Not One, But Two!!

[sensei8]

Since I don't walk within the circles of the ATA, I hadn't heard about this until today. My post isn't to disrespect the ATA in any shape, way, and/or form!! For me to do that, would be cheap, to say the least, and that isn't my character.

The ATA now has TWO Grandmasters...not one, but two Grandmasters CURRENTLY! In Ho Lee and now, Richard Reed. I'm not talking about successions, but I'm talking about, if I may, Co-Grandmasters.

Why now? Why not later? Why ever?

Let someone else speak about this, better than I can...

"The Officiating Grand Master, In Ho Lee, announces an addition to the 2015 Masters’ Ceremony.

 

We are excited to announce a very special, high rank advancement. On this historic occasion, Chief Master Richard Reed will receive his 9th Degree Black Belt and the title of Grand Master. Chief Master Reed was instrumental to bringing his instructor, Eternal Grand Master HU Lee to the United States in the 1960’s. Considered the very first member of the ATA, Chief Master Reed was instrumental in the startup of the first ATA school – which was called the Nebraska Karate Association in Omaha. He was an innovator of martial arts as a business which built part of the foundation for over one thousand ATA licensed locations today."

As belated as this is, I extend my congratulations to GM Richard Reed of the American Taekwondo Association.

I'd say, that this can be truly said that it's not ever been tried before, imho, of Co-Grandmasters, and the like. Will they both have equal authority as Co-Grandmasters? It could be that as their announcement starts...

"The Officiating Grand Master, In Ho Lee.." means that In Ho Lee maintains the mantle of authority, while Richard Reed, just holds the mantle of GM.

Please, be respectful to the ATA in your responses...

Would this work in YOUR governing body??

Would you want this of your governing body??

I doubt that it would work in our governing body because the upper higher hierarchy aren't capable of sharing responsibilities. They're team players, but they all want to be the boss...the head honcho, therefore, my days as Kaicho are quite numbered!!

I wouldn't want this of our governing body because I believe that it can be disruptive to the core of the student body. How? Following two Kaicho's, as it would be in our governing body, is akin to following two masters, whereas, one will be loved and the other hated. Two visions running to the same conclusions doesn't seem to be quite acceptable because one will want what the other doesn't.

[DWx]

Congratulations to GM Reed.

I think the term has a different meaning in Korean martial arts. Grandmaster just gets awarded at a certain rank level in the same way a master title is or a bachelors or PhD. I lose track but I think in the ITF in the UK alone we have 7 grandmasters?? And more than I could count worldwide. The title gets bestowed on reaching 9th dan. It doesn't equate to being head of a group of schools.

[IcemanSK]

Congratulations GM Reed!!

In Kukki TKD there are many 9th Dan and who have the title grandmaster. The ATA is unique within TKD circles, as they (until now) have only had one grandmaster at a time. There are heads of individual Kwan, but still several grandmasters under them. At Kukkiwon, there is a president, but several grandmasters under them. So, in my experience, the ATA borrowed the idea of one GM at a time from non-TKD Arts.

[Spartacus Maximus]

The very title of grandmaster can be misleading because of what it means to different governing bodies. If it is just an honorary title given to ANY 9th or 10th dan, then there could possibly be more than one person with that title. However if it means something like "Head director and administrator" of the governing body, there is usually one person who has been chosen in one way or another.

[sensei8]

Congratulations to GM Reed.

I think the term has a different meaning in Korean martial arts. Grandmaster just gets awarded at a certain rank level in the same way a master title is or a bachelors or PhD. I lose track but I think in the ITF in the UK alone we have 7 grandmasters?? And more than I could count worldwide. The title gets bestowed on reaching 9th dan. It doesn't equate to being head of a group of schools.

Solid post!!

What I do know about the ATA is that the GM for ATA IS the authority of their governing body; alas, they've had, up until 2015, one GM AT A TIME, as IcemanSK has pointed out!! Whenever one GM stepped down, another would be promoted to the GM mantle. I believe that Brain, might be able to shed some light on this because he once was part of the ATA.