WHERE WE COME FROM
Founded in 1986, the U.S. Taekwondo Center features premier Taekwondo instructors and classes that teach the strength of mind and body to children, families, and adults. Led by Grandmaster Sang Lee, the first U.S. Olympic Head Coach, and his son, Master Jay Lee, the center holds a lineage of Taekwondo traditions rooted in Korea, its country of origin. Grandmaster Lee was born in Korea, was a 13-time Korean National Champion, and was inducted into the Korean Sports Hall of Fame. He was the U.S. National Team coach from 1979 to 1988. In 1988, he was the first U.S. Olympic Head Coach in the Seoul Olympic Games. Under his training, the U.S. Team placed an incredible 2nd overall in the world: the Women’s Team was 1st and the Men’s Team was 2nd.
WHO WE HAVE BECOME
The first U.S. Taekwondo Center (USTC Citadel) opened at 1316 N. Academy Blvd. in 1986, coinciding with Grandmaster Lee’s move to Colorado Springs to coach the first-ever U.S. Olympic Taekwondo team. In the following years, Grandmaster Lee and his son, Master Jay Lee, a 5th-degree black belt, opened four other locations across the Springs and in Monument. In 30-plus years, these Taekwondo Schools (Dojangs) have grown to now train more than 1,200 students.
OUR VISION & PHILOSOPHY
At the U.S. Taekwondo Center, we are a family-run school on a mission to positively impact families and society using taekwondo. We teach it to change lives and improve mental and physical health for all ages. We want to help children gain confidence, have fun, and start becoming better citizens. We train them to be captains of their sports teams, leaders of their school clubs, and honor roll students who show respect to teachers, peers, elders, and their parents. Taekwondo instills the attributes that are found in people who positively impact their communities.
TRAINING DURING COVID-19
U.S. Taekwondo Center understands that our community is going through a challenging time. We are all experiencing disruptions to our work, school, activities, and schedules. There are thousands of families that are looking for positive, healthy activities and some semblance of normalcy.
That's why U.S. Taekwondo Center is offering online classes alongside our in-person classes at this time. We are working hard to provide the opportunity to everyone to have a structured physical fitness program that is not only FUN but a strong reinforcement of respect, self-discipline, confidence, and more!
