Grand Master Scott Downey, B.Sc (Hons), M.Ed, R.Psych
9th Degree Black Belt (C-9-4)
President, International Taekwon-Do Federation of Newfoundland and Labrador (ITFNL)
Currently the Eastern V.P. of the CTFI.
Certified ITF Master Instructor/Examiner and Umpire “A”
· Started training in the Martial Arts in 1976 including Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, Judo, and Taekwon-Do. Grand Master Downey’s first Taekwon-Do instructor was Grandmaster Joong Soo Park, pioneer of TaeKwon-Do in Canada.
· Grand Master Downey has promoted over 200 students to Black Belt and is the pioneer of ITF Taekwon-Do in Newfoundland.
· Competed in many national and international events, including the 1st ITF world cup in Orlando, Florida (Silver in 6th Dan Patterns). His last competition was at the General Choi Memorial Cup in Ottawa in 2004 where he captured gold medals in both 6th Dan patterns and sparring.
· Attended 6 international instructors courses with General Choi Hong Hi, including the 1st (and only) Masters Seminar in Vienna Austria in 2002.
· Was requested by General Choi to assist him in 3 international instructors courses (Newfoundland, British Columbia, and Toronto)
· Attended the 1st ITF Leadership Training Camp in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 2006.
· Umpire for the Junior World championship in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (2006) and Senior and Junior World championship in Quebec City, 2007.
· Wrote and produced the song, “The Ode to General Choi” as a gift for General Choi to commemorate his first and only visit to Newfoundland to conduct an International Instructors Course (March 16,17,18, 2001). Master Downey has since performed the song at many national and international events including the recent World championship in Quebec City.
· Was requested by General Choi to co-write a document entitled, “TaeKwon-Do: A Four-year University Master Plan”. This was General Choi’s final contribution to Taekwon-Do prior to his death on June 15 2002. Master Downey still has the handwritten notes regarding the program that was given to him by General Choi during the Masters Seminar in Vienna, Austria.
· Most memorable Taekwon-Do moment: Being promoted to 6th Degree Belt by General Choi during the IIC in British Columbia in December 2001. A close second is being promoted to 7th Dan in June 2007 by the ITF Technical Committee, during the ITF Taekwon-Do World championship in Quebec City.
· Grand Master Downey is also a Registered Psychologist and his hobbies include songwriting and running.
Downey’s TKD website: www.kick.nf.net