Whitsunday Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan

MASTER VICTORIA GILLAM -- 5th Dan Black Belt

‘Vicky’ Gillam first began her training in martial arts studying Karate at the age of 16. In 1999 she started her Taekwondo training under Master Anita Tippet at the Port Kennedy Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan Club.  In 2010 she opened the Club - Whitsunday Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan - which has branches in both Proserpine and Airlie Beach.

 
In 2003, Vicky moved to Fiji where she became extensively involved in the Taekwondo community.  It was through her dedication that the small Suva Taekwondo Club was built into a thriving martial arts school. She held the position of Treasurer of the Fiji Taekwondo Association for two consecutive years and was the assistant coach to the Fiji Taekwondo team for the 2003 South Pacific Games held in Fiji. Under her instruction the club saw a number of its students rise to the ranks of Black Belt – and with the guidance and tutelage of Master Lee, 7th Dan - Vicky successfully attained her 3rd Dan.  

Upon returning to Australia, Vicky and her family settled into the glorious Whitsunday Region of North Queensland. Her continued passion for Taekwondo led to the opening of Whitsunday Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan. In July 2014, she was assessed by Grand Master Ross Hartnett 8th Dan, Master Carmela Hartnett 7th Dan and Master Anita Tippet 6th Dan and successfully achieved her 5th Dan.

One of Vicky’s favourite aspects of Taekwondo are the patterns (Poomsae) and their traditional meanings - and how they help to develop grace, balance, flexibility and coordination. Another is that Taekwondo has become a way of life – offering something for everyone. She has found that it not only offers a way to keep fit and healthy but is also instrumental in developing self-confidence, discipline and a greater respect for others.

Vicky is a former 3 time Western Australian State Champion and Medallist and was nominated two years running for the Senior Sportsperson of the Year in Rockingham. She is also a National Coaching Accreditation Scheme qualified coach and a World Taekwondo Federation recognised examiner.  

MR JAMES HODGES -- 2nd Dan Black Belt

‘Jim’ Hodges first began his training in martial arts studying Zen Do Kai in 1985 at the age of 20. In 2001 he started his Taekwondo training at the Port Kennedy Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan Club training under Master Anita Tippet. 

In his first year of training he won Gold for sparring at the Western Australian State Championships.

Also moving to Fiji in 2003, Jim too became involved in the Taekwondo community and was instrumental in the development of the Suva Taekwondo Club.

The self defence (Hosinsul) aspect of Taekwondo is Jim’s favourite element and like Vicky has embraced Taekwondo as a way of life. He also finds that Taekwondo is a great way to stay fit and healthy and that it is one of the best ways of developing self-control, boosting self-esteem and gaining a greater respect for others.

Outside of Taekwondo, Jim also teaches at the local TAFE. Teaching is a passion for him and it is this passion that he brings to Whitsunday Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan and its students.

Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan

GRAND MASTER ROSS HARTNETT -- 9th Dan Black Belt

Grand Master Ross Hartnett 8th Dan Black Belt and 2000 Olympic Head Coach is one of Australia's most successful instructors, coaches and former competitors. Grand Master Hartnett who has practiced Martial Arts for some 42 years has taught thousands of students both through his clubs and the education system the art of Taekwondo. Over the years his students have won more than 350 National Title Gold Medals and over 700 State Title Gold Medals.

As a coach he was the first Australian born National Coach to a World Taekwondo Federation benchmark event in 1996. As National Head Coach for Australia, he took Australia from an international ranking of 40 in the World in 1996 to the number 2 ranked Taekwondo Nation at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, where he was Taekwondo's Olympic Head Coach.

During his four year tenure as Head Coach and Director for Australia he led National teams to success at various World Championships, World Cup Championships, Asian Championships and a variety of major International Open Championships. In 2006 Grand Master Hartnett was honoured for his success with induction into the Australian Taekwondo Coaches Hall of Fame.  In 2011 he was inducted into the Australasian Martial arts Hall Of Fame, World Karate Hall Of Fame and the World Taekwondo Hall of Fame.

Grand Master Ross Hartnett became Taekwondo’s first Australian-born 8th Dan in WA in June 2011. He successfully passed his 8th Dan under Grand Master Ying Dai Cho who is the former president of Taekwondo Australia Inc., and as a 9th Dan black belt, is the highest grade in Australia.

Grand Master Hartnett himself was a former 7 time National Champion, World Invitational Championship Bronze Medal Winner, European Invitational Championship Bronze Medal winner, both Singapore and Malaysian Invitational Champion. Grandmaster Hartnett is a National Coaching Accreditation Scheme qualified Coach and a World Taekwondo Federation recognised examiner.

MASTER CARMELA HARTNETT  -- 9th Dan Black Belt

World Open Champion Master Carmela Hartnett 7th Dan Black Belt is Australia's most prolific international Medal winner competing in both forms and in the past fighting competitions. She has won the national championships an amazing 22 times and State Championships over 30 times. She has amassed a staggering sixty plus international medals including Gold at the World Open Championships, Silver Medal World Open Championships, 4 World Championships Bronze Medals, 3 Time Commonwealth Champion and 4 times U.S International Open Champion just to name a few.  

Master Hartnett has also been selected as a National Coach for Australia to the 1998 Junior World Championships and 2001 Junior Asian Championships, National trainer to the 2000 Junior World Championships and National Female head of team to the 1998 Asian Championships.

Master Hartnett was named in Australia's team of the Century in 2000, by the National Governing Body, to honour the top 16 athletes Australia had produced in Taekwondo since its beginnings in Australia. In 2005 she was inducted into the National Taekwondo Athlete Hall of Fame and an honouree in the World Taekwondo Hall of Fame.  She is also an inductee in the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame and the World Karate Hall of Fame.

Master Hartnett is a World Taekwondo Federation qualified International referee and qualified National Referee and Forms Judge. For all her success and fame in Taekwondo both nationally and internationally, her favourite activity in Taekwondo is teaching women and children traditional Taekwondo for health and self defence.  Master Hartnett is also a National Coaching Accreditation Scheme qualified coach and World Taekwondo Federation recognised examiner.

MASTER ANITA TIPPET  --  8th Dan Black Belt

Master Anita Tippet has been training since 1987 is a former State, National and International Champion and Medallist. Among her honours include Gold at the Thailand International Invitational Championships, Commonwealth Championship Gold medal, Malaysian International Open Championships Gold medal, Singapore International Open Championships Silver Medal and she represented Australia at the World Open Championships in England.

Master Tippet started teaching in Rockingham in 1990 and then opened her full time centre in 1998. She has extensive coaching experience having coached at local, state, national and International level, including a National Coach Position to the Commonwealth Championships. She has had the opportunity to coach teams at competitions in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Master Tippet is currently a member of the Western Australian State executive Board and is a Nationally qualified Referee and Forms Judge. She is also a National Coaching Accreditation Scheme qualified coach, qualified Sports trainer, first aider and a World Taekwondo Federation recognised examiner.