held there, we joined straight away.

I joined LCKD on 29th November 2007 and will I am currently the youngest black belt in Leatherhead CKD. I attend every single class and help with the children's classes, which is really fun. My Instructor, Mr Roper is very proud of me, and he has promoted me to Team Leader. I get to take the stretches, and help to teach with the children’s classes.

Mr Roper thinks that I am so confident, that he even lets me take some of the drills in adult classes! I really like all of the instructors, and they are all very proud of me.

Pil Suhng!

My name is Sean Moore. I have been at Leatherhead Choi Kwang Do for 3 years and was the schools first student. I love everything about CKD, but my favourite thing is my Black Belt Speed Drills. They are very hard, because they are so long! I come to Choi 6 classes a week.

I have also met GrandMaster Choi, GrandMaster Woo and GrandMaster Pereira which was really cool!!

I passed my IL Dan grading in March 2010, and I became a Team Leader in April 2010, I love helping at the children's classes and like helping at every grading.

My best friends at Choi are George, Aidan and Jakub.

Pil Suhng!

My name is Aidan, I am 11 years old.

I started Choi when I was 10 years old and have been doing it for long time. I started it because my friend who goes there Jakub persuaded me to do it.

I go to the adult’s classes and the kids classes they are both fun. I got to be a team leader because I was nice and helpful in the kid’s classes. I like every body at Choi because they are all nice to me and I am nice to them.

Pil Suhng!