Who We Are
Master James Ward - Head of School
Mr. James Ward has trained under Grand Master Kim for the past 28 years and has attained a 4th degree black belt in Judo and a Sixth degree black belt in Taekwondo. He has been teaching Judo and Taekwondo since 1991. He has trained in Korea on multiple occasions at various training sites in Seoul Korea including Yong In and Dung He University. Throughout his martial arts career he has competed in local, state and international competitions. He is currently an Occupation Maintenance Life Safety Director at Harbor View Nursing and Rehabilitation facility. Mr. Ward feels that martial arts has helped make him the person he is today and attributes his perseverance, dedication and patience to the art.
Grand Master Jung Ho Kim — Founder
Grand Master Kim is a native of Seoul, Korea. He has been training in the Martial Arts for over 50 years teaching. He has earned 8th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon do and Judo and a Fifth degree Black Belt in Hapkido. He is a graduate of the famed Yong-In University where, in 1980, he received a Bachelor of Physical Science in Martial Arts. Master Kim came to the United States in 1984 and settled in Chicago. There he met and began training Arlene Limas who, in 1988, went on to win an Olympic Gold Medal for the United States in Taekwondo. Upon moving to Memphis, Grand Master Kim established Kim’s Academy in 1986 and Collierville Taekwondo in 2016. Since then, Grand Master Kim has helped hundreds of students achieve their own personal level of success in Martial Arts.
