Grandmaster earns appointment

The World Taekwondo Changmookwan Association recently appointed Grandmaster Craig Balliette, owner of Lakewood Ranch Taekwondo Academy, to the position of director to all certification and seminars through the World Changmookwan.

Balliette’s appointment to director has come after 45 years of training, of which 30 years have been spent owning and instructing every class offered at his taekwondo schools throughout the country.

The World Changmookwan has many years of history and is one of nine Kwan systems of Taekwondo in Korea under founder Grandmaster Lee Nam Suk. Grandmaster Lee was instrumental in uniting the Kwan systems grandmasters together to form the World Taekwondo Federation in 1973, presenting Taekwondo as a demonstration sport in the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Balliette was first honored by Lee when he produced videos of every World Taekwondo Federation color belt and black belt form. After viewing the videos, Grandmaster Lee authorized his name, support and endorsement as a true documentation of the forms.

Lee passed away from natural causes 10 years ago, appointing Grandmaster George Anderson as director. Recently, Anderson passed away unexpectedly, and the torch was passed to Balliette.