Paragon Today

• 50 Black Belts from Denver area Paragon schools came together for Leadership Training, Instructor Training and Black Belt Testing.

• The evening started with Master Bass, Master Horn, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Weaver conducting a high level leadership workout and ATA Extreme clinic.

• Master Hauptman and 11 local instructors spent the afternoon studying for higher level instructor status and instructor recertification.

• The Fort Collins school reluctantly passed on the Eternal Grand Master Award of Excellence to the Evergreen school. Mr. Mattivi accepted for the Evergreen group.

• New Paragon Junio Black Belts traditionally give a gift to their parents to express gratitude for the years of help in achieving their goal of black belt.

• Black Belt testers from 1st to 4th Degree traveled to demonstrate for Paragon’s high rank panel.

• A group of anxious Paragon Sang Joel Bong experts

• Ms. Clarke and Mr. Weaver demonstrating sparring

• We’re very lucky in Paragon to have some of the most talented high ranks in Colorado who are willing to demonstrate their skills. Ms. Haag might disagree at this moment.

• Board Breaking with perfect technique.

• New 1st and 2nd Degree Black Belts

• Paragon’s newest Black Belts

Paragon is expanding rapidly. It’s newest club is located at the Green Mountain Rec. Center in Lakewood, Colorado.

Paragon Martial Arts | Green Mountain Rec. Center

Mr. David Polites, 4th Degree Black Belt
13198 West Green Mountain Drive
Wednesday nights
For more information: 303-968-5500
www.ParagonKarate.com



The club is under the instruction of Master Jody Horn and taught by 4th Degree Black Belt, Mr. David Polites. Mr. Polites is a veteran instructor an internationally certified with the American Taekwondo Association (ATA). Mr. Polites’ engaging teaching style comes from years of experience teaching in some of the ATA’s most successful schools in California and Colorado.

It’s first class was on July 7th and already it boasts 6 very talented students, a good indication that the club has a bright future.





To register for classes go to the City of Lakewood’s website at www.Lakewood.org.

For more information on Paragon Martial Arts call 303-968-550 or go to www.ParagonKarate.com.

• Master Horn, Master Bass and Chief Master Jager

Chief Master Robert Jager is an 8th Degree Black Belt, member of the ATA Master’s Council, an inductee to the ATA Hall of Fame. He is Master Hauptman’s instructor and the senior for all of Paragon.

• Master Bass being inducted by Grand Master Soon Ho Lee

Master Joel Bass,  “World Championships in Little Rock has been a annual part of my martial arts career for many, many years.  However, this year was the most significant!  Going through the Master’s training and receiving the title capped off an exciting year of many challenges and great successes.  With that said, I am most thankful that I was able to go through the process of becoming a Master with my very good friend, Master Jody Horn.  Not only is Master Horn an amazing martial artist he is a good man and the experience would not have been the same without him.  I would like to thank my staff, Ms. Hornberger, Ms. Haag, Ms. Gill and Mr. Mudron for all their help with the school while I was at the master’s training.  Plus, I would like to thank all of my students who where able to watch online and those who attended the opening ceremonies (Yat Yee & Maddy Chong, Tiffany Haag, Mark & Amanda Mudron).  Of course, I must thank all of those who have helped guide and inspire my martial arts career: Master Mathis, Master Jaime, Chief Master Jager, and most of all to both Master Hauptman and Cheif Master M.K. Lee!  Lastly, I must save the biggest thank you for my wife Amy.  Without her love and support none of this would have been possible!

I am extremely proud of how the students of Paragon Martial Arts represented themselves at World Championships!  I have a sneaky feeling that those who attended this year will be bringing a few more of you next year.”

• Master Horn being inducted

• 2010 ATA Masters

• Master Horn, Master Bass, Master Albrecht and Master Chewning
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• Master Bass’ future office

Masters Bass and Horn are currently in Little Rock preparing for their induction to mastership by Grand Master Soon Ho Lee on Friday night.

• Master Bass and Master Horn at DIA ready to fly to Little Rock

Today was spent primarily at the H.U.Lee Gate and Garden with the ATA’s seniors fulfilling the first steps in the ceremony. They were video taped and will appear on the big screen on Friday night.

