Kodanja Members

Assistant Grandmaster Allen Sharpe, Pal Dan (8th Degree)

Senior Master Allen Sharpe

Assistant Grandmaster Allen Sharpe has been training in the Martial Arts for over 50 years. He began his martial arts journey in 1970 in Seoul, Korea at the Ji Do Kwan and later, the Moo Duk Kwan. Master Sharpe’s core system of study is Tang Soo Do as taught to him by Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin of the World Tang Soo Do Association with additional advanced studies in Hapkido (affiliated with the International Hapkido Alliance and World Sin Moo Hapkido Federation) In addition to this Grandmaster Sharpe also studies Haidong Gumdo (affliated with World Haidong Gumdo Federation).

Grandmaster Sharpe has been the Region 4 Director of the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) since 1991 and is one of the 4 8th degree black belts. He is on the Board of Directors for the WTSDA and also serves on the Governance Committee. He has initiated several ongoing and highly successful programs and events within the region: Annual Gup Camp, Annual Black Belt Camp, Instructor’s Clinic, Black Belt Continuing Education Program, Regional Championships as well as the Regional Banquet and Awards. Grandmaster Sharpe was also included in the initial Weapons Sub-Committee, assisting in the research and presentation of Korean weapons theory and technique, specifically, the Korean sword arts, Staff arts and Royal Court weaponry. In addition, Grandmaster Sharpe is featured prominently in Grandmaster Shin’s Tang Soo Do Volumes 2 and 4.

Grandmaster Sharpe received the coveted Hall of Fame “Master of the Year award” from the World Tang Soo Do Association in 2006 as well as the “30 Year Dedication award” for continual dedication to Tang Soo Do and the World Tang Soo Do Association.

International Master Patrick L. West, Yuk Dan (6th Degree)

Int’l Master Patrick West

Patrick L. West who is the owner and developer of all the programs at Texas Tang Soo Do San Antonio, is a International Master Instructor, 6th Degree, in the martial arts with over 40 years of experience. He has instructed professionally through formal classes as well as various seminars.

He began his training in 1977, under Mr. Floyd Guidry, 3rd Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do. Mr. Guidry studied under Grandmaster Shin at Osan Air Force Base in Korea. He was a classmate and friend to Chuck Norris. When Master West first began his training, the World Tang Soo Do Association did not exist. At that time, Mr. Guidry was affiliated with the American Tae Kwon Do Association, and Senior Master West achieved his Cho Dan in Tae Kwon Do through Mr. Guidry in 1979.

International Master West is a charter member of the World Tang Soo Do Association. He was a member of the WTSDA Il Soo Sik Development Committee, which is a subdivision of the Techinical Advisory Committee. Senior Master West was the photographer of Grandmaster Shin’s last book “Traditional Tang Soo Do, Volume 6” – the Masters Training Text as well as on volume revisions within the series. He is also a member of the Region #4 Technical Development Committee, which was originated to help the continued education and betterment of the Black Belts and Black Belt candidates within Region 4.

Senior Master Jimmy Bailey, Oh Dan (5th Degree)

Master Jimmy Bailey

Master Jimmy Bailey first started studying martial arts at Bergstrom Tang Soo Do under Master Jerry Strickland in 1992 in the Austin, TX area. Soon after beginning, Mr. Reggie Goodwin took over the school, and Master Bailey trained there until he graduated from the University of Texas in 1996 with a degree in Business Economics. He was able to achieve my Cho Dan before graduating. He achieved Sah Dan Master in 2012. At the regional level Master Bailey has been the Webmaster, Host of the Regional Gup Clinic, a Facilitator of Regional Tournaments and Dan Camp. He also acted as the Region 4 Ambassador to Mexico.

 

Ann-Marie Moos, Sah Dan (4th Degree)

Ms. Anne-Marie Moos

Ann-Marie Moos is a Chief Instructor, 4th Degree. She is originally from Newark, Delaware.

 

 

 

 

 

Master Bob Barron, Sah Dan (4th Degree)

Master Bob Barron

Bob Barron is a certified fourth degree Master Black Belt, presented this rank by Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin of the World Tang Soo Do Association. He has trained in Tang Soo Do since 1985 and is an active World Tang Soo Do Association Region Four participant, serving in a variety of administrative and instructional roles. Master Barron has also trained in, Hapkido, Jujutsu and Haidong Gumdo (Korean Sword). Barron’s Martial Arts (Barron’s Karate or Texas Tang Soo Do Academy, Inc.) has been owned and operated in the Houston Copperfield / Bear Creek area by Bob Barron since September of 1995 and moved to the Jones & Grant location in the summer of 2016.

Master Giselle Sharpe, Sah Dan (4th Degree)

Master Giselle Sharpe with Grandmaster Shin in 2010

While studying Astronomy and Physics at the University of Arizona, Master Giselle Sharpe began her Tang Soo Do training in 1991 under the suggestion of a friend. In Tucson, she trained with Miss Aida Khoury and Mr. Doug Williams. Upon gaining employment with the Space Telescope Science Institute (Hubble Space Telescope) in Maryland in 1992, Giselle co-founded a school as a green belt with Mr. Peter Emanuel, Cho Dan, who had came from Penn State Tang Soo Do, under Master Michael Kaye. After several instructors, the studio could no longer be maintained and Master Giselle Sharpe began commuting to Morning Star Tang Soo Do in Northern Virginia to continue her training under Ms. Amanda Hagy and Mr. Huhib Rahman, from whom she achieved Cho Dan in 1998. During her time in Maryland and Virginia, she also received training under Master Vance Britt of Morning Star Tang Soo Do. In 1998, she moved to Houston, Texas by Lockheed Martin Space Operations. She married Master Allen Sharpe in 2001.

Master Giselle Sharpe was the first female master in Region 4 of the WTSDA (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri). In 2010 and 2012, she received the WTSDA Hall of Fame Instructor of the Year. She has received numerous awards at the regional level. She worked for the WTSDA web committee for over 10 years and has worked the head table at World Championships. Master Giselle Sharpe is the creator and operator of the current WTSDA Business Seminars as well as being the creator and director of the WTSDA’s HDL Program for youth.

Master Kerry Berringer, Sah Dan (4th Degree)

Master Kerry Berringer

Master Kerry Berringer has been training in Tang Soo Do since 1992. He is also a black belt in Haedong Gumdo, which is a traditional Korean sword art and teaches this in specialized classes throughout each month. He has also had training in several other martial arts.

 

 

 

 

Master Dave Mukherjee, Sah Dan (4th Degree)

Master Dave Mukherjee

Master Mukherjee has had a life-long fascination with martial arts and began training when he was 12 years old. He is a strong proponent of Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin’s philosophy of using martial arts training to develop the whole person and believes that training in Tang Soo Do can play an important role in both mental and physical development. His main philosophy is to provide an environment where students are surrounded by a family atmosphere where they can develop mind, body and spirit through their training.
Over the years, Master Mukherjee has studied different martial arts like Kyokushin-Kai Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Tang Soo Do. He is also an Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) certified Kickboxing instructor. he has competed and won awards in numerous Regional and World Championships including 2005, 2006 and 2007 Region 4 Black Belt Grand Champion and 2007 Region 4 Instructor of the Year award.