Master Rigdon

Master Rigdon was featured on the December 1995 Taekwondo Times cover as shown with Grand Master Young Chul Rho.

Master Rigdon's TKD Times article is below. Click on the TKD Times cover to view an original scanned copy of the article complete with pictures.

Brett Rigdon:

From Special Agent To Super Instructor

By Mary Meyers Dexter

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the Taekwondo Times cover.

Fourth degree black belt Brett Rigdon has a quiet strength that whispers a shout when you take the time to observe his sharp mental focus or his ability in action. It is his ability to quickly size up a situation and process that information that goes hand in hand with the philosophical side of his "art." His art--Taekwondo--is about more than just self-defense, fine-tuned motor skills and coordination. With 18 years of study and a quality Grandmaster as mentor to guide his development, Mr. Rigdon's achievement and self-confidence were generated by hard work, a strong mind, a healthy body and an attitude that says "Go for it!"

In 1981 Mr. Rigdon won the AAU Junior Olympic Taekwondo championship. he has studied in Korea at the World Headquarters of Taekwondo where he received the WTF Citation for Development from Dr. Un Yong Kim. He serves as First Vice-President of Missouri Taekwondo Association and is nationally certified as USTU referee.

Teaching Taekwondo to Police personnel in the St. Louis area led to his interest in law enforcement. he researched his options in that field and decided to pursue a career as a United States Marshal with the Department of Justice. It took a lengthy examination and interview process before he was chosen from many applicants. At the time, he felt that leaving Taekwondo was "one of the toughest decisions of my life." After training, he participated in "Operation Just Cause" in Southern Florida, working with the group that was responsible for the capture and extradition of accused Panamanian drug-trafficker Manuel Noriega. Other special assignments involved protecting federal judges and foreign dignitaries. For his work as a special Agent, he received the Department of Justice Superior Performance Award.

The urge to teach and model Taekwondo caused him to make another difficult decision. In 1990 he left the federal government and headed back to World Martial Arts Academy in St. Peters. Now he serves as Director of the facility, often teaching as many as eight classes a day in addition to handling administrative duties. He feels proud and upbeat about advancing a sport he loves so much and has devoted so much of his life to Motivating all ages, races and religions to become the best that they can be and to improve their self-esteem and outlook on life still excites him. Mr. Rigdon has been very successful at spreading his own "Go for it!" attitude.