Today is also their fourth day of fasting. I talked to Master Bass at around 5:30 Arkansas time and he answered the phone, “I’m hungry!” Tonight he and Master Horn will join up with some of their fellow candidates to go bowling at a local bowling alley.

• Master Bass, Grand Master Soon Ho Lee and Master Horn

The weather was perfect for a a day in the sun wearing a few layers of thick silk (their traditional Korean master’s uniform). The official high for Little Rock today was 102 degrees.

• Master Bass and Master Horn in front of the statue of Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee

The afternoon was filled with Chief Master M.K. Lee talking about the finer points and expectations of the new masters. Master Bass and Master Horn have worked extensively with Master M.K. over the years.

• Master Horn and Master Bass at ATA World HQ.

Tomorrow is a full day of training. Starting at 6:00 a.m. with Chief Master In Ho Lee. They will start the day with weapons training, move into traditional forms and sparring and end the day with Warrior X-Fit workout followed by more training seminars. When Grand Master and his staff are training with master candidates, they fast along with them.

If you wish to send Master Horn and Master Bass a message, click the ‘submit’ button on the right or send to paragonma@tumblr.com. I will post 5 or ten of them on the blog on Thursday night for them to read before they head off to opening ceremonies of Friday. This is open to all his students, parents, family and fellow instructors in Colorado.

Five days left until Master Bass’ and Master Horn’s induction as Masters.

As they enter into 4 intense days of training, they committed to updating our ParagonToday.com blog so we can all share the experience. They will officially become Master Instructors at Opening Ceremonies of World Championships on Friday night.

Today is their third of nine days of fasting. Today is also a travel day as they head down to Little Rock, Arkansas.

Tomorrow is an early day. The entire group will be meeting at the H.U. Lee Gate and Garden for filming, training, workouts, practices and, well, more fasting. Don’t worry, I sent some bottles of water with them for lunch … and dinner … ‘oh,  and breakfast.

I know that they will be up late in their room studying tonight, as Chief Master M.K. Lee sent out a late notice of an exam for tomorrow. This will be an intense exam, and “no Master Horn, the Korean word for Cheeseburger will not be a test question.” Although, I bet a cheeseburger sounds good right now, eh?

Here are a few fun facts that make this an historic event. Their journey to mastership also marks a few firsts for Colorado — and the ATA.

• It’s the first time that two masters from the same school and instructor have achieved the title at the same time. (with the exception of spouses)
• It is the first time a Colorado “native” will earn the title
• Master Horn will be the ATA’s youngest master instructor
• They will be the first masters who trained under a Colorado instructor to achieve the title
• They will be Master Hauptman’s first and second masters
• They will be Chief Master Jager’s ninth and tenth masters
• They are the fourth and fifth masters in Colorado

I will update the blog every night this week with the latest news on their progress. Check back nightly. Master William Hauptman

• 2007 Taekwondo World Magazine

Master Hauptman, Master Horn and Ms. Roberts got together with 170 of their ATA students from 6 Paragon Martial Arts schools around Denver to attend the opening day of the Karate Kid movie in Evergreen on Saturday, July 12th. Students from Evergreen, Stapleton, Conifer, Green Mountain, Lakewood, and Bailey made the journey to help kick off the movie. Emma Adams, Chief Instructor from Evergreen commented, “The theater has a capacity of 190 people and they were all paragon! Some kids came in costume and lots of popcorn was thrown when the evil Cheng was on the screen.”

The only hitch during the movie was when a storm caused a power surge and the movie stopped for a few minutes. Master Horn jumped out of his seat to quickly fix it. Luckily, it was during the tournament portion of the movie and Master Horn thinks he knows a thing or two about tournaments, making him qualified to fix the projector? Also in attendance were, David Polites, 4th Degree Black Belt, Ms. Krystle Willey, Head Instructor from Lakewood, Mr. Micah Martin, Head Instructor from Stapleton and Ms. Emma Adams, Chief Instructor from Evergreen.

Preperations are underway to invade the theater again for the Last Air Bender!