ATA Nation podcast brings you a fascinating glimpse into the world of Taekwondo with two insightful interviews featuring Master Van Tonder and Master Jacobs, both esteemed instructors at the ATA International Headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. Master Van Tonder, originally from South Africa, shares his inspiring journey into martial arts, highlighting the challenges of relocating to a new country and the personal growth he’s experienced since joining the ATA. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance through tough times, reminding listeners that even on bad days, pushing through can lead to greater rewards. Meanwhile, Master Jacobs recounts his own path from starting martial arts in 1993 to becoming a familiar face within the ATA community, offering valuable advice for those considering a career in martial arts. Together, these interviews illuminate the dedication and passion that drive ATA instructors, making this episode a must-listen for students, parents, and martial arts enthusiasts alike.

Takeaways:

• ATA headquarters not only serves as a central hub for Taekwondo but also hosts its own martial arts school.
• Master Van Tonder shared how he transitioned from South Africa to teaching at ATA headquarters.
• He emphasized the importance of perseverance, especially during challenging times in martial arts training.
• Master Jacobs reflected on his unexpected journey into martial arts, starting from a gym without prior interest.
• Both instructors discussed the sense of community and accountability found in ATA's training environment.
• The episode highlighted the significance of overcoming bad days to experience greater successes in Taekwondo.

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Host: 00:00:00

Did you know ATA headquarters has its own martial arts school?

Host: 00:00:05

We talked to the instructor.

Host: 00:00:06

Let's get started.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:00:08

Sir.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:00:08

I will live with perseverance in the spirit of Taekwondo, courtesy for fellow students, integrity within myself, and to become a black belt leader.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:00:22

Welcome to the Ata Nation podcast.

Host: 00:00:26

Instructors, students, parents, family of Ata Nation, welcome back to the Ata Nation podcast.

Host: 00:00:33

This is episode 131, and I am your host, Senior Master Zach Hayden.

Host: 00:00:40

It is a joy to be back with you today.

Host: 00:00:42

I hope you enjoyed last week's episode.

Host: 00:00:44

I really, I really thought it was a cool one.

Host: 00:00:46

This week we're going to bring you two different interviews, both gentlemen working at ATA International Headquarters in Little Rock.

Host: 00:00:56

Now, I was down there recently for some podcast stuff, for some other projects, and got the opportunity to interview these two gentlemen, Master Jacobs and Master Van Tonder.

Host: 00:01:08

Now, I will let you know.

Host: 00:01:09

We're going to start with Master Van Tonder, a little of his story.

Host: 00:01:13

And he is from South Africa and has come to teach at the ATA headquarters school.

Host: 00:01:19

Super cool, him and his wife there.

Host: 00:01:22

And then we're going to transition to our interview with Master Jacobs, and I will let you know that.

Host: 00:01:27

Master Jacobs interview.

Host: 00:01:28

The second.

Host: 00:01:29

Second half, we had some audio errors, some audio issues, so we cleaned it up some.

Host: 00:01:35

It's not amazing.

Host: 00:01:36

I do greatly apologize.

Host: 00:01:39

I'm.

Host: 00:01:40

I.

Host: 00:01:40

We don't usually interview on, you know, in person, and so we had some different equipment and we're kind of working with that.

Host: 00:01:48

We've kind of gotten much better at our invert person interviews after we were down there.

Host: 00:01:53

That way we could do more of them in the future.

Host: 00:01:56

But there is a little issue there.

Host: 00:01:58

So if you can make it through, great.

Host: 00:02:00

If not, we understand.

Host: 00:02:01

But then make it to the end of the episode so we can catch up.

Host: 00:02:04

Back with you here afterwards.

Host: 00:02:07

Let's get to those interviews.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:02:11

Special guest interview.

Host: 00:02:14

ADA Nation.

Host: 00:02:15

I am super excited to have with us today Master Van Tonder.

Host: 00:02:18

How are you, sir?

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:19

I'm really good.

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:20

And you, sir?

Host: 00:02:20

I'm wonderful.

Host: 00:02:21

You are in Little Rock, Arkansas, as we are right now for this interview.

Host: 00:02:25

And I don't know if people notice, but if you say some things, you don't sound like you necessarily come from Little Rock, Arkansas.

Host: 00:02:33

Where are you from?

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:34

Yes, sir.

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:34

I am from South Africa.

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:36

Johannesburg.

Host: 00:02:37

Okay.

Host: 00:02:37

Yeah.

Host: 00:02:38

That's a little bit further away.

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:40

Yes, sir.

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:41

Absolutely.

Host: 00:02:42

So you are now here at Little Rock.

Host: 00:02:45

You are teaching here at the headquarters school, is that correct?

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:48

Yes, sir.

Host: 00:02:49

Okay, so before we get into what that's like, what, what brought you to Taekwondo?

Host: 00:02:57

When did you get started.

Master Van Tonder: 00:02:58

So I started back in the day,: 1995

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:00

I started in: 1992

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:02

, but taekwondo, I started in: 1995

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:06

I was bullied as a kid and obviously my parents wanted me to defend myself and learn confidence.

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:13

And that's how the whole journey started.

Host: 00:03:15

That's how it all started.

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:16

And yeah, my grandfather paid for my taekwondo classes because we grew up as a poor family.

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:23

There wasn't always money for everything.

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:25

So I'm very grateful for my grandfather.

Host: 00:03:29

That's very great.

Host: 00:03:29

That's.

Host: 00:03:30

Now you are here, now in Little Rock.

Host: 00:03:35

What first, what's the transition like moving from South Africa to Little Rock, Arkansas?

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:40

I have to say, learning to become an adult in a new country, like in within two months.

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:46

It's rough.

Host: 00:03:49

It's not.

Host: 00:03:51

I mean, moving anywhere is hard.

Host: 00:03:54

Moving to a whole new country is gonna be much harder.

Master Van Tonder: 00:03:59

It's got its challenges, but everything is smoother now once things are settled, especially with the Social Security numbers.

Master Van Tonder: 00:04:08

And it's like no credit records.

Host: 00:04:10

Oh, yeah.

Host: 00:04:11

Oh, I didn't even think about how hard that would be.

Host: 00:04:14

You get what, a green card?

Host: 00:04:17

What do you have to do to come into the country to teach, to have a job?

Master Van Tonder: 00:04:22

I came over with a 01 visa, so it's for extraordinary position.

Master Van Tonder: 00:04:28

So with all the qualifications and stuff that I achieved over my lifespan, it built up a profile that was extraordinary that made me able to do this.

Master Van Tonder: 00:04:38

That visa is valid for three years.

Master Van Tonder: 00:04:40

And then, yeah, we are.

Host: 00:04:43

We'll see from there.

Host: 00:04:44

If they kick you out and make you go back.

Host: 00:04:46

What's the.

Host: 00:04:47

So you're here at headquarters.

Host: 00:04:49

A lot of our ATA nation might not know that ATA headquarters has a school that runs right here from the headquarters location.

Host: 00:04:57

What's that like to like.

Host: 00:04:58

I teach at the headquarters school.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:01

In the beginning, it was very nerve wracking because, you know, that's like you're busy teaching and Chief Master sky just quickly walk through to go home.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:11

And it's like.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:11

And it's like, oh, man, I'm probably going to hear what I did wrong.

Host: 00:05:15

Yeah, that.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:16

Then he gives me some pointers.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:17

So it does.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:18

Does help a lot to keep me on my toes.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:21

And I feel it's like I do have the personal space to grow and learn and teach.

Master Van Tonder: 00:05:30

So it's not always that they are my toes.

Host: 00:05:35

Well, I mean, you also get.

Host: 00:05:36

We.

Host: 00:05:37

I had the opportunity to work out with you guys the other day, so you might have that.

Host: 00:05:41

A little intimidation when, you know, grandmaster walks through Chief Master somebody your class.

Host: 00:05:46

But you also have the benefit of, like, you got the best instructors in the building, you know, to help you with your training.

Host: 00:05:52

So what's it been like doing this?

Host: 00:05:55

I'm sore from the training.

Host: 00:05:56

What's it been like to do this training here at headquarters with the staff?

Master Van Tonder: 00:06:00

So in the little time that I've been here, I came through here in March this year, and my martial arts has definitely improved in this little time period.

Master Van Tonder: 00:06:11

I can see a big improvement in my technique.

Master Van Tonder: 00:06:13

So it does help a lot and does help to have someone that keeps you accountable.

Host: 00:06:17

Yeah, that's.

Host: 00:06:18

You don't show up for workout and they call, you know, I mean, it's easy to.

Host: 00:06:23

You have that accountability.

Host: 00:06:24

That's.

Host: 00:06:24

I wasn't not showing up to the workout the other morning when they were like, hey, do you want to come?

Host: 00:06:29

I was like, of course I'm coming.

Host: 00:06:31

I wouldn't miss it.

Host: 00:06:33

The opportunity to teach here, schools here, what, you know, what's kind of the goal to have a school here at the ATA headquarters?

Host: 00:06:43

Are they, you know, trying to.

Host: 00:06:45

To, you know, have it treated like another school?

Host: 00:06:48

Do the.

Host: 00:06:49

What's the purpose for having a school here?

Master Van Tonder: 00:06:52

The purpose of the school year is to show people that, you know what, if ATA HQ can make us a school, a successful school, with the platform and all this stuff, then we've done it.

Master Van Tonder: 00:07:06

We can help you.

Master Van Tonder: 00:07:08

We can guide you and bolt you up from scratch.

Host: 00:07:10

That's super cool.

Host: 00:07:11

Now, if I'm traveling, let's say I'm going across the country, I stop in Little Rock.

Host: 00:07:16

Can I come and take a class with you?

Master Van Tonder: 00:07:18

Absolutely.

Host: 00:07:19

Awesome.

Host: 00:07:19

Okay, so Ha Nation out there.

Host: 00:07:22

If you stop through Little Rock and want to take a class, make sure that you reach out.

Host: 00:07:26

I'm sure they'll schedule, you know, give you a schedule, let you know what time to pop in and enjoy the time.

Host: 00:07:31

So that's awesome.

Host: 00:07:33

If you were going to give some advice to a license or not a licensee, a kid out there who is like, hey, you know, this Taekwondo thing is a lot of fun.

Host: 00:07:45

What should I do?

Host: 00:07:46

You know, on rough days when I feel like I don't want to do it, I want to quit.

Host: 00:07:51

Maybe I didn't do well at the tournament.

Host: 00:07:54

I'm having trouble with this form.

Host: 00:07:55

What advice would you give a kid who's just, like, struggling a little bit?

Master Van Tonder: 00:07:58

Absolutely.

Master Van Tonder: 00:07:59

It's very important.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:00

So I would give that advice to someone and say, you know what?

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:05

We all have bad days.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:07

Parents have bad days.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:09

Your teachers have bad days.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:10

We all have bad days.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:11

But those bad days are the days that makes us stronger.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:14

If we can keep on and push through those bad days, the great days will be so more enjoyable.

Host: 00:08:22

That's excellent advice.

Host: 00:08:23

Excellent advice that.

Host: 00:08:24

Don't let those bad days be the ones that stop you.

Host: 00:08:27

Very good.

Host: 00:08:28

Well, sir, I really appreciate your time today.

Host: 00:08:30

Good luck with all the awesome training here at headquarters.

Host: 00:08:33

I'm a little jealous of the workouts because I don't have quite as cool of people to work out with at home.

Host: 00:08:38

So we'll.

Host: 00:08:40

We'll see at Worlds of nationals.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:41

Yes, sir.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:42

I appreciate the time.

Master Van Tonder: 00:08:43

Thank you so much.

Host: 00:09:00

ATA Nation, we have with us Master Jacobs from the licensing department.

Host: 00:09:05

for those of us out there in: 1882

Host: 00:09:17

I mean, we've been seeing it at nationals and worlds.

Host: 00:09:20

I mean, you pop in here, but can you tell us a little bit about your AJ history?

Host: 00:09:25

Like when.

Host: 00:09:26

When did you start?

Host: 00:09:26

Where did you start?

Master Jacobs: 00:09:27

Sure.

Master Jacobs: 00:09:28

I started in: 1993

Host: 00:09:36

Okay.

Host: 00:09:37

So you were kind enough to pick me up from the airport the other day while I was here in little.

Host: 00:09:45

Our wonderful Little Rock, and we were talking a little bit about that history of.

Host: 00:09:49

You made it to Arkansas.

Host: 00:09:51

You were, you worked out there.

Host: 00:09:53

What, like, you obviously started martial arts.

Host: 00:09:57

What did you start martial arts for?

Host: 00:09:58

Like, did somebody sign you up?

Host: 00:10:00

Did you have.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:02

Actually, I wasn't there for martial arts at all.

Host: 00:10:04

Oh, really?

Master Jacobs: 00:10:05

In the 90s and a lot of the facilities had the martial arts classes going and then had some kind of.

Host: 00:10:13

Nautilus, like the gym stuff.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:15

So, yeah, so a friend of mine that took classes said, come up to the gym.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:20

The trainers are good, they'll work you out.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:22

Didn't mention martial arts at all.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:24

I knew he did martial arts, but I had no idea that three months later, I think it was, they decided they were going to close the gym and it was just going to be a martial arts school.

Host: 00:10:35

You were catfished.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:37

So they were like, well, you ever try martial arts?

Master Jacobs: 00:10:41

And I was like, never thought about it.

Master Jacobs: 00:10:43

And they put me in a class and I started in 93 and I have been in martial arts ever since.

Host: 00:10:50

Well, yeah, that seems to have turned out well for you.

Host: 00:10:54

Fantastic.

Host: 00:10:55

Yeah, you've got a career.

Host: 00:10:57

So did you do teaching for Grandmaster Delegi?

Host: 00:11:01

Did you help run a school?

Master Jacobs: 00:11:03

I became a certified instructor under him in the Newark, Delaware location.

Master Jacobs: 00:11:09

He then had the opportunity to take over the Bear Delaware location.

Master Jacobs: 00:11:14

Okay and I went in there and ran that school for two or three.

Host: 00:11:22

Years probably the 90s are a long time ago we can't remember all of that.

Master Jacobs: 00:11:27

What happens when you get old?

Master Jacobs: 00:11:29

Yes yeah I understand so ran that school then I took a break and opened a T shirt and embroidery business.

Master Jacobs: 00:11:39

Oh so another person went in there and then I I came back I trained.

Unnamed Guest: 00:12:09

Found the courage he saw the house.

Unnamed Guest: 00:13:20

Wow and you have you been like well it's close and then become licensing then I do licensing testing while.

Host: 00:13:51

So.

Unnamed Guest: 00:13:52

You'Re trying to care about it's their neat like strange crazy I mean not necessarily I mean they could share on the podcast maybe not but you know birthday parties weird you know crazy things that have happened.

Unnamed Guest: 00:14:18

I mean I know the old building the job well I mean you got to relate when I have work instructor I don't mean get started but one day in the testing and y cut this world out and started nice and we're in that and one of and we're in the middle of the earth opens the door and he just got straight looks chat looks back on that I would have I would love to have seen that scenario played out with each different presenting and see now I had done this I think so though I heard no I'm not 100% sure that Nicol Graham yeah but the person out like yeah yeah I'm gonna have I'm gonna ask if nerve guy fights I have a feeling you might apply A couple weeks ago there was a small well you never know there.

Host: 00:16:33

Yeah.

Unnamed Guest: 00:16:34

For sure I'm excited that is going to be maybe Nerf gun like caring standouts but like staff events well you're in license now our regular lengthies know you a lot you've got if somebody is interested like I'm a student at a school but I'm thinking about thinking about what's a piece of device who would get licensed and then being here first of a piece of advice let me know people that's a great piece of advice early in the process you know you think well thank you for your chapter.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:18:04

Listener feedback well we want.

Host: 00:18:08

To take this time to thank those two awesome individuals for taking the time to interview with us while we were down at headquarters.

Host: 00:18:17

If you ever get a chance make sure you visit ATA headquarters.

Host: 00:18:21

I know I'm going there again in December for Camp Jiangsu and you know it's just a great place to be you're able to go in you know work out do you know meet all the people there.

Host: 00:18:32

It's just amazing.

Host: 00:18:33

So if you're driving through Little Rock, make sure you go.

Host: 00:18:35

Or if you get an opportunity to do a training camp or anything down there, don't miss it now.

Host: 00:18:41

Listener feedback.

Host: 00:18:42

This is what I want.

Host: 00:18:43

I don't know if you guys saw it online.

Host: 00:18:45

You.

Host: 00:18:45

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Host: 00:18:49

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Host: 00:18:58

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Host: 00:19:03

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Host: 00:19:13

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Host: 00:19:19

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Host: 00:19:21

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Host: 00:19:23

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Host: 00:19:24

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Host: 00:19:33

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Host: 00:19:34

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Host: 00:19:39

That's going to wrap it up for us today.

Host: 00:19:42

Until next time, get out there and do something beyond the belt.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:19:47

Thanks for listening to another episode of the ATA Nation podcast.

Senior Master Zach Hayden: 00:19:53

Be sure to subscribe and share with your ATA family.

Host: 00:20:01

Sorry about that audio, guys.

Host: 00:20:03

I did my best to try to fix it, but I don't know, it was just rough.

Host: 00:20:07

So hopefully it was bearable for some of you.

Host: 00:20:10

I just skipped it.

Host: 00:20:11

I totally understand.

Host: 00:20:12

Okay, take care.

Host: 00:20:14

We'll talk later.