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Banstead TaeKwon-Do

Blackbelts

Colin Potter

Colin Potter

2nd Degree

Colin Potter is another student, along with myself, of Master R. Dennis VII. When I moved to London from Scotland and started training with Master Dennis there were many good black belts already in the class and Colin was one of them. They were good training times around 2005 - 2010. 

I am very proud to say that Mr Potter started attending my classes in Banstead shortly after the school kicked off and we have trained well together since then. Mr Potter practiced in the Banstead classes and then was successful in being awarded his 2nd Degree by Master Dennis and is currently and essential part of the Banstead TaeKwon-Do Instructor line up, as without him we wouldn't have the TKD Condensed Encyclopedia in verbal format available so readily. Colin starts teaching every Wednesday class for us. 

Mr Potter teaches with Master Dennis on Fridays and with us on Mondays and Wednesday. 

We hope that over the next year or so Mr Potter can progress to 3rd Degree.

Matt Thomas

Matt Thomas

1st Degree

Matt Thomas became the first student of mine that became Blackbelt, he was examined and promoted my Master Russell Dennis VII. After a gruelling test Matt showed some excellent self defence and power test.

Josey Killner

Josey Killner

1st Degree

Josey is an amazing person, she has suffered my classes since the very first session on September 2nd 2009 and almost never missed a class. 

She is an absolute oracle of TaeKwon-Do theory and knowledge and has helped many students get through their theory tests. 

Josey had an excellent 1st Degree grading impressing the examiner with her power test, which really demonstrated good technique. 

Many muscular men gym goers would fail at the TKD power test. 

Lucy Young

Lucy Young

1st Degree

Lucy is a long standing student, not quite in the very first class I ran, but pretty close for sure. Lucy impresses everyone with her flexibilty, knowledge and skill and she attends every lesson possible. Lucy had a great 1st Degree grading, along with Josey, impressing the examiner with her power test especially considering her slight build.

Sabrina Singh

Sabrina Singh

1st Degree

Sabrina, wow, what an amazing student. Having first met Sabrin in her first TKD class when she was 7 years old, then seeing her grow into a teenager with amazing TKD skills has been a wonderful experience. Sabrina's TKD kicking ability is, literally, second to none. 


Ricardo Singh

Ricardo Singh

1st Degree

Ricardo used to watch Sabrina's classes while she attended class and he sat in the parents corner, he also called me 'Master' which was flattering of course, but I wasn't a Master. Something must have intrigued him enough to turn up to my adults classes, and then magic happened, and Ricardo found himself in the thick of things working hard towards his blackbelt. What is amazing is that even coming to TKD in his 40's Ricardo worked to become one of the fittest members of the club and is a constant inspiration to all younger members, especially those struggling with strength and fitness. A good sense of humour and hard working attitude have seen Ricardo earning a high attendance rate and skill level even at the same time and working hard on his own business and becoming a recognisable local businessman of success. 

Rod Slyfield

Rod Slyfield

2nd Degree

Rod impressed me and everyone around when he started training at a later stage in life than most people, I think he was 49 when he started. Rod trained hard at every session, and never missed a class. 

Rod trained heavily in boxing in his use and brings to the class some excellent knowledge in sparring. We are very proud to have Grandad Rod as one of our Blackbelts. 

Rod was promoted to 1st Degree by Master Russell Dennis in June 2017.

Andy Palacpac

Andy Palacpac

1st Degree

Andy Palacpac became 1st Degree blacbelt in currently the most impressive way possible. Andy shows great technical ability, excellent jumping skills, and good intelligence in sparring. However, during his first Degree exam he suffered a terrible injury, he dislocated his shoulder while sparring. Knowing he still had the most demanding stages of the grading to follow (power tests, jumping kick tests, self defence, 1 step sparring) he chose to show excellent perseverence and strap his arm to his chest and continue his grading 1 handed. 

He was promoted to 1st Degree by Master Russell Dennis VII and is an excellent example of what it takes to become a Blackbelt. 

Andy injury was so bad that he has spent much of time recently in rehabilitation but after a recent operation he is well on his way to regaining full use of his arm.

Kevin Webb

Kevin Webb

1st Degree

Kevin also came to TaeKwon-Do in his 40's having said it was something he has always wanted to do. Kevin has the most difficult sparring style and is always a tricky opponent. I'd prefer to have Kevin on my team than spar against him.

Conor Graham

Conor Graham

1st Degree

Conor started Banstead TaeKwon-Do and progressed very well doing great at competitions, then he joined our seniors class and has grown in to a strong and feared sparrer. He is currently inactive because of GCSE's and A-Levels. We look forward to his return to class.

Aaron Duvigneau

Aaron Duvigneau

1st Degree

Aaron came to my TKD classes as a young teenager looking for many things, I'm sure. I am happy to say that whatever he was looking for he must have found in our classes because he stayed with us through thick and thin, he found support from the older generation of students, he provided support for the younger generation of students. Aaron showed top level commitment, even travelling from Uni in Wales back to Banstead for his red belt grading. Aaron has worked hard on fitness, strength, skill and power and is now found competing in kickboxing and MMA and is yet another person I'd have on my team rather than fight against ;)

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