Our instructors
Our instructors are all qualified by International Taekwon-Do. Our requirements include holding a current first aid certificate and attending regular instructors' courses. The school is run by Master Mark Banicevich, VII dan. He is a Master Instructor and Examiner, qualified by the International Taekwon-Do Federation. Many of our instructors are also Accredited Level One trainers with Protect Self Defence.
Master Mark Banicevich
VII dan
At 7th degree black belt, Master Banicevich is among the highest ranked instructors in NZ. He started International Taekwon-Do in 1989 with Grand Master Paul McPhail, now 9th dan black belt, in Papakura. He is active in Taekwon-Do nationally and internationally, training, attending and teaching seminars, and umpiring at tournaments including the World Championships. He loves all aspects of Taekwon-Do, particularly social development, self-defence and patterns. He attended numerous seminars with General Choi Hong Hi, and continues to attend technical seminars regularly.
Dr Brice Valles
V dan
As a child, Brice Vallès studied Aïkido in France for a few years. The passion for studying martial arts returned much later and in January 2003 he entered a Taekwon-Do dojang in Norway. After gaining his 2nd degree black belt in Norway, he moved to New Zealand in 2010 and began training in Papakura with Master McPhail, 8th degree. Now 5th degree black belt, Dr Vallès continues to train with Master McPhail and also teaches in Glendowie. He umpires in regional, national, and international competitions. Dr Valles loves the technical intricacies of Taekwon-Do, and participates in as many seminars he can.
Colden Sapir
I dan
Colden Sapir started Taekwon-Do in late 2015 and attained 1st degree black belt in May 2023. In addition to training with a variety of instructors at Glendowie, Mr Sapir has also branched out to other dojangs for specialised training in patterns and sparring, winning gold at the National Tournament in 2021. Mr Sapir loves instructing as a two-way process of connecting with his students, and values an holistic approach to Taekwon-Do that develops an appreciation for the philosophy of the martial art.
If you live in Glendowie, St Heliers, Glen Innes, or neighbouring suburbs and you want to try something different - come along and meet us, and give International Taekwon-Do Glendowie a go.