Welcome

The official website for Region 20 of the World Tang Soo Do Association located in beautiful Southern California!

Special Region 20 Announcements!

WTSDA 42nd Anniversary

November 13-14, 1982 was when the World Tang Soo Do Association was founded by Cho Dae Kwang Jang Nim Jae C. Shin and a group of dedicated masters and students in Philadelphia, PA. 42 years later this association is still going strong and growing with each passing year. Tang Soo!

2024 FEMALE WORLD CHAMPION

Congratulations to our very own Alexis Stoke! After a day of grueling competition in weapons, forms, and sparring, Alexis beat out all other adult females 18-34 years old after winning 3 gold medals in her own competition!

Also Mr. Kevin Stoke placed 1st Weapons, 1st Hyung, and 2nd Sparring tied for Senior Black Belt Male Grand Champion but the title went to the higher ranking black belt.

We are so incredibly proud of everyone who went to compete and all of those who represented Region 20 at the 2024 WTSDA World Championships!

Coastal Canyon Tang Soo Do

Marine Goldberg Cho Dan, 33, 2nd Sparring, 3rd Open Hand, 3rd Weapons

Chelsea Roffey E Dan, 16, 1st Sparring

Annika Chang Cho Dan, 12, 1st Sparring, 2nd Weapons

Arden Roffey Cho Dan Bo, 13, 3rd Sparring, 3rd Weapons

Fathom Martial Arts

David Noriega, Sam Dan, 2nd Sparring, 3rd Weapons (18-21 Sam Dan)

Declan Noriega, E Dan, 1st Weapons, 3rd Forms (18-21 E Dan)

Robert Holmer, Cho Dan Bo, 2nd Sparring (18-34 Cho Dan Bo)

Tang Soo Do Karate Institute

Alexis Stoke, 26, Sam Dan Female 26-34, Sam Dan 1st Weapons 1st Hyung 1st Sparring  - Adult Black Belt Female Grand Champion

Laurence A. Dercole, 22, Sam Dan Male 22-25 Sam Dan 3rd Hyung

Giordano Dercole, 19, E Dan Male 18-20 E Dan 2nd Weapons 2nd Sparring

Kevin Stoke, 61, E Dan Male 61-77 Cho Dan/E Dan/Sam Dan 1st Weapons 1st Hyung 2nd Sparring - Tied for Senior Black Belt Male Grand Champion

Aidin Miramontes, 16, Cho Dan Female 16 &17 Cho Dan 1st Sparring 3rd Hyung

Max Harris, 13, Cho Dan Male 13 Cho Dan 1st Sparring 2nd Hyung

Maximus Fuentes, 17, 3rd Gup Male 15-17 Brown Belts 1st Weapons 1st Hyung

2024 US Master’s Clinic

On March 21st masters from all over the world gathered in Florence, Alabama to train and get together for a weekend full of learning, advancement, and laughter. Region 20 is incredibly blessed to have many outstanding masters and instructors!

Our masters spent the weekend learning from masters around the globe, refining their craft, listening to lectures on advancing their studios, testing for their next ranks, and enjoying time with their World Tang Soo Do Association family!

  • Top Row: SBN William Glenn, SBN Ricardo Hassan, Master Robert Nelson, BSBN Efrain Perez, Master Paul Noriega, Master Miguel Soto, BSBN Laura Barrera

    Bottom Row: Master Kenney Purnell, Master Larry D’Ercole, Master Clare Marsch, KCN Strong, BKCN Stine, Master Patrick Marsch, SBN Barbara Bellini, Master Kelly Goodwin

  • Region 20: Mr. Efrain Perez (Tang Soo Do Karate Institute), Ms. Laura Barrera (M.A.S. Tang Soo Do), Master Paul Noriega (Fathom Martial Arts), Master Miguel Soto (M.A.S. Tang Soo Do)

  • Region 20 Candidates: Mr. Efrain Perez (Tang Soo Do Karate Institute), Ms. Laura Barrera (M.A.S. Tang Soo Do)

  • Region 20: Master Clare Marsch (Allied Gardens Tang Soo Do), Master Patrick Marsch (Allied Gardens Tang Soo Do)

Master Clare Marsch

First Female 6th Dan Master!

Join us in congratulating our very own Master Clare Marsch on being the first female 6th Dan Master! We are incredibly blessed to have Master Clare in our region. We encourage everyone who can to join us at the 2023 U.S. National Championships to watch Master Clare be promoted to 6th Dan. Below is Master Clare’s reflection on her upcoming Yuk Dan promotion and her time training: ‘

“Master Kwon moved to the San Diego area and opened two schools – this Miramar location and his original dojang in Chula Vista with assistant instructor E-Dan Larry Dercole.  We signed up for some trial classes and decided to stay - starting over as white belts as Tang Soo Do was a style new to both of us.

The day came and we tested in the Miramar dojang in front of a small panel comprised of Master Hong Koo Baek, Master Moon Koo Baek, and another Korean Master we did not know.  The test was conducted by Master Han.  We were prepared! The following week we were awarded our Black Belts.  That day in 1983 I will never forget.  I never dreamed of a black belt around my waist, but here it was.

We registered our dojangs together as two locations of one studio – UC-Tech Tang Soo Do.  World Tang Soo Do Studio # 481.  I proudly hung up the WTSDA flag on the wall of my new martial arts home where I taught for the next 20 years – the San Diego Tech Center Tang Soo Do.  

Of course – the most memorable part of the 1992 Championship for me was winning the WSTDA World Championship Female Grand Champion Cup.  My San Diego teammate Michael Pereira won the Men’s Grand Champion Cup.  It was an all-San Diego day.

I was promoted to Sah Dan Master at the 1996 World Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.  I was happy that it was close enough to San Diego that several of my students could come to witness the ceremony.  It seems so long ago and far away in time, but the memory is still clear in my mind as I swore my lifelong allegiance to the World Tang Soo Do Association and to Grandmaster Shin.  I did not know then in how many ways I would be called to serve the Association.

It was truly an honor to be awarded my Oh Dan Rank by Grandmaster Beaudoin at the 2015 Region 20 Championship. This is my “home turf”, and it meant so much to me to be promoted in the presence of so many of my fellow Tang Soo Do practitioners and their families.

It was an honor to test for Yuk Dan.  With this step I will be the senior-ranking female in the World Tang Soo Do Association. I am humbled by this thought because there are so many fellow women who are also so deserving – and I know their time will also come.”

Read more about Master Clare’s journey using the link below!