Learn about the American Taekwondo Association (ATA)

The American Taekwondo Association (ATA) is growing global organization focused on the martial arts of Taekwondo. It is smaller than better known global Taekwondo associations such as the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and International Taekwondo Federation (ITF).

According to the ATA website, "In 1966, Korean General Hong Hi Choi (the man responsible for originally standardizing Taekwondo in 1955) met with then Master Haeng Ung Lee (now Eternal Grand Master), who at the time was teaching Taekwondo-Japanese mixed martial arts to his organization of followers. General Choi quickly taught Eternal Grand Master Lee the first 16 Cheon-jee forms of Taekwondo in only 4 days and three nights (this system of forms was the first set of forms developed under the new Taekwondo of Korea). From this first meeting almost half a century ago, the stage was set for the founding of The American Taekwondo Association (ATA) in 1969 in Omaha, Nebraska by Eternal Grand Master Lee."

Moreover, the ATA states that it "and its affiliated organizations is beginning to register over 300,000 members worldwide, including 53,000 black belts and 3,000 certified instructors."

For information on Taekwondo forms and patterns, visit the ATA Taekwondo forms section.

References

1. American Taekwondo Association, ATA History, http://www.ataonline.com/about/history.asp, Added - 04/22/14