Don Daly
Yellow Belt
I am Don Daly. I've been a student of Martial Arts since 1972 although I did archery for about 5 years before that. My original instruction was in Moo Duk Kwan Korean Karate (Tang Soo Do - Tae Kwon Do) under T. Edward Thompson, Jr., who taught in Laramie, Wyoming under Sabomnim Ahn, Kyong-Wan. During the '70s I also learned some Okinawa-Te Karate, Judo, and had some instruction in Korean stick fighting and Okinawan weapons. In 1980 in Denver I received instruction from Sabomnim Chung, Wha-Young at his Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan studio. In 1982 I move back to Laramie, WY, where I met Sabomnim Stephen Blackburn, who had learned a variety of martial arts and required me to learn most of them as a personal student. He also taught me how to research the martial arts and be able to compare and contrast their techniques and history. Through his Kodaiwakan Budo Association in 1997, I was privileged to become certified with 4th Degree Blackbelts in Tang Soo Do and in Okinawan Kenpo - Kobu Do. He also taught me Kyushin Ryu Iaido/Kenjutsu, Filipino escrima and Chinese Kwon Dao and Darn Dao. Since then I have also trained with Paul Hart in Denver with Self-Defense Systems Jeet Kune Do. Due to an illness, I no longer train regularly, but I am still researching. My goal this year is knowledge of So Rim Jang Kwan, the last required form listed in the 1972 Dan Manual (I have learned the others although one never really completes their study of them). If anyone has a copy of the 1958 Hwa Soo Do book by Hwang Kee or knows the form themselves I would gladly trade for it (I am currently between jobs as a Science Teacher in Christian Schools). Hope this didn't sound like bragging, I just want you to know that I have been on the path for quite awhile.