Melbourn Tang Soo Do

Grandmaster William Strong began his martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do through the Jhoon Rhee Institute in Austin, Texas when he was an undergraduate student at the University of Texas. He continued his training after moving to Alabama in 1972 and received his 1st Dan from the Alabama Karate Institute in 1974 and his 2nd Dan from the Kuk Ki Won in 1977, both in Tae Kwon Do. He achieved his 3rd and 4th Dan from the Korean Tang Soo Do Association, Moo Duk Kwan, Hwang Kee, President, in 1981 and 1983 respectively. In 1986, he joined the World Tang Soo Do Association and achieved his 5th, 6th and 7th Dan promotions from Grandmaster Jae C. Shin and his 8th Dan from Grandmaster Robert Beaudoin at the 2014 World Championship. The WTSDA Board of Directors recommended and approved his promotion to 9th Dan in the Fall of 2020 with the formal ceremony conducted in October 2021 at the US National Championship.

Grandmaster Strong opened his first studio in 1975 and continued to manage and teach for the next 40 years. He has served World Tang Soo Do Association as the chair of the Membership Committee 1987-1990, Technical Advisory Coordinator 1990-1995, Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee 1995-2014, and Director of US Masters’ Clinics 1991-2014. He was also Secretary General of the WTSDA and continues as a member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Governance Committee, and Publications Committee.

On April 1, 2017 the Board of Directors approved Grandmaster Strong as President of the World Tang Soo Do Association. He began the presidency on May 15, 2017. In this position, he is responsible for numerous administrative duties for the World Tang Soo Do Association and the WTSD Foundation.