Shane Knight
My name is Shane Knight, I started learning Tae Kwon-do in Cullompton on the 1st December 1996 with Mr Paul Smith 3rd dan. I owe a lot to Mr Smith who set me on my TKD journey, he is an instructor that I hold in very high regard. I was very lucky to join the Cullompton club at this time as I made some very good friends who were very talented at Tae Kwon-Do.
We spent a lot of time together practising and sparring and travelled all over the South West training with different instructors, we also use to meet up with friends from other martial arts to practise sparring.
In November 97 Mr Smith had to move due to family commitments and Mr Darren Sainsbury 5th dan started teaching at The Cullompton club. Under the guidance of Mr Sainsbury I have competed in many competitions, at some I received medals and others I have just taken part in. My best result was winning the British championship patterns and welter weight sparring in the same day. In November 2000 I was fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to become the instructor at Cullompton under the watchful eye of Mr Sainsbury and Mr Dew.
Mr Sainsbury has turned into a very good friend and mentor and without his help I would not have had the chance to teach Tae Kwon-do and for that I will be forever grateful, he has taught me nearly everything I know about self defence.
Mr Dew 8th dan is the founder of the West of England Tae kwon-Do, chief grading examiner for the South West and the vice Chairman of the TAGB. I am still learning a great deal from Mr Dew about being a student of Tae Kwon-Do and he is someone I look up to and have great deal of respect for, he has done a great deal of work for Tae Kwon-do in the West of England and the UK but above all he is as you would expect very good at Tae Kwon-do.
On the 22 April 2001 I graded to my 1st dan, during that year I also qualified as a TAGB instructor and a umpire, meaning I could officiate at competitions. In April 2004 I graded for my 2nd dan. I am now a qualified referee, appointed first aid person, am CRB checked and a registered BTC (British Tae Kwon-do council) Tae Kwon-do instructor.
I owe a great deal of thanks to many people for being the instructor at Cullompton including Mr Smith, Mr Sainsbury, Mr Dew, Manda Sowden my partner, Maria Sowden my assistant instructor, but above all the students I have taught past and present as without them it would be me in a hall learning Tae Kwon-do on my own!
Shane knight 2nd dan
