AMAA (Master Derrick Kwak) Grand Opening

On May 2nd, 2009, American Martial Arts Academy (AMAA, CEO Master Derrick Kwak) held a grand opening ceremony for their newly acquired facility in Simi Valley.

AMAA's new school is 25,000 square feet which used to be Bally's Total Fitness Gym. The size of the school puts AMAA in top 5 biggest schools in the United States. The new facility has more than 8 classrooms for their after school program, computer labs, piano room, play room, and recreation area for birthday parties and special events.

Master Derrick Kwak, the CEO and the head master for AMAA (Hyung Geon Kwak), to get to where he is now, has gone through his tough times as well. Master Kwak came to the United States with his parents back in 1987. Unlike most Korean masters, Master Kwak did not come to the US with a plan to start his own Taekwondo school. He started to train Taekwondo at Do San Taekwondo in Santa Monica, CA as a white belt and became an instructor at his school at age 22. His passion for Taekwondo led him to finally open his own school in 1998. His first school was approximately 2000 square feet and had about 30 students. The location of the school made it almost impossible for him to expand or grow. Master Kwak said those were his hardest times during his years of teaching Taekwondo. He sometimes didn’t have money to pay the rent and struggled to keep the school open.

A lot has changed since then. This grand opening is Master Kwak's 4th in 10 years of teaching Taekwondo. Master Kwak plans on expanding to the Chicago area with his instructors running it for themselves.

Even with all the success, Master Kwak gives all the credit to his parents, students, and his wife Konnie Kwak who have supported him and his school through good and bad times. He vows to work and teach even harder to make his new facility a perfect venue for not just his students, but for all the Taekwondo practitioners who wishes to come to his school and train.

Here are highlights from American Martial Arts Academy's grand opening ceremony:

- James Kim (james@mookas.us)

< 2009 MOOKAS USA / http://www.mookas.us. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy are applicable to you. All rights reserved.>

- James Kim (james@mookas.us)

< 2009 MOOKAS USA / http://www.mookas.us. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy are applicable to you. All rights reserved.>