Master Joe Connelly
6th Dan Taekwon-do
3rd Dan Hapkido
2nd Dan Kumdo
1st Dan Judo
Joe Connelly has over 40 years experience in martial arts. He is the Midwest regional director of Kidpower International, a padded-assailant violence-prevention skills training organization based in Santa Cruz, Calif.; and director of Connelly's Academy of Martial Arts, an Evanston, IL.-based school with 18 outbound programs teaching 400 people on a weekly basis. Joe also serves as continuing part-time staff for National-Louis University's PACE Program, serving developmentally-delayed adults.
He was awarded his 6th degree black belt in July 2002 by Grand Masters Nam Tae Hi and Jeff Forby. In 1996 he was awarded his 5th-degree black belt in Taekwon-do by Grandmaster Han Cha Kyo, president of the Universal Taekwon-do Federation, and his instructor's certificate in Hapkido from Grandmaster Kwang Sik Myung, president of the World Hapkido Federation. In 2006, Mr. Connelly received his 3rd -degree in Hapkido from Grandmaster Kwang Sik Myung.
Master Connelly started Kumdo training in 2002 under Grand Master Koo Hyi and Master Im of the USA Hwarang Kumdo Association, having his 1st Dan awarded 2004 and his 2nd Dan awarded 2006.
He assisted Grandmaster Han in the design and teaching of the award-winning youth empowerment programs for Oak Therapy School (Chicago), Illinois Children's Hospital School (Chicago), Allendale School for Boys (Lake Villa, IL.) and the State of Illinois School for the Blind (Chicago). He also served as special consultant to Old Orchard Hospital's Taekwon-do program for abused children in Skokie, IL.
He began studying Taekwon-do and Judo as a teenager and earned his first degree black belt in 1972. While in college he participated as a member of the Southern Illinois University's Taekwon-do team that won first place in the 1973 Midwest Collegiate Championships